Global superstar Adele is facing serious allegations of plagiarism as a Brazilian judge has ordered her 2015 song *Million Years Ago* removed from streaming services across Brazil. The track, from her chart-topping album *25*, is accused of lifting from the samba classic *Mulheres* by Brazilian composer Toninho Geraes.
The injunction, issued Friday by Judge Victor Torres of Rio de Janeiro’s Sixth Commercial Court, mandates that Sony Music Entertainment and Universal Music, Adele’s record labels, immediately cease all distribution and monetization of the song. The ruling threatens fines of $8,000 per violation for noncompliance.
“International producers and artists who have Brazilian music ‘on their radar’ for possible parasitic use will think twice, given this decision,” said Fredimio Trotta, Geraes’ attorney, in a statement to Agence France-Presse (AFP).
Geraes initially filed the plagiarism lawsuit against Adele in 2021, arguing that the melody and structure of *Million Years Ago* closely resemble his 1995 samba hit. The ruling is seen as a significant stand for protecting the intellectual property of artists from smaller nations, often overshadowed by the global dominance of Western music industries.
This isn’t the first time Adele has faced allegations of copying. Shortly after the release of *Million Years Ago* in 2015, fans of Kurdish singer Ahmet Kaya accused her of lifting elements from his 1985 song *Acilara Tutunmak* (*Holding On to Pain*). However, no legal action emerged from those claims.
Sony and Universal have the option to appeal the recent ruling, but the case has already sent shockwaves through the music industry. It raises questions about how major artists draw inspiration and whether global success shields them from accountability.
The track in question is one of Adele’s more introspective songs, reflecting on her childhood and the passage of time. Speaking on her *Adele at the BBC* special in 2015, the Grammy-winning artist described how revisiting her old South London neighborhood inspired the ballad.
“It’s kind of a story about … I drove past Brockwell Park, which is a park in South London I used to live by,” she said. “It’s where I spent a lot of my youth. It has quite monumental moments of my life that I’ve spent there, and I drove past it and I just literally burst into tears.”
While Adele’s reflections paint a deeply personal picture, the legal battle over the song may overshadow its nostalgic sentiments.
For many conservatives, this case highlights a broader conversation about the erosion of cultural integrity in the age of globalized media. Brazilian samba, deeply rooted in the nation’s cultural identity, represents a tradition that shouldn’t be casually borrowed or overlooked.
The controversy also underscores a growing frustration with Hollywood and Western entertainment industries, which often appropriate cultural elements without proper acknowledgment or compensation. While Adele remains one of the most celebrated voices of her generation, this case could serve as a wake-up call for artists to respect and credit the origins of their inspiration.
As the legal battle unfolds, one thing is clear: no artist, no matter how famous, is above accountability. And for fans of both Adele and Brazilian music, the question remains—was this an innocent mistake or a calculated move? Only time, and perhaps the courts, will tell.
