Charli XCX’s Apple Dance Creator Sues Roblox For Unauthorized Use

Charli XCX's great 2024 album Brat made a big cultural splash, and it owes at least some of its impact to the Apple Dance, the bit of viral choreography that goes along with the titular song. The Apple Dance gets a showcase moment at every Charli show, but it doesn't come from Charli herself. Instead, the dance's inventor is TikTok influencer Kelley Heyer, who is now suing Roblox, the online gaming platform beloved by children everywhere, for using the dance without permission.

IGN reports that Heyer, who trademarked the "Apple" dance, is suing Roblox. One of Roblox's most popular games is the fashion contest Dress To Impress, which recently launched a crossover contest with Charli XCX. In her lawsuit, Heyer claims that Roblox contacted her to license the dance for the event but that they hadn't reached an agreement, though she was open to the idea. (Heyer licensed the Apple Dance to Fortnite and Netflix.) Instead, Roblox allegedly started selling the Apple Dance emote without consent. Heyer is seeking any profits that Roblox made from the dance, as well as damages over harming Heyer's brand and Heyer herself.

In other Charli XCX news, she just had a big weekend. Charli performed on the Coachella main stage in the immediate-support slot on Saturday night. Her set included guest appearances from Lorde, Billie Eilish, and Troye Sivan, and it looked awesome.