Tyla cleared from royalties lawsuit over Grammy-winning hit 'Water'

Tyla was previously named in a case brought by songwriters Olmo Zucca and Jackson LoMastro, who claimed they were excluded from master recording royalties tied to the song.

On February 5, 2026, the two voluntarily withdrew their claims against 24-year-old South African singer, removing her from the lawsuit.

According to “Billboard Legal News”, Tyla was dropped without paying any settlement. Sony Music Entertainment had already been removed from the case in November 2025, leaving “Water” producer Sammy SoSo as the only remaining defendant.

As reported by “Billboard”, the lawsuit dates back to early 2025 and centres on studio sessions held in Los Angeles in March 2023, where Zucca and LoMastro worked alongside Awuku and producer Rayan El-Hussein Goufar, known as Rayo. 

The pair claim several audio recordings from those sessions were later used in the final version of “Water”.

In their filing, Zucca and LoMastro alleged that Awuku sidelined them during the crediting process by signing an exclusive deal with Tyla that positioned him as the sole producer.

They claimed they were each offered 10 percent in publishing royalties, while Awuku retained 15 percent, despite their contributions to the track.

The songwriters further alleged that Awuku failed to disclose their involvement to Epic Records and that they only became aware of this during a meeting with Epic Records president Ezekiel Lewis in May 2024.

According to the complaint, they had attempted to resolve the matter privately for months before turning to legal action.

While Tyla was named as a defendant, the lawsuit did not accuse her of any wrongdoing, and she did not comment publicly on the matter at the time.

Zucca and LoMastro initially filed a similar suit in July 2025, briefly withdrew it, and refiled the following day with new legal representation. They sought official producer credits, an adjustment to their royalty rate to 12.5 percent, and a producer fee. 

The complaint also claimed that the hit song had generated more than $10 million in revenue since its release, with potential earnings estimated to exceed $50 million.

Released in July 2023, “Water” became a global breakout moment for Tyla, going viral across platforms and later earning her a Grammy for Best African Music Performance among other local and international awards.

Following confirmation that Tyla had been dropped from the case, fans took to X to react to the update.

“Fighting this girl is like fighting God himself. He is the one who took her from SA and placed her where she is right now, and no one can undo that except God himself,” wrote @Quantumleeping.

Another user, @tylassecurity, added, “All weapons prospered against Tyla shall fail!”