Michele, a singer-songwriter who has long advocated for mental health awareness, describes her song as a personal journey of overcoming hardship through faith. She highlights similarities between her lyrics, such as “I’ve been upgraded 2.0, the old me faded,” and Katy’s, which include lines like “Remodeled, used to be dull, now I sparkle.”
Katy’s legal team denies all allegations, asserting that “Smile” was inspired by the pop star’s own struggles with depression. They argue Michele misinterpreted common themes as plagiarism and noted she lacked evidence showing Katy had access to her song. Additionally, Michele’s failure to properly register her copyright was a key point of defense.
In February 2022, a federal judge dismissed Michele’s case, ruling the lyrical similarities were insufficient to prove copyright infringement. However, Michele has since filed an appeal, now represented by a Los Angeles-based attorney, claiming errors in the original decision. Katy has yet to respond to the ongoing appeal.
This isn’t Katy’s first legal battle over music. In 2019, she faced a $2.8 million copyright verdict for “Dark Horse,” which was later overturned. Despite these challenges, Katy continues to focus on her career while addressing legal disputes.