Netflix is suing the writers of album The Unofficial Bridgerton Musical for infringement. The streaming platform is accusing creators Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear of ‘taking valuable intellectual property from the Netflix original series Bridgerton to build an international brand for themselves’.
The album, which features content based on the plot lines of both seasons of Bridgerton, rose to global recognition following its release online. Like a number of young rising stars, musical duo Barlow & Bear found fame on the social media platform, TikTok. By combining their talents with their love of hit series Bridgerton, the pair composed a number of faux musical renditions based on the plot of the series, accumulating more than 200 million views and 48 million likes on the service.
Barlow originally posted a video in which she asked, ‘What if Bridgerton was a musical?’, singing a verse she had written based on a line spoken by one of the show's characters. Following their online success, Barlow & Bear orchestrated and produced a concept album consisting of 15 songs, which reached No. 36 on the Top Album sales and went on to win the 2022 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theatre Album, the first Grammy awarded to a project that originated on TikTok.
Netflix originally congratulated the pair on their success following their Grammy win. However, things quickly turned sour between the corporation and the TikTok stars after the streaming service caught wind of Barlow & Bear's sold-out performances in Washington, and planned shows around the world, including concerts at the Royal Albert Hall in September. According to Deadline, the duo sold tickets for up to $149 each, as well as VIP packages.
The lawsuit alleges that ‘throughout the performance, Barlow & Bear misrepresented to the audience that they were using Netflix’s Bridgerton trademark "with Permission"’. Later on, it reads: ‘We’ve tried hard to work with Barlow & Bear, and they have refused to cooperate. The creators, cast, writers and crew have poured their hearts and souls into Bridgerton, and we’re taking action to protect their rights.’
Shonda Rhimes, who developed the show for Netflix, and Julia Quinn, the author of the Bridgerton franchise also issued statements following the decision. Rhimes stated: ‘What started as a fun celebration by Barlow & Bear on social media has turned into the blatant taking of intellectual property solely for Barlow & Bear’s financial benefit’. Quinn agreed with the statement, saying: ‘Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear are wildly talented, and I was flattered and delighted when they began composing Bridgerton songs and sharing with other fans on TikTok. There is a difference, however, between composing on TikTok and recording and performing for commercial gain.’
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