Taylor Swift faces lawsuit over title of latest album
Swift is being sued for copyright infringement and unfair competition over her record The Life Of A Showgirl.
Taylor Swift accepts the Pop Album of the Year award for The Life Of A Showgirl at the 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, California, U.S., Mar 26, 2026. (Photo: Reuters/Mario Anzuoni)
Taylor Swift is being sued by an entertainer over her album The Life Of A Showgirl.
The 36-year-old pop star, whose latest chart-topping hit record was released in October 2025, is facing legal action from writer Maren Wade over a supposed claim to a similar name.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, in a lawsuit filed on Monday (Mar 30), Wade has accused Swift and UMG Recordings of trademark infringement, false designation and unfair competition.
She is seeking unspecified damages, as well as a court order blocking the Opalite hitmaker from continuing to use the name.
In a statement, her lawyer Jaymie Parkinnen said: "A solo performer who spent twelve years building a brand shouldn’t have to watch it disappear because someone bigger came along."
The former America's Got Talent contestant started writing a column called Confessions Of A Showgirl in the Las Vegas Weekly back in 2014, reflecting on her time as a performer in the entertainment world.
The column has since been developed into a podcast, plus a live show featuring pop and jazz music and Wade's trademark covers a range of things included theatrical productions, TV and live stage performances.
Regarding the release of Swift's album The Life Of A Showgirl, the complaint reads: "They did not do so quietly.
“Within weeks, the designation was affixed to consumer goods, stamped onto labels, tags, and packaging, and deployed as a source identifier across retail channels – all directed at the same audience Plaintiff had spent years cultivating.”
The lawsuit alleges that when the Anti-Hero singer applied to register the album title, the application was denied by the US Patent and Trademark Office.
It's said it was declined because it was confusingly similar to the previous trademark, with both names sharing the key "of a showgirl" phrase.
The complaint also notes that they are both used in the world of musical and theatrical performances, which could lead audiences to believe they have a connection.
Wade has accused Swift of ignoring the trademark, arguing that consumers believe she has copied the pop star, which has undermined her brand.
The complaint adds that the "continued erosion of that mark threatens the entirety of" Wade's brand.
Taylor Swift could end up buying out Wade's claim to the name or trying to fight the case in court. Typically, existing trademarks take precedence over new bids.
Swift has yet to comment on the lawsuit.
