{"id":342467,"date":"2026-09-10T02:35:06","date_gmt":"2026-09-10T02:35:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/342467\/"},"modified":"2026-09-10T02:35:06","modified_gmt":"2026-09-10T02:35:06","slug":"stella-leftys-short-set-in-syracuse-raises-tough-questions-nys-fair-review-photos-this-is-cny","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/342467\/","title":{"rendered":"Stella Lefty\u2019s short set in Syracuse raises tough questions (NYS Fair review, photos) \u2013 This is CNY"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"Stella Lefty plays Chevy Court at the 2026 NYS Fair Stella Lefty packs the crowd with her performance at the Chevy Court at the NY State Fair. Sept 6, 2026. Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com (Dennis Nett\/Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com) <\/p>\n

Viral TikTok star Stella Lefty came to the New York State Fair<\/a> on Sunday evening. She took the stage at Chevy Court at 6:07 pm. 49 minutes later, the show was over. <\/p>\n

I feel genuinely conflicted about what to write in this review. <\/p>\n

At the start of the summer, I did not recognize the name Stella Lefty. I, along with my fellow non-TikTok-using olds, have since learned her name as she broke containment with the release of her hit song, Boston, which is currently #2 on the Billboard Hot 100. <\/p>\n

There was a buzz in the air at Chevy Court that matched the popularity of the song. People starting lining up hours early, waiting with anticipation to hear one of their favorite songs of the summer. <\/p>\n

Stella Lefty and her band took the stage in matching plain white T-shirts and denim. They performed a short set of country-flavored pop songs pulled from Lefty\u2019s recently released debut album. <\/p>\n

\"\"Stella Lefty plays Chevy Court at the 2026 NYS Fair Stella Lefty packs the crowd with her performance at the Chevy Court at the NY State Fair. Sept 6, 2026. Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com (Dennis Nett\/Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com) <\/p>\n

The set closed with Boston and the roughly 15,500 fans in the audience were thrilled to hear what they came for. Lefty stepped down from the stage to sign autographs and take photos with adoring, wide-eyed young fans. <\/p>\n

It was everything it was supposed to be. <\/p>\n

That\u2019s it. That could be my review but it\u2019s not. <\/p>\n

I always try to view an artist through the lens with which they present themselves. <\/p>\n

As a viral social media star, Sunday evening\u2019s performance did its job, but Stella Lefty isn\u2019t asking to be seen as a social media influencer who wrote a catchy song, she\u2019s asking to be taken seriously as an up-and-coming artist. <\/p>\n

Her debut album, released on Aug. 21, is currently a top 5 country album. She canceled her planned tour with Tucker Wetmore, where she was to be the opening act, only to announce a headlining tour in 2027. <\/p>\n

\"\"Stella Lefty plays Chevy Court at the 2026 NYS Fair Stella Lefty packs the crowd with her performance at the Chevy Court at the NY State Fair. Sept 6, 2026. Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com (Dennis Nett\/Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com) <\/p>\n

Four days before performing at the NYS Fair, she made her Grand Ole Opry debut. <\/p>\n

I think about some of the artists who have graced that stage: Jason Isbell, Hank Williams, Dolly Parton<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Artists with strong points of view and something to say. <\/p>\n

Stella Lefty has a charming and affable, if innocent stage presence. She seems genuinely sweet. When listening to her voice, especially in the mid and upper range, I can hear the potential that\u2019s there. It sounds like a blend of Colbie Callait and Kimberly Perry from The Band Perry. <\/p>\n

But musically, the songs and their performance on Sunday was the aural equivalent of the matching plain white T-shirt and denim aesthetic on stage. <\/p>\n

