Screaming for joy! Tulisa ‘wins share of Brit hit royalties’
TULISA CONTOSTAVLOS is set for a megabucks payday after winning a six-year legal battle over a smash hit record by will.i.am and Britney Spears, Metro understands.
The former X Factor judge is believed to have secured a songwriting credit on the US pair’s Scream & Shout — a UK No.1 in 2012.
The track was originally intended to feature under the title I Don’t Give A F*** on Tulisa’s album The Female Boss.
She has always insisted that she co-wrote the tune, in particular the lyric: ‘When you hear this in the club you’re gonna turn this s*** up.’
It is understood Britney, 36, sang along with Tulisa’s voice when she delivered the line.
But will.i.am, Jef Martens and Jean Baptiste were listed as the only writers.
A source said: ‘Tulisa was annoyed when the song was taken from her and given to Britney, especially as she co-wrote it.
‘It was set to be one of the big songs on her debut album. She didn’t let it lie, and took it all the way to the courts and has now won.
‘She just wanted to be recognised as the writer of one of the biggest pop tracks of the last decade.’
Black Eyed Peas star will.i.am, 43, once said: ‘Tulisa wrote to that song before I did — this is the truth. But the producers of the beat didn’t want her to have it.’
Scream & Shout was Britney’s first No.1 in eight years at the time. A report from a musicologist is believed to have shown she followed Tulisa’s vocals.
The former N-Dubz singer, 29, is understood to have been handed ten per cent of all publishing rights.
That would earn her a fat cheque as the track sold 8.2million copies around the world. Income from the song was frozen in 2012 because of the row.
Neither Tulisa, will.i.am nor Britney had commented last night.
Author: Andrei Harmsworth
