Brazilian Judge Orders Adele Song Removed Over Plagiarism Claim

Adele waves to singer Beyonce who is in the audience as she and co-song writer Greg Kurstin (not pictured) accept the Grammy for Song of the Year for "Hello" at the 59th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles on Feb. 12, 2017. Lucy Nicholson/Reuters

RIO DE JANEIRO—A judge in Rio de Janeiro has ordered the global removal of a 2015 song by British singer Adele due to a plagiarism claim by a Brazilian musician, which Universal Music is fighting on appeal.

The ruling, made public on Monday, came in a case filed this year by Toninho Geraes, whose compositions were made famous by some of Brazil’s most acclaimed samba singers.