\"\"Stella Lefty plays Chevy Court at the 2026 NYS Fair Stella Lefty packs the crowd with her performance at the Chevy Court at the NY State Fair. Sept 6, 2026. Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com (Dennis Nett\/Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com) \"\"Stella Lefty plays Chevy Court at the 2026 NYS Fair Stella Lefty packs the crowd with her performance at the Chevy Court at the NY State Fair. Sept 6, 2026. Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com (Dennis Nett\/Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com) \"\"Stella Lefty plays Chevy Court at the 2026 NYS Fair Stella Lefty packs the crowd with her performance at the Chevy Court at the NY State Fair. Sept 6, 2026. Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com (Dennis Nett\/Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com) \"\"Stella Lefty plays Chevy Court at the 2026 NYS Fair Stella Lefty packs the crowd with her performance at the Chevy Court at the NY State Fair. Sept 6, 2026. Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com (Dennis Nett\/Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com) \"\"Stella Lefty plays Chevy Court at the 2026 NYS Fair Stella Lefty packs the crowd with her performance at the Chevy Court at the NY State Fair. Sept 6, 2026. Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com (Dennis Nett\/Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com) \"\"Stella Lefty plays Chevy Court at the 2026 NYS Fair Stella Lefty packs the crowd with her performance at the Chevy Court at the NY State Fair. Sept 6, 2026. Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com (Dennis Nett\/Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com) \"\"Stella Lefty plays Chevy Court at the 2026 NYS Fair Stella Lefty packs the crowd with her performance at the Chevy Court at the NY State Fair. Sept 6, 2026. Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com (Dennis Nett\/Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com) \"\"Stella Lefty plays Chevy Court at the 2026 NYS Fair Stella Lefty packs the crowd with her performance at the Chevy Court at the NY State Fair. Sept 6, 2026. Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com (Dennis Nett\/Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com) \"\"Stella Lefty plays Chevy Court at the 2026 NYS Fair Stella Lefty packs the crowd with her performance at the Chevy Court at the NY State Fair. Sept 6, 2026. Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com (Dennis Nett\/Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com) \"\"Stella Lefty plays Chevy Court at the 2026 NYS Fair Stella Lefty packs the crowd with her performance at the Chevy Court at the NY State Fair. Sept 6, 2026. Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com (Dennis Nett\/Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com) \"\"Stella Lefty plays Chevy Court at the 2026 NYS Fair Stella Lefty packs the crowd with her performance at the Chevy Court at the NY State Fair. Sept 6, 2026. Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com (Dennis Nett\/Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com) \"\"Stella Lefty plays Chevy Court at the 2026 NYS Fair Stella Lefty packs the crowd with her performance at the Chevy Court at the NY State Fair. Sept 6, 2026. Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com (Dennis Nett\/Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com) \"\"Stella Lefty plays Chevy Court at the 2026 NYS Fair Stella Lefty packs the crowd with her performance at the Chevy Court at the NY State Fair. Sept 6, 2026. Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com (Dennis Nett\/Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com) \"\"Stella Lefty plays Chevy Court at the 2026 NYS Fair Stella Lefty packs the crowd with her performance at the Chevy Court at the NY State Fair. Sept 6, 2026. Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com (Dennis Nett\/Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com) \"\"Stella Lefty plays Chevy Court at the 2026 NYS Fair Stella Lefty packs the crowd with her performance at the Chevy Court at the NY State Fair. Sept 6, 2026. Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com (Dennis Nett\/Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com) \"\"Stella Lefty plays Chevy Court at the 2026 NYS Fair Stella Lefty packs the crowd with her performance at the Chevy Court at the NY State Fair. Sept 6, 2026. Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com (Dennis Nett\/Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com) \"\"Stella Lefty plays Chevy Court at the 2026 NYS Fair Stella Lefty packs the crowd with her performance at the Chevy Court at the NY State Fair. Sept 6, 2026. Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com (Dennis Nett\/Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com) \"\"Stella Lefty plays Chevy Court at the 2026 NYS Fair Stella Lefty packs the crowd with her performance at the Chevy Court at the NY State Fair. Sept 6, 2026. Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com (Dennis Nett\/Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com) \"\"Stella Lefty plays Chevy Court at the 2026 NYS Fair Stella Lefty packs the crowd with her performance at the Chevy Court at the NY State Fair. Sept 6, 2026. Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com (Dennis Nett\/Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com) \"\"Stella Lefty plays Chevy Court at the 2026 NYS Fair Stella Lefty packs the crowd with her performance at the Chevy Court at the NY State Fair. Sept 6, 2026. Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com (Dennis Nett\/Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com) \"\"Stella Lefty plays Chevy Court at the 2026 NYS Fair Stella Lefty packs the crowd with her performance at the Chevy Court at the NY State Fair. Sept 6, 2026. Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com (Dennis Nett\/Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com) \"\"Stella Lefty plays Chevy Court at the 2026 NYS Fair Stella Lefty packs the crowd with her performance at the Chevy Court at the NY State Fair. Sept 6, 2026. Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com (Dennis Nett\/Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com) \"\"Stella Lefty plays Chevy Court at the 2026 NYS Fair Stella Lefty packs the crowd with her performance at the Chevy Court at the NY State Fair. Sept 6, 2026. Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com (Dennis Nett\/Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com) \"\"Stella Lefty plays Chevy Court at the 2026 NYS Fair Stella Lefty packs the crowd with her performance at the Chevy Court at the NY State Fair. Sept 6, 2026. Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com (Dennis Nett\/Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com) \"\"Stella Lefty plays Chevy Court at the 2026 NYS Fair Stella Lefty packs the crowd with her performance at the Chevy Court at the NY State Fair. Sept 6, 2026. Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com (Dennis Nett\/Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com) \"\"Stella Lefty plays Chevy Court at the 2026 NYS Fair Stella Lefty packs the crowd with her performance at the Chevy Court at the NY State Fair. Sept 6, 2026. Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com (Dennis Nett\/Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com) <\/p>\n

