Songwriter Sam Chokri ‘details links with Ed Sheeran’ amid Shape of You copyright row
A SONGWRITER who claims Ed Sheeran copied him for hit Shape of You has detailed “a number of links” between him and the star.
Sam Chokri, 25, won a ruling in May freezing royalty payments on last year’s biggest selling single. He and producer pal Ross O’Donoghue claim it was a rip-off of 2015 track Oh Why.
Sheeran, 27, is now suing the pair for damaging his reputation and blocking his “revenue streams”. He insisted he had never heard of Chokri, aka Sami Swich.
But in new defence papers Chokri’s lawyers said he often used a studio owned by one of Sheeran’s top producers and spoke to the star twice in 2011.
Chokri’s lawyers claim Ed said “something along the lines of, ‘I know who you are’" at a meeting.
They then warn Ed that they “reserve the right to rely upon all such matters of inconsistency” as they defend the case.
Chokri, who uses the stage name Sami Swich, and producer pal Ross O’Donoghue went to lawyers last year claiming Shape of You had ripped off their work.
They then complained to Ed’s Sony record label last September before approaching the PRS with a report drawn up by expert musicologists.
The official body ruled in the pair’s favour, ordering the hit be put “into suspense” in May.
It meant Ed has had no money from his song being broadcast or performed - costing him hundreds of thousands of pounds.
He wants a declaration from the court to confirm he did not rip off the music, plus compensation.
Chokri, from Reading, Berks, and O’Donoghue filed their defence on July 31.
Shape of You is said to have amassed £20million in revenue.
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