The guitarist for the band Angra, Rafael Bittencourt, has prepared a technical report to reinforce the accusation of plagiarism by singer Adele based on the samba “Mulheres” by Toninho Geraes, which became popular through the voice of Martinho da Vila.
The report was commissioned by Toninho’s lawyer, Deborah Sztajnberg, and presents the similarities between the two songs – including melodies, rhythms and harmonies.
“There are too many coincidences for everything to be nothing more than pure coincidence,” said Rafael in an interview with O Globo when giving examples of the musical layers of the two works that can be performed without compromising the harmony. “What are the chances of two people, all over the world, drawing practically the same train with different textures and colors?”, he commented.
Sztajnberg, the lawyer representing Toninho, praised the didactic approach of the report and highlighted that the document could have a “brutal impact” on the process. The lawyer explained that the lawsuit requires that “Million Years Ago” be removed from all platforms, in addition to a ban on Adele performing live.
The lawsuit also seeks compensation of R$1 million and the redistribution of royalties collected since 2015.
Deborah said that Rafael Bittencourt was chosen based on criteria such as international recognition and solid technical training, as well as his distance from samba, so that there would be no accusations of bias.
According to the lawyer, the guitarist brought additional credibility to the case, helping to demonstrate how musicians can, even if unconsciously, reproduce existing material.
