Judge Dismisses Music Producer’s Defamation Suit Against Phoebe Bridgers

Phoebe Bridgers

MyNewsLA:

A judge Wednesday dismissed on free-speech grounds a lawsuit brought against Phoebe Bridgers by a music producer who alleged the singer-songwriter made false and defamatory statements on social media as part of a vendetta to destroy his reputation.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Curtis A. Kin heard arguments on Bridgers’ dismissal motion on Aug. 11, saying at the time that he was leaning toward tossing plaintiff Chris Nelson’s case. He instead took the issues under submission before ruling Wednesday.

Nelson filed the suit in September 2021, also alleging false light and emotional distress. On Feb. 14, the 28-year-old, Pasadena-born Bridgers’ attorneys brought a motion to dismiss the suit on free-speech grounds, arguing that Nelson was “seeking to chill Ms. Bridgers’ allegations of abusive conduct, which are protected by the First Amendment.”

Matty Healy and Phoebe Bridgers Interview

Matty Healy of The 1975 and Phoebe Bridgers interviewed each other:

Matty Healy: Yeah, I remember your first record [Stranger In The Alps] had come out, and before I’d heard it George [Daniel, drummer with The 1975] had been saying to me, ‘Have you heard this ‘Motion Sickness’ song? So I put that album on, and I heard ‘Funeral’ and was like, ‘What the fuck is this?’ For me, you only really love a piece of art when it makes you a little bit jealous.

Phoebe Bridgers: Oh my God, completely, dude. Like, I can’t listen to ‘Part of the Band’ and be like ‘I’m so glad he came up with that.’ [Laughs] That’s not the way I feel when I hear that song.

Matty Healy: I think it was the hit rate of the lyrics on that [first] album. And then when it got to Punisher, I realised you’re my favourite lyricist. You know, I’ll say it, because I’m allowed to say this shit because everyone thinks that I’m an insane person: I think we’re the best lyricists. Us and Kendrick, who are coming from a different place.