After a tough six-year legal fight over music rights, China pop star G.E.M. (Gloria Tang) has finally won. Known by fans as "Golden Fish GEM" and "Little Powerhouse" for her strong voice, she shared big news on Weibo on June 12. Thanks to a rule in China's Copyright Law called "statutory license", she was able to re-record her old songs—the ones caught up in the dispute—and release them in her new album I AM GLORIA. This isn't just a win for her; it's a big step forward for artists' rights in China's music scene.

1. Reclaiming Her Voice and Music Rights

The six-year battle was fraught with challenges. In her statement, she revealed, "I haven't received a single cent in royalties from my old songs for over six years". Early in her career, limited awareness of contract and copyright laws led her to sign away rights to many of her original works, including her breakout hit Bubble. During the legal dispute, she earned nothing from these songs—a devastating blow for any artist.

2. The Turning Point: "Statutory License" as the Key

G.E.M.'s team brought in a top copyright lawyer who knew China's laws inside out. They discovered a key rule—Article 42 of China's Copyright Law—that became their game-changer.

"If a song was already legally recorded once, others can re-record it too—without asking permission—as long as they pay the original owner. But this doesn't apply if the owner specifically said 'no re-recording'."

This "statutory license" provision balances public interest and copyright protection, allowing re-recording if the original rights holder hasn't explicitly forbidden it. After thorough investigation, G.E.M.'s team confirmed that most of her early works—except New Heartbeat and Fairytale Rest—lacked such prohibitions. This enabled her to legally re-record them, securing new master rights and control over her music.

3. Echoes of Taylor Swift's Fight

Back in 2019, Swift's old manager sold her first six albums—including hits like Fearless and 1989—without her permission. So she fought back by re-recording them all, releasing "Taylor's Version" of each album. These new versions smashed records and proved artists can take back control. 

Now, G.E.M.'s I AM GLORIA has done the same thing in China—successfully using the same strategy. Though oceans apart, both stars are writing the same story: artists can stand up for their work—and win.

4. The Streaming Era's Lesson: Master Rights = Freedom

The battles fought by Taylor Swift and G.E.M. reveal a tough truth for today's musicians: If you don't own your master recordings, you lose both money and creative freedom.

  * Master rights control the core of music profits: On platforms like Spotify and Apple Music, the revenue from streaming goes directly to the owner of the master recording. Whoever owns the master has the key rights — including deciding if the song can be released, licensed, or remixed — and gets the main share of the income.  

  * Once something is online, it’s almost impossible to take it back or stop others from reusing it. That’s why having clear copyright ownership from the start is so important — it shapes how the work can be used, licensed, and how the money is made from it in the long run.

    * "Licensing" is replacing "permanent transfers": The old model of selling off copyright completely is being replaced by more flexible licensing agreements. More and more artists are choosing to release music independently so they can keep control over their work and avoid losing their rights.

5. The Power of Expertise

G.E.M. won because her team truly understood China's copyright laws. Their smart use of the "statutory license" rule turned a difficult fight into a major win for artists' rights. This case teaches us two key lessons:

    *Getting legal advice before problems arise is vital

    *You absolutely need expert help in legal battles

G.E.M.'s victory isn't just her own - it lights the way for all artists struggling to control their own music.