Taylor Swift sued by Las Vegas showgirl over 'Showgirl' trademark dispute
By Neil Ramos
At A Glance
- The complaint, filed March 30 in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, was brought by Maren Wade, a Las Vegas entertainer, writer and former "America's Got Talent" contestant.
Pop superstar Taylor Swift is facing a new legal challenge as a Las Vegas performer has filed a federal lawsuit alleging trademark infringement tied to the title of Swift’s latest project, "The Life of a Showgirl."
The complaint, filed March 30 in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, was brought by Maren Wade, a Las Vegas entertainer, writer and former “America’s Got Talent” contestant.
Wade claims that Swift’s use of "The Life of a Showgirl" infringes on her long-standing brand "Confessions of a Showgirl," which she began in 2014 as a weekly column for Las Vegas Weekly before expanding it into a podcast, live cabaret show and touring production.
According to the lawsuit, Wade federally registered her "Confessions of a Showgirl" trademark in 2015, covering live performances and entertainment services.
Her legal team says that the structural similarity between the two titles — both featuring the distinctive “of a Showgirl” phrasing — could confuse consumers and dilute her brand, especially given Swift’s enormous global reach.
The suit also notes that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office previously refused Swift’s trademark application for "The Life of a Showgirl" on the grounds that it was “confusingly similar” to Wade’s existing mark. Despite this, Swift and her label continued using the name across album marketing and merchandise, the complaint asserts.
Wade is seeking an injunction to block Swift and her associated companies — including Universal Music Group — from further use of the Showgirl branding, as well as monetary damages.
Representatives for Swift and her label have not publicly commented on the lawsuit.