Blurred Lines Verdict Will 'Handicap' Artists

Pharrell Williams has warned that his Blurred Lines copyright lawsuit could lead to a loss of creativity and freedom in the entertainment industry.

Speaking for the first time since he and Robin Thicke were ordered to pay millions to Marvin Gaye's family, the singer and producer said we could see a future "frozen in litigation".

He told the Financial Times: "The verdict handicaps any creator out there who is making something that might be inspired by something else.

"This applies to fashion, music, design . . . anything. If we lose our freedom to be inspired we're going to look up one day and the entertainment industry as

we know it will be frozen in litigation. This is about protecting the intellectual rights of people who have ideas."

He added: "Everything that's around you in a room was inspired by something or someone. If you kill that, there's no creativity."

Williams said he and Thicke were considering their "next steps", declining to say whether or not they would appeal against the verdict.

Blurred Lines was the biggest hit of 2013, selling millions of copies worldwide.

Last week Gaye's children were awarded £4.85m , after a trial which had focused on detailed analyses of chords and notes in Blurred Lines and Gaye's hit Got To Give It Up.

On Tuesday they filed a motion in court to prevent the copying, distributing and performing of the hit song featuring Pharrell, Thicke and T.I.