FKA Twigs gets first-round win in trademark dispute with indie band The Twigs after judge cites decade-long delay

FKA Twigs, whose recording name is tied to the Eusexua project, won an early procedural victory in her trademark dispute with an indie band called The Twigs, according to a report from Billboard. The ruling, described as a first-round win in the case, addresses whether the sisters behind The Twigs can continue to press legal claims over the use of the name in connection with music and related branding.

In the court’s reasoning as summarized by Billboard, the judge said the sisters “cannot” sue because they “let their claims lie fallow for at least a decade.” The finding centers on timing and delay in pursuing trademark-related arguments, not on an order resolving all merits of the dispute in full.

The dispute involves competing claims over branding tied to “The Twigs,” with FKA Twigs arguing that her use and the public association around her name should not be constrained by the sisters’ late-filed allegations, the report said. By contrast, the sisters, who are identified as two sisters associated with the indie band, sought legal relief against FKA Twigs.

Billboard’s reporting characterizes the decision as a threshold win, meaning the case has not necessarily ended and further proceedings can be possible depending on the court’s scope of the order and the procedural posture. Even when a court resolves a preliminary issue, parties often pursue additional filings or appeal options where available under the governing rules.

Trademark litigation frequently turns on whether a claimant acted with reasonable diligence and whether continued inaction affects legal standing or the availability of certain remedies. In this case, the judge’s emphasis on the decade-long gap described by Billboard suggests the court viewed the delay as substantial enough to bar the sisters from moving forward at least at this stage.

The decision also highlights the potential downstream effects for artists and independent music projects that share or overlap in naming, since a ruling that narrows who can pursue claims can shape how names are used in releases, marketing materials, and fan-facing platforms. While Billboard’s report does not describe specific commercial outcomes, the procedural posture can influence ongoing risk calculations for all parties.

As the case continues (if it does) beyond the first ruling, additional court activity would likely determine whether the sisters can revive their arguments in a different form or whether the early barrier proves decisive. For now, the immediate effect described in the report is that FKA Twigs holds a favorable ruling at the outset of the trademark fight, grounded in the judge’s view of prolonged inaction.