Stella Lefty‘s originality is under investigation once again, this time over similarities between one of her songs and a release from Blake Shelton eight years prior.
The 24-year-old dropped “Why Wouldn’t We” earlier this year and also included it on her debut album, Long Way Home. Listeners have since taken to social media to point out its similarities with Shelton’s 2017 song, “I’ll Name the Dogs.” Aside from both choruses sounding alike, many have also noted the parallels in subject matter.
Both songs are structured around couples divvying up responsibilities in a hypothetical future together. Lefty sings about splitting up everything from cooking and cleaning to driving and choosing movies, while Shelton runs through a similar exchange involving hanging pictures, fishing, naming babies and, of course, the dogs.
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Matt Dragstrem, Ben Hayslip, and Josh Thompson are credited as writers for the 2017 hit, which went on to win Song of the Year at the inaugural Nashville Songwriter Awards in 2018. None of those names are listed under “Why Wouldn’t We,” which credits Lefty, Emily Weisband, Grady Block, and Steph Jones.
This is hardly the newcomer’s first brush with allegations of plagiarism. Her breakout hit “Boston” drew widespread comparisons to “Stick Season” by Noah Kahan, who subsequently received a songwriting credit. She has maintained that the resemblance was unintentional and that she “wasn’t thinking about Noah Kahan” while writing the song. Videos of her covering “Stick Season” subsequently resurfaced online, notably dated before the release of “Boston.”
Then came “Summer You Were Mine,” another Long Way Home track that interpolates The Chicks’ 1998 hit “There’s Your Trouble.” Original songwriters Tia Sillers and Mark Selby were initially absent from streaming credits, although Atlantic Records later said that Lefty’s team had secured permission months before the album’s release and blamed the omission on a streaming platform error. Their names have since been added.
As for “I’ll Name the Dogs,” none of the involved parties have addressed the comparisons yet.
The latest controversy arrives amid a rapid rise for Lefty, who released her debut record on August 21st. She is scheduled for a series of performances across North America and Australia this fall, before embarking on her “Long Way Home Tour” early next year.
Stella Lefty 2026–2027 Tour Dates:
09/06 – Syracuse, NY @ Chevy Court (Great New York State Fair)
09/10 – Austin, TX @ LBJ Lawn *
09/12 – Hutchinson, KS @ Kansas State Fairgrounds ^
09/13 – Madison, IL @ World Wide Technology Raceway (Confluence Music Festival)
09/17 – Ottawa, ON @ RA Centre (CityFolk Festival)
09/19 – Las Vegas, NV @ T-Mobile Arena (iHeartRadio Music Festival)
09/26 – Louisville, KY @ Kentucky Expo Center (Bourbon & Beyond)
09/27 – Columbia, MD @ Merriweather Post Pavilion (All Things Go Music Festival)
10/01 – Nashville, TN @ The Bluebird Cafe
10/03 – Decatur, AL @ The Fields at Decatur (Rock the South)
10/04 – Austin, TX @ Zilker Park (Austin City Limits Music Festival)
10/10 – Ballarat, VIC @ Victoria Park (Strummingbird)
10/11 – Melbourne, VIC @ Prince Bandroom
10/15 – Sydney, NSW @ The Metro Theatre Sydney
10/17 – Newcastle, NSW @ Foreshore Park (Strummingbird)
10/18 – Sunshine Coast, QLD @ Kawana Sports Precinct (Strummingbird)
10/30 – San Francisco, CA @ Bimbo’s 365 Club +
11/01 – West Hollywood, CA @ Troubadour +
11/02 – Los Angeles, CA @ Fonda Theatre +
11/03 – Phoenix, AZ @ Crescent Ballroom +
11/06 – Dallas, TX @ Cambridge Room at House of Blues +
11/07 – Houston, TX @ The Bronze Peacock at House of Blues +
11/10 – Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade – Hell +
11/12 – Toronto, ON @ The Opera House +
11/15 – New York, NY @ Webster Hall +
11/16 – New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom +
11/17 – Boston, MA @ Royale +
11/19 – Washington, DC @ The Atlantis +
11/21 – Nashville, TN @ The Truth
11/23 – Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall +
12/08 – Kansas City, MO @ The Midland Theatre (Acoustic Christmas)
01/09 – Detroit, MI @ The Fillmore Detroit
01/10 – Columbus, OH @ KEMBA Live!
01/12 – Toronto, ON @ HISTORY
01/13 – Toronto, ON @ HISTORY
01/15 – Montreal, QC @ MTELUS
01/17 – Boston, MA @ MGM Music Hall at Fenway
01/19 – Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Paramount
01/20 – Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Paramount
01/22 – Philadelphia, PA @ The Met
01/23 – Washington, DC @ The Anthem
01/25 – Charlotte, NC @ The Fillmore Charlotte
01/26 – Atlanta, GA @ Tabernacle
01/28 – Dallas, TX @ South Side Ballroom
01/30 – Houston, TX @ House of Blues
01/31 – Austin, TX @ ACL Live at the Moody Theater
02/09 – San Francisco, CA @ The Masonic
02/12 – Salt Lake City, UT @ The Union Event Center
02/13 – Denver, CO @ Fillmore Auditorium
02/17 – Nashville, TN @ Ryman Auditorium
02/18 – Nashville, TN @ Ryman Auditorium
02/20 – Chicago, IL @ Aragon Ballroom
03/13 – Amsterdam, NL @ Melkweg
03/14 – Cologne, DE @ Luxor
03/16 – Paris, FR @ La Maroquinerie
03/17 – Antwerp, BE @ Trix
03/19 – Manchester, UK @ O2 Ritz Manchester
03/20 – Glasgow, UK @ Glasgow Art School
03/22 – Birmingham, UK @ O2 Institute2 Birmingham
03/23 – London, UK @ Islington Assembly Hall
03/26 – Dublin, IE @ The Academy
03/27 – Dublin, IE @ The Academy
* = w/ Chris Stapleton
^ = w/ BigXThaPlug
+ = w/ Grace Enger