Philosopher C. Thi Nguyen writes that social media \u201cflattens complex information into a single bit of data.\u201d We exist in an ecosystem of likes, reposts and shares that fail to engage with the nuance of human existence. <\/p>\n

Stella Lefty\u2019s music suffers from a similar flattening. She has mastered the art of social media virality, but she hasn\u2019t yet mastered her art.<\/p>\n

Her songs are littered with passing references to whiskey, neon lights, tequila, and other signifiers, but it all feels like country music cosplay. <\/p>\n

I was not surprised to learn the album was co-written and produced by Joe Reeves, a frequent collaborator of Morgan Wallen, an artist whose omnipresence has contributed to a similar flattening of country radio.<\/p>\n

Then again, maybe I\u2019m being too harsh. Stella Lefty is a pop star and I\u2019m not in her target demographic. <\/p>\n

Am I expecting too much? <\/p>\n

\"\"Stella Lefty plays Chevy Court at the 2026 NYS Fair Stella Lefty packs the crowd with her performance at the Chevy Court at the NY State Fair. Sept 6, 2026. Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com (Dennis Nett\/Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com) \"\"Stella Lefty plays Chevy Court at the 2026 NYS Fair Stella Lefty packs the crowd with her performance at the Chevy Court at the NY State Fair. Sept 6, 2026. Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com (Dennis Nett\/Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com) <\/p>\n

The album I\u2019ve listened to most this summer, and one that I think has a legitimate case for album of the year, is Olivia Rodrigo\u2019s you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love. It is written by, and for, the same demographic as Stella Lefty, but it is musically sophisticated with personal lyrics that adeptly shift between deeply funny and deeply heartbreaking, oftentimes in the same song. <\/p>\n

Young women (and men) deserve pop music that speaks to the complex reality of their emotional lives. <\/p>\n

The turbulent wake of Stella Lefty\u2019s sudden ascent is being filled with accusations of being a \u201cnepo baby,\u201d an industry plant and a plagiarist. The internet has found a new sacrificial lamb and netizens are piling on. <\/p>\n

These accusations have varying degrees of validity, but I don\u2019t find any of them particularly offensive. <\/p>\n

Yes, Stella Lefty\u2019s father is a billionaire<\/a>, but a lot of great musicians come from wealthy families: Carly Simon\u2019s father was the Simon in Simon & Schuster. <\/p>\n

I don\u2019t believe being an \u201cindustry plant\u201d is a real thing, but even if it was, you can\u2019t spend 20+ weeks on the charts without real people listening to and enjoying your song. <\/p>\n

\"\"Stella Lefty plays Chevy Court at the 2026 NYS Fair Stella Lefty packs the crowd with her performance at the Chevy Court at the NY State Fair. Sept 6, 2026. Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com (Dennis Nett\/Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com) \"\"Stella Lefty plays Chevy Court at the 2026 NYS Fair Stella Lefty packs the crowd with her performance at the Chevy Court at the NY State Fair. Sept 6, 2026. Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com (Dennis Nett\/Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com) <\/p>\n

The plagiarism accusations have a bit more weight.<\/p>\n

Stella Lefty has had to concede that Boston interpolates the chorus from Noah Kahan\u2019s Stick Season. She has also had to concede that the Summer You Were Mine, interpolates the material from The Chick\u2019s 1998 Grammy winning song, There\u2019s Your Trouble. Both of these concessions came only after fans noticed similarities. <\/p>\n

