Lizzy McAlpine Says New Album "Angel" Accidentally Echoes Nick Drake

American singer-songwriter Lizzy McAlpine has publicly addressed a passage on her new album Angel that bears a strong resemblance to a Nick Drake song, describing the similarity as an unintentional coincidence rather than a reference or sample. The account was reported by Stereogum on September 19, 2026.

What McAlpine said

According to Stereogum, McAlpine only realized after finishing Angel that one section sounded close to a Nick Drake track, and chose to explain the situation publicly herself rather than wait for others to point it out.

Nick Drake was a British folk singer-songwriter active in the late 1960s and early 1970s who released three albums before his death. Decades later, his fingerstyle guitar work and vocal phrasing remain a frequent reference point for younger songwriters.

Why this is coming up now

Stereogum notes the story is landing amid heightened sensitivity around plagiarism in music, following four separate plagiarism accusations against Stella Lefty that have put the concept of "unconscious plagiarism" back in the spotlight. McAlpine belongs to the same generation of young singer-songwriters, and chose to disclose the resemblance herself after the album's release rather than wait for others to point it out. More details can be found in the original Stereogum report.