Taylor Swift Hit with Trademark Lawsuit Tied to ‘The Life of a Showgirl’

Las Vegas performer Maren Wade is suing Taylor Swift for alleged trademark infringement over her The Life of a Showgirl album.

Backstory:

• Wade established her ‘Confessions of a Showgirl’ brand as a column for Las Vegas Weekly in 2014.

• The column evolved into a stage show, and Wade secured a federal trademark for CONFESSIONS OF A SHOWGIRL in 2015.

• Swift’s 2025 application to register THE LIFE OF A SHOWGIRL as a federal trademark was refused by The US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), citing potential confusion with Wade’s pre-existing mark, as per Music Business Worldwide (MBW).

The allegation:

• Wade is alleging that Swift’s ongoing use of the name “drowns out” her trademark “until consumers begin to assume that the original is the imitation.”

• “What Plaintiff had built over twelve years,” states the complaint, “Defendants threatened to swallow in weeks.”

• Swift, TAS Rights Management, UMG Recordings, and UMG’s merch company Bravado are listed as defendants on the complaint.

• The filing states that Wade is seeking a court order blocking Swift’s use of her “Showgirl” brand, as well as profits, treble damages, and legal fees.

What they said:

• Jaymie Parkkinen, Wade’s attorney (as per Reuters): “[We] have great respect for Swift’s talent and success, but trademark law exists to ensure that creators at all levels can protect what they’ve built.”