Coachella: Organisers Sue Ghanaian Music Festival Afrochella over Copyright Infringement

• The organisers of the California music festival Coachella have sued the organisers of the Ghanaian music festival, Afrochella
• Goldenvoice claims the Ghana Afrobeats event attempted to patent 'Chella,' cybersquatting domain names, and encroached into the US market
• Aside from the immediate restraining order on the Afrochella name, the lawsuit is also seeking $100,000 over the claims of cybersquatting domain name

Goldenvoice, the organisers of the California music festival Coachella, have filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against the organisers of the Ghanaian music festival, Afrochella.

The lawsuit claims the Ghana Afrobeats event attempted to patent 'Chella,' cybersquatting domain names, and encroached into the US market.

Warning Afrochella about trademark infringement

Per Rolling Stone, the lawsuit filed on Wednesday at a California district court comes three years after AEG, which owns Goldenvoice, cautioned Afrochella festival in a letter in 2019 about infringing on Coachella's trademark.

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AEG indicated that the use of ''Afrochella as the name of a music and arts festival is highly likely to create a likelihood of confusion, and mistake as to the affiliation, connection, or association of Afrochella with AEG and with Coachella''.

''In particular, the public is likely to believe that you are authorized by, or affiliated with, AEG or Coachella,'' portions of the 2019 letter said.

Lawsuit against the Afrochella name

The lawsuit is part of steps by Goldenvoice to protect what they claim is ownership of all things “-chella'', as Afrochella is set to expand to South Africa and organisers hosting offshoot US events.

Besides the immediate restraining order on the Afrochella name, Goldenvoice is also seeking ''damages for trademark and service mark infringement and unfair competition,'' as well as $100,000 over claims of cybersquatting domain names.

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Afrochella Co-founder Recounts How Event Came About

Meanwhile, YEN.com.gh reported that the Co-founder of Afrochella, Abdul Karim Abdullah, has shared a touching story of how one of Africa's biggest music and arts festivals came to light.

He recounted that Afrochella was birthed from an event that he organised which ended up being a failure. He spoke to Noella Kharyne Yalley on the ‘Xclusives’ show=

Source: YEN.com.gh