A lawsuit that claimed Karol G and Tiesto's 2021 track Don't Be Shy infringed copyright has been tossed out of court.
The suit alleged similarities between the dance hit and a little-known song by Cuban-American songwriter Rene Lorente.
It was dismissed on Wednesday amid a scathing ruling that blasted Lorente's "proposed expert" as unqualified and unreliable. The judge in the case blasted the expert for misidentifying chords and ruled that the songwriter had relied on a musicologist whose report lacked "intellectual rigour".
The judge also determined there was insufficient evidence that Karol G or Grammy-winning Dutch DJ Tiesto knew of Lorente's song, a key requirement for proving copyright infringement.
Lorente had claimed that Don't Be Shy infringed on the copyright of his 1998 track Algo Diferente. He alleged the songs had significant similarities in melody, rhythm, harmony and structure. According to the lawsuit, Lorente sought $3 million (£2.2 million) in damages, citing mental anguish, humiliation and harm to his reputation
Don't Be Shy was released in August 2021 as a single from Tiesto's seventh studio album. It marked Karol G's English language debut.
"Karol G is such a talented superstar and the perfect addition to this song," Tiesto said at the time. "When I first heard her smooth vocals on Don't Be Shy I was instantly hooked."
