Water Under the Bridge? How Tyla’s Grammy Hit Sparked A Music Industry Wake-Up Call

The global success of Tyla’s “Water” should have been a pure celebration—a Grammy-winning, billion-streamed triumph for African pop. Instead, the track has become the center of a legal storm that’s sending shockwaves through recording studios worldwide. A lawsuit filed by collaborators Olmo Zucca and Jackson LoMastro, alleging insufficient credit and royalties, has exposed the high-stakes consequences of what happens when creative passion overshadows business prudence.

The Lawsuit That Could Redefine Music Collaboration

At the heart of the dispute lies a fundamental industry truth: credits equal cash, and memory is no substitute for paperwork. Zucca and LoMastro claim their contributions—the beat, piano, bass, and sound design—were essential to “Water’s” addictive sonic blueprint, yet their producer credits and royalty shares allegedly fell short of industry standards. Now, with Sony/Epic and producer Sammy “SoSo” Awuku also named in the suit, the case threatens to freeze revenue streams and unravel professional relationships that once thrived in the studio’s creative haze.

Why Every Musician Should Be Paying Attention

This isn’t just about one song or one lawsuit. It’s a cautionary tale for every artist, producer, and songwriter who’s ever skipped a split sheet, assuming goodwill would prevail. The “Water” dispute underscores four non-negotiable realities:

Credits Are Ownership
That line in the liner notes isn’t just for clout—it’s a legal claim to copyright and royalties. Misclassification (or omission) can strip creators of earnings and even moral rights over their work.

Split Sheets Are Survival Tools
A single page defining percentages might seem mundane mid-session, but when millions flow in, it becomes the document that either protects or impoverishes you.

Lawsuits Freeze Money
Performance royalties? Sync licenses? Streaming revenue? All can be held hostage during credit disputes, leaving collaborators in financial limbo for years.

Paperwork Preserves Relationships
The studio vibe might be “all love,” but unpaid claims turn collaborators into courtroom opponents. Clarity on day one prevents heartbreak on payday.

The New Studio Checklist

Veteran producers are already adjusting protocols:

• Sign split sheets before the first mix—not after the track blows up

• Archive everything: stems, voice notes, timestamped emails proving contributions

• Define roles explicitly: songwriter vs. producer, and what % each owns

• Loop in legal early, not when the lawsuit arrives

As for Tyla’s camp? The lawsuit’s outcome remains uncertain, but its lesson is crystal clear: great records are born in creativity but secured in contracts. For the next artist crafting a potential global hit, the real work isn’t just in the booth—it’s at the negotiation table. Because in music, what’s signed is just as important as what’s sung.