A Las Vegas performer has launched a trademark infringement lawsuit against Taylor Swift over the title of her latest album, The Life of a Showgirl.
Per Rolling Stone, Maren Flagg – who performs under the name Maren Wade — alleges Swift’s use of the phrase is confusingly similar to her own brand, Confessions of a Showgirl, which she began building in 2014 with a column in the Las Vegas Weekly before expanding it into a live show and touring production.
According to court documents, Flagg trademarked Confessions of a Showgirl in 2015 and claims the dominant shared language in both marks creates an immediate similarity in the minds of consumers. Her complaint says both titles “share the same structure, the same dominant phrase, and the same overall commercial impression”, and notes that they operate in overlapping markets.
The suit highlights that Swift’s attempt to secure a trademark for The Life of a Showgirl last year hit a roadblock when the US Patent and Trademark Office issued a partial refusal in November, citing a likelihood of confusion with Flagg’s existing mark.
That application has since been suspended, and the office indicated the refusal could be made final once proceedings resume.
Despite the refusal, Flagg’s legal team says Swift’s camp continued to use The Life of a Showgirl on merchandise and other commercial products without her consent. The lawsuit claims these actions have diluted her brand and eroded her ability to be recognised as the originator of Confessions of a Showgirl.
Flagg’s lawyer, Jaymie Parkkinen, told Rolling Stone that while they respect Swift’s success, trademark law exists to protect creators at all levels and ensure they can defend what they’ve built. “Maren spent more than a decade building Confessions of a Showgirl. She registered it. She earned it.”