Country star and Grand Ole Opry member Kelsea Ballerini defended Stella Lefty after anInstagram video of the singer at the Opry sparked backlash from critics who questioned her place on the iconic stage.
Ballerini, a Knoxville native, encouraged people to "celebrate music like the Opry does."
The video, posted to the Opry's Instagram page, shows Lefty singing her viral song "Boston" backstage with two St. Jude patients who were there as guest announcers. The acoustic performance occurred before Lefty's Opry debut on Sept. 2.
Several commenters believed Lefty didn't have the musical gift to "step inside the circle" and play on the sacred Opry stage.
"Billionaire daddy gets ya in the Opry QUICK boy!!! AND with a stolen song to boot. My wife and I crack
up anytime we hear this song come on…sounds exactly like Noah lmao," one commenter wrote.
Lefty has been accused of copying the melody of Noah Kahan's song, "Stick Season." Kahan was ultimately given retroactive songwriting credits for "Boston."
Multiple comments were aimed at Lefty's status as the daughter of billionaire Eric Lefkofsky and attributed her success to nepotism.
Here's what to know about the controversy.
Opry member Kelsea Ballerini chimes in
"Yes, the Opry is about honoring the legacies and the people that have inspired both me and her. But, from different backgrounds and hometowns and generations," Ballerini wrote in response to the video and ensuing comments. "We can find ways to say and sing things that resonate with people that fill the seats…and that is always the goal right?"
"This backstage moment is beautiful. and y’all in the comments continue to not honor the people the actual Opry house opens its arms to," Ballerini went on to say in her comment.
"It’s about celebration of all kinds of country music…new, old, traditional, current, however you wanna say it. It’s all important, and it should all be able to be shared in our safest and most sacred stage in country music."
Who is Stella Lefty?
Born Stella Lefkofsky on Aug. 13, 2002, Lefty grew up in Glencoe, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. Despite Lefty's song being titled "Boston," it turns out she's not from Boston or anywhere close to it.
Lefty said she wrote "Boston" before a tour stop in the Bay State city, during a July 2026 Taste of Country interview.
The "Thinking 'bout You" singer studied public health at Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana, and was a member of the Class of 2024.
It was in 2020, during her time at Tulane, that Lefty began posting videos of her music on TikTok. She performed at Lollapalooza on Aug. 2, 2026, where she announced that her debut album, "Long Way Home," would be released on Aug. 21.
With the release of her first album, there is speculation that Lefty could be included among the nominees for the Grammy Awards' Best New Artist category.
Lefty is now based in Los Angeles and is currently on her 2026-27 world tour, which shares the name of her debut album, "The Long Way Home Tour." She's already been traveling across the U.S. and will soon embark on the European leg of her tour.
What is a 'Nepo baby?' Why the term draws backlash
Similar to many young stars these days, Lefty's sudden rise to fame has been credited to her parents.
The term "nepo baby" has risen in popularity over the last few years as more and more children of A-list celebrities have entered the spotlight themselves.
Nepotism, or the use of power and influence to give job advantages to friends and family, isn't new, but recently singers like Gracie Abrams, daughter of "Star Wars" director J.J. Abrams, have grown in popularity and led some people to question their talent or right to be in Hollywood.
Lefty is no stranger to the term "nepo baby." Lefty skyrocketed to fame when her song "Boston" first came out. Even though the 24-year-old climbed to the No. 2 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 with her breakout hit, people were quick to point out her parents' status.
Her father, Eric Lefkofsky, is the co-founder of Groupon and Tempus AI CEO. His fortune is estimated at $4.8 billion.
Afton Pratt covers trending and breaking news for The Knoxville News Sentinel and Tennessee. She can be reached at ampratt@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Kelsea Ballerini fires back at 'nepo baby' critics of Stella Lefty