There are currently accusations that her song Why Wouldn\u2019t We is similar to Blake Shelton\u2019s I\u2019ll Name the Dogs. Overnight, since performing at the New York State Fair, a fourth song is being looked at. Stereogum is reporting that Lefty\u2019s song Misery is similar to A Million Dreams<\/a> from The Greatest Showman soundtrack. <\/p>\n

Not to add to the pile on, but when I heard the opening chords of Something to Lose, I recognized it as Jason Isbell\u2019s Children of Children.<\/p>\n

That said, I don\u2019t love when artists are accused of plagiarism. Songwriters are all playing with the same musical vocabulary and lots of songs sound similar. The reason why I think these accusations are so effective is that the songs lack any real personality of their own. <\/p>\n

\"\"Stella Lefty plays Chevy Court at the 2026 NYS Fair Stella Lefty packs the crowd with her performance at the Chevy Court at the NY State Fair. Sept 6, 2026. Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com (Dennis Nett\/Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com) <\/p>\n

Returning to Nguyen, he quotes food writer John Thorne: \u201cthe difference between a recipe and a dish is that a dish is a live thing, an idea of balance that\u2019s in a creative cook\u2019s head. A dish has to be remade anew each time, in response to changing ingredients and changing circumstances. But a recipe, he said, is a dead thing, a writing down of how a creative cook made something once.\u201d <\/p>\n

Stella Lefty has artistic potential, the ingredients are there. She and her collaborators have figured out the recipe of pop country radio but the songs don\u2019t yet feel alive. <\/p>\n

When asked by Vanity Fair about the similarities between Boston and Noah Kahan\u2019s Stick Season, Stella Lefty responded \u201cWhen I was writing the song, I wasn\u2019t thinking about Noah Kahan. I was literally thinking about nothing at all.\u201d<\/p>\n

I believe her. <\/p>\n

At the Chevy Court on Sunday, we all sang along to a viral chorus and it felt good. I hope someday she offers more than empty calories. <\/p>\n

\"\"Stella Lefty plays Chevy Court at the 2026 NYS Fair Stella Lefty packs the crowd with her performance at the Chevy Court at the NY State Fair. Sept 6, 2026. Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com (Dennis Nett\/Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com) \"\"Stella Lefty plays Chevy Court at the 2026 NYS Fair Stella Lefty packs the crowd with her performance at the Chevy Court at the NY State Fair. Sept 6, 2026. Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com (Dennis Nett\/Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com) Stella Lefty Set List<\/p>\n

New York State Fair, Sept. 6, 2026<\/p>\n

Thinking \u2018bout You<\/p>\n

Why Wouldn\u2019t We<\/p>\n

Good at Leaving<\/p>\n

Kiss Me<\/p>\n

Summer You Were Mine<\/p>\n

Lean In, Kiss Me<\/p>\n

Whiskey<\/p>\n

Unwritten (Natasha Bedingfield cover)<\/p>\n

Feel Better<\/p>\n

Something to Lose<\/p>\n

I Know, I Know<\/p>\n

Slow Dancin\u2019<\/p>\n

Boston<\/p>\n

\"\"Stella Lefty plays Chevy Court at the 2026 NYS Fair Stella Lefty packs the crowd with her performance at the Chevy Court at the NY State Fair. Sept 6, 2026. Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com (Dennis Nett\/Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com) <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Stella Lefty plays Chevy Court at the 2026 NYS Fair Stella Lefty packs the crowd with her performance…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":342468,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[128453,221,1361,4619,4790,2538,2855,9,11,10,49,48507,51,50,115985,115986,12294,123995,904,8168],"class_list":["post-342467","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-new-york","tag-chris-cresswell","tag-concert","tag-event","tag-events","tag-live-music","tag-music","tag-music-review","tag-new-york","tag-new-york-headlines","tag-new-york-news","tag-new-york-state","tag-new-york-state-fair","tag-new-york-state-headlines","tag-new-york-state-news","tag-nys-fair","tag-nys-fair-2026","tag-review","tag-stella-lefty","tag-things-to-do","tag-topstory"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/342467","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=342467"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/342467\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/342468"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=342467"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=342467"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=342467"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}