Olivia Marsh apologized for the plagiarism allegations regarding her new song "Backseat," but clarified that it was not an acknowledgment of plagiarism.
On the 26th, Olivia Marsh's side stated, "This means that we recognized the rights of Isaac Dunbar because we judged that the two songs have some similarities, not that Olivia Marsh acknowledges plagiarism." On the 24th, they conveyed their intent to apologize, stating that Isaac Dunbar's claim had validity.
Olivia Marsh, who was expected to be Daniel's older sister, made her ambitious debut with original songs last October. Her debut track "42," which reflects sweet memories of her childhood spent with family in Australia, captivated music fans both domestically and internationally. She gained recognition for her successful global debut by performing at the showcase stage of the South by Southwest Sydney (SXSW Sydney), one of the world's three major music markets.
On the 13th, she released her first EP "Meanwhile," unveiling five tracks that she composed and wrote. Including the double title tracks "STRATEGY" and "BACKSEAT," alongside "WATERWORKS," "42," and "PINA COLADA," the EP contained a total of five songs, among which "Backseat" became embroiled in plagiarism allegations.
The song captures the feeling of freedom and liberation when one surrenders to the flow of life as if sitting in the backseat. However, some pointed out similarities with Isaac Dunbar's "Onion Boy," leading Olivia Marsh to exceptionally issue an apology just ten days after the song's release.
At that time, the agency stated, "After directly comparing the two songs, we interpreted that Isaac Dunbar's claims have validity. We have reached a friendly agreement with Isaac Dunbar and are proceeding with necessary tasks such as discussing equity of composition rights and credit registration to ensure the rights of the original creator are protected."
A representative noted, "This reflects our shared commitment to creativity and fair artistic practices," and added, "We will continue our work based on transparency and respect for all creators. Once again, we sincerely apologize to Isaac Dunbar and the fans who were disappointed by this incident."
However, this apology did not equate to an acknowledgment of plagiarism. Olivia Marsh's side clarified on the 26th, "The artist received the track and worked on the topline and demo lyrics, as well as instrumental arrangement and vocal work together. During this process, the artist and the agency did not receive any notification that the composers used parts of 'Onion Boy' as a reference. We are also reviewing future measures regarding the composers who caused the current situation."
They continued, "After confirming the facts, we acknowledged the similarities and excluded the composers responsible for this matter from the credits and registered Isaac Dunbar," adding, "Both the artist and the agency take responsibility for not properly verifying this during the album production process and communicated with Isaac Dunbar's side to resolve the issue."
Regarding Isaac Dunbar, they clarified, "The artist empathized with the sense of loss that Isaac Dunbar must have felt and sent a message of apology. Isaac Dunbar also stated that he was raising issues with those who reworked his track, not specifically targeting the artist."
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