Ex-girlfriend of Bad Bunny seeks $40m after nonconsensual use of her voice

Bad Bunny’s ex-girlfriend Carliz De La Cruz Hernández is seeking at least $40m over nonconsensual use of her voice which she had provided the singer before he shot to fame.

Carliz’s breathy recording of "Bad Bunny, baby", which is part of two songs, was the centre of the lawsuit. 

She filed a suit in Puerto Rico court claiming that her voice and phrase, which she claimed to make up on her own, was used without her permission by Bad Bunny, whose real name is Benito Martínez Ocasio.

She shared that her voice was used in the song PaTi which garnered more than 335m views on YouTube as well as 235m Spotify reproductions.

The second used the clip was used in was in Dos Mil 16 which has 60m YouTube views and 280m Spotify reproductions.

Carliz said that her voice was also used in other songs, recordings, promotions ad worldwide concerts as well as television, radio, social media and various musical platforms, all without her permission.

"Since then, thousands of people have commented directly on Carliz’s social media networks, as well as every time she goes to a public place, about the 'Bad Bunny, baby'. This has caused, and currently causes, that De La Cruz feels worried, anguished, intimidated, overwhelmed and anxious," the lawsuit states.

Carliz also sued Noah Kamil Assad Byrne, who is Bad Bunny’s manager.

De La Cruz and Martínez began dating in 2011 and went on to study at the University of Puerto Rico a year later.

During this time, she claimed that she created songs and rhythms which she would take input from Benito.

The phrase "Bad Bunny, baby" was forged in 2015 where the singer asked his then girlfriend to record herself saying it.

He had offered her $2000 to purchase the recording which Carliz declined.