Renowned artist and photographer Sarah Bahbah, a 32-year-old of Palestinian and Jordanian descent based in Los Angeles, has publicly accused Selena Gomez of plagiarising her work for the second time. In a detailed Instagram video released on 1 March 2024, Bahbah outlined the resemblance between her viral content and Gomez’s recent music video for the song ‘Love On.’ The video was released on 22 February 2023 and currently has almost 9 million views.

@sarah_bahbah

cc: @Selena Gomez #fyp #selenagomez #artists #director #fy #moodboard

♬ original sound - Sarah Bahbah

Bahbah, the founder of the agency Possy, has collaborated with industry giants such as Gucci, Condé Nast, Capitol Records, Sony Music, and GQ. The artist’s work, known for exploring emotional vulnerability, has gained international acclaim with exhibitions in 25 galleries worldwide.

Interestingly, this isn’t the first time Gomez has faced accusations from Bahbah for copying her work. In 2018, fans pointed out striking similarities between Gomez’s music video for ‘Back To You’ and Bahbah’s visual style, including the use of subtitles and text overlaying photographs. During that time, fans urged Gomez to credit Bahbah, and Gomez herself suggested a collaboration. However, she later deleted the comment, adding another layer to the ongoing dispute.

In Bahbah’s recent video, the artist asserts that friends alerted her to the visual parallels between Gomez’s ‘Love On’ video and her own creations. Moreover, the 32-year-old has noted similarities in directing style and shooting locations, specifically referencing her films.

@kassler91

#SelenaGomez #LoveOn #SelenaGomezLoveOn #SelenaGomezEdit

♬ love on by selena gomez - selena culture

Bahbah dissects frame-by-frame likenesses, even allegedly pointing out resemblances in sound effects for opening titles. Addressing the recurring issue of plagiarism in the industry, Bahbah shared that she consulted with professionals in the entertainment field, including legal experts, music managers, and agents. The artist emphasised the prevalence of such occurrences, particularly impacting women of colour and smaller artists, stating: “On Friday morning, I woke up to a text from friends being like, ‘Um, have you seen Selena Gomez’s music video “Love On”? She’s ripping you off again’.”

Bahbah decided to consult with industry professionals about the allegations and her commitment to addressing the broader issue of plagiarism within the entertainment field. By involving legal experts, music managers, and agents, Bahbah aims to shed light on the systemic challenges faced by smaller artists in navigating issues of intellectual property and creative ownership.

Bahbah also asserted that, frequently, white women and men are chosen as directors, with so people of colour sidelined and their ideas used without their consent or knowledge.

At the time of writing, Gomez has not issued a statement or response to the allegations yet. The artist’s silence has prompted criticism from internet users:

https://twitter.com/selenagchart/status/1764084258237214896

so selena gomez fans are harassing a woman for talking about plagiarism towards her work and also for mentioning that she is a palestinian woman? this is freaking disgusting. just give credits and stop harassing women! pic.twitter.com/ttd792h4s8

— fffflori 🥀🍉 (@blesshailey) March 3, 2024