Stella Lefty Accused of Copying Another Song, This Time From Blake Shelton

Stella Lefty, the 24-year-old singer-songwriter, is once again facing accusations of copying another artist's work. This time, she is being accused of plagiarizing Blake Shelton's 2017 song, "I'll Name the Dogs." Listeners have pointed out similarities between the choruses of Lefty's 2023 song, "Why Wouldn't We," and Shelton's hit, including the structure of the verses and the hypothetical future themes.

The songwriters for "I'll Name the Dogs" are Matt Dragstrem, Ben Hayslip, and Josh Thompson, who won Song of the Year at the 2018 Nashville Songwriter Awards. However, Lefty's song credits only Lefty, Emily Weisband, Grady Block, and Steph Jones. This is not Lefty's first encounter with plagiarism allegations. Her hit "Boston" was compared to Noah Kahan's "Stick Season," for which Kahan received a songwriting credit.

Lefty has maintained that these similarities were unintentional, and videos of her covering "Stick Season" were found online before the release of "Boston." Another song, "Summer You Were Mine," also interpolates The Chicks' 1998 hit "There's Your Trouble," but Atlantic Records later confirmed that Lefty's team secured permission months before the album's release.

As for "I'll Name the Dogs," the involved parties have not addressed the comparisons yet. Lefty's rapid rise continues with a series of performances across North America and Australia in 2026 and 2027.