You hummed the hook into a voice note on the way home, built a demo with your producer and sent it to a few people. Months later, you hear the same hook on another artist's single, playing everywhere from Nairobi to Lagos. Your heart drops, because the only proof you can think of is "everybody knows it's mine".
The good news is that copyright is automatic. The moment your song exists in a lasting form, whether a lyric sheet, a voice note or a session file, it is protected, with no form and no fee. But when someone claims your song, it comes down to evidence. Keep every dated draft, send demos by email or message so there is a timestamp, and register your most important songs with your national copyright office, such as KECOBO in Kenya. In Uganda, registering with URSB now unlocks some protections, including takedown notices.
This week, create one folder per song with the lyrics, voice notes, session files, split sheet and release details, and back it up to the cloud. Proof beats panic every time. Music Rights & Copyright 101 shows you how to own, prove and protect every song you make. Take the course on Crux Global Academy: cruxmusic.global/academycrux.
