The past week has been a mixed bag for Stella Lefty.
The singer has already faced scorn on the internet for being both the daughter of a billionaire (specifically Groupon co-founder Eric Lefkofsky) and debuting a song that interpolates another tune without initial credit (Lefty’s “Boston” sounds a whole lot like Noah Kahan‘s “Stick Season”). Now, she’s facing additional charges of plagiarism, which only adds to the nickname some TikTok users have gifted her: “Stella Thefty.”
And yet, Lefty’s first album, Long Way Home, debuted at number 11 on the Billboard 200, and “Boston” is at its highest-ever position on the Hot 100 — currently sitting at No. 2 behind the seemingly indomitable “Choosin’ Texas” by Ella Langley. That current chart-topper has made Langley the odds-on favorite for Best New Artist at next year’s Grammy Awards.
Despite all of the controversy surrounding Lefty and her spotty track record for crediting songwriters, the “Boston” singer could be joining her. According to Gold Derby’s Grammy odds, Lefty currently ranks in 11th place of the artists most likely to land a nod, putting her only three spots out of nomination range.
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And it’s not just Lefty’s current ranking in the category that’s impressive. In a week when her reputation has arguably taken the biggest hit, she’s managed to climb three percent in the odds. Combine that with the fact that “Boston” has never performed better on the charts, and it throws some cold water on the notion that snark economy means all that much in terms of widespread popularity.
The question that remains to be answered is how the Record Academy will respond when faced with the choice of boosting Lefty or not. She’s recorded a hit — that’s for sure — but will professionals within the music industry see an artist on the come-up finding an audience or someone cashing in on the work of their peers? Stay tuned as Grammy nominations help provide a clearer answer to that query.
