Shakatak, the British band suing K-pop girl group NewJeans

Shakatak is in the middle of a battle with NewJeans

Shakatak is in the middle of a battle with NewJeans

K-pop girl group NewJeans has been at the center of one of K-pop’s biggest legal battles involving accusations of plagiarism. However, the battle has gone beyond South Korea and into the UK, where the British band ‘Shakatak’ has joined in.

Who are Shakatak?

Shakatak is a British jazz-funk band from the 1980s that was founded by four members, Bill Sharpe, Nigel Wright, Roger Odell, and Keith Winter. Currently, the band consists of Jill Saward, Bill Sharpe, Rogel Odell, and George Anderson.

First release of music

Shakatak first entered into the music scene with the release of their song ‘Easier Said Than Done’ in 1981. According to The Worchester News, the song is considered one of the band’s signature hits in the eighties and in the British jazz-funk scene.

Other hits

Other than their debut hit, Shakatak is also known for the songs ‘Night Birds’, ‘Down the Street’, ‘Watching You’, and ‘Racing with the Wind’ among their other songs.

Iconic tunes

Shakatak has established quite the legacy as a band as their songs have not only earned them awards but also interesting legacies. For one, their song ‘Racing with the Wind’ was reported by Keys and Chords to have been used for Kenwood ads in Japan.

Still going strong

Now, four decades later, Shakatak is still going strong as a band. Their official website states that the group has been regularly holding live performances in the UK and in Japan, with also having CD releases every year.

Battle with NewJeans in 2024

However, Shakatak began making noise outside of the UK in the summer of 2024. According to Yonhap News, they accused South Korean K-pop girl group NewJeans of plagiarising their song ‘Easier Said Than Done’ on July 17.

Image: ADOR