Stella Lefty Critics Say She Copied Old Hit Songs. Here’s What the Experts Say

Controversy has surrounded rising pop star Stella Lefty for claiming her songs mirror those of established artists. The issue gained attention when it was discovered that Noah Kahan co-wrote her breakout track "Boston" due to its resemblance to his own hit "Stick Season." Lefty herself later admitted Kahan had been added to the song's credits after his team alerted Atlantic Records.

This prompted comparisons between Lefty's "Summer You Were Mine" and The Chicks' Grammy-winning 1998 song "There's Your Trouble," as well as "Why Wouldn't We" to Blake Shelton's "I'll Name The Dogs" and "Misery" to "A Million Dreams" from The Greatest Showman. While similar sounds are not uncommon in the music industry, the situation has turned into a public relations nightmare for Lefty, who has been labeled "Stella Thefty" on social media.

Industry experts attribute such sonic similarities to the limited chords used in pop and country music, as well as shared genre tropes that are not protected by copyright. Forensic musicologist Joe Bennett emphasizes that coincidental similarities are far more common than intentional plagiarism. However, legal action may be pursued if a new song directly copies protected elements of an earlier work.