LOS ANGELES — Las Vegas performer Maren Wade sued Taylor Swift this month in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, alleging that Swift's album title "The Life of a Showgirl" infringes Wade's trademark. Wade asks the court for a permanent injunction preventing Swift and her companies from using "The Life of a Showgirl" as a brand on products or services.

Swift's 12th studio album, titled "The Life of a Showgirl," was announced in August and debuted in October. The lawsuit names TAS Rights Management and Bravado, UMG's global merchandise and brand management division, as defendants alongside Swift.

Wade, a Las Vegas singer and columnist, wrote a weekly column for Las Vegas Weekly called "Confessions of a Showgirl" beginning in 2014. She registered the "Confessions of a Showgirl" branding as a trademark in 2015. Wade adapted her column into a live show and touring production.

Swift's team applied to register a trademark for "The Life of a Showgirl." The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office refused Swift's trademark application, finding it confusingly similar to Wade's mark. In November, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office issued a partial refusal of Swift's trademark application due to likelihood of confusion with Wade's mark.

The lawsuit claims Swift's team continued using "The Life of a Showgirl" branding without contacting Wade after the trademark refusal. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office suspended Swift's trademark application earlier this month and indicated the refusal will be made final unless a new issue arises.

"Maren spent more than a decade building CONFESSIONS OF A SHOWGIRL. She registered it. She earned it," said Jaymie Parkkinen, Wade's attorney. "We have great respect for Swift's talent and success, but trademark law exists to ensure that creators at all levels can protect what they've built. That's what this case is about."

Wade asks the court to hand over all profits earned from the sale of goods under the "Life of a Showgirl" branding. She seeks a jury trial and additional monetary compensation.

The complaint states that the defendants have filed multiple federal actions to seize goods from vendors selling trademarked merchandise near concert venues. The complaint also states that the defendants have previously leveraged claims of trademark infringement in federal court when it served their interests.

Swift's representatives and Universal Music Group declined to comment on the lawsuit.