Taylor Swift is facing a trademark infringement lawsuit in California federal court over her latest album, “The Life of a Showgirl.”<\/p>\n
The suit was filed by Maren Wade, a former “America’s Got Talent” contestant and Las Vegas Weekly writer, who started a column called Confessions of a Showgirl about her experiences in the entertainment industry in 2014. Since then, she has expanded her brand into live performances and a podcast, and holds a trademark that covers live stage shows, television and theater productions, and more.<\/p>\n
In her complaint, Wade accuses Swift and UMG Recordings of false designation and unfair competition. She is seeking damages, as well as an injunction banning Swift from continuing to use the phrase “The Life of a Showgirl.”<\/p>\n
“A solo performer who spent twelve years building a brand shouldn’t have to watch it disappear because someone bigger came along,” Wade’s attorney, Jaymie Parkkinen, said in a statement provided to the Hollywood Reporter.<\/p>\n
Swift’s album, released in October 2025, quickly became a commercial success, selling 4 million units in its first week and spending 12 weeks at the top of the Billboard 200.<\/p>\n
According to the lawsuit, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office previously declined Swift’s attempt to register “The Life of a Showgirl,” citing similarities to Wade’s mark. The complaint argues that the shared use of the phrase “of a showgirl” in connection to the entertainment industry could confuse consumers into thinking they are affiliated.<\/p>\n
Wade further alleges that Swift’s use of the title is undermining her brand and misleading audiences into thinking she is imitating the pop star, rather than the other way around.<\/p>\n
Despite taking legal action, Wade’s social media suggests that she herself is a fan of Swift, aka a Swiftie. In September, she posted an Instagram reel<\/a> of herself getting into a car while wearing a pink showgirl costume set to Swift’s hit song “Shake It Off.”<\/p>\n “In my showgirl era,” she captioned it.<\/p>\n Several of her other posts feature the hashtag “#thelifeofashowgirl” and are set to Swift’s music, including tracks from the album at the center of the dispute.<\/p>\n This article originally published at Taylor Swift sued in California by an actual showgirl<\/a>.<\/p>\n