Songwriter Aviel Calev Hirschfield, a Portland, Oregon artist who records as GoodbyeCalev, has sued Drake (read our Drake biography) for copyright infringement, Billboard and TMZ report. Per the complaint, the lawsuit was filed Friday, October 16, 2026, in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California — the federal court in Los Angeles.
Hirschfield claims the "Janice STFU" chorus is "literally identical" to a demo he wrote and sent to producers in Drake's orbit months before the release of ICEMAN, according to the complaint as reported by Billboard. Drake's team has flatly denied every allegation. Nothing has been decided — every claim is alleged by one side and denied by the other.
The Lawsuit — Key Facts
Plaintiff: Aviel Calev Hirschfield, who records as GoodbyeCalev
Filed: Friday, October 16, 2026
Court: U.S. District Court for the Central District of California
Defendants: Drake, OVO Sound, UMG Recordings, Universal Music Publishing
Song: "Janice STFU"
Claim: the hook is "literally identical" to his demo in lyrics, melody, and cadence — per his filing, as reported by Billboard
What he seeks: actual damages plus the defendants' profits, or statutory damages of up to USD $150,000 per work if willful, plus legal fees; no specific figure is stated, and he is not seeking the song's removal from streaming — all per the filing
How the Songwriter Says It Happened
Per his filing, Hirschfield says he wrote an eight-line chorus between December 2025 and January 2026 over an instrumental by producer duo FNZ (Michael "Finatik" Mulé and Isaac "Zac" De Boni), after Lykke Li's 2011 song "I Follow Rivers" inspired the hook on a drive to Seattle, Billboard reports.
He says he sent the demo to FNZ and other producers in Drake's orbit and never heard back, and that he first heard it when ICEMAN was released, per the complaint.
He further says audio stems and metadata prove his demo came first, and claims he asked for co-writer credit and publishing and was refused, according to the filing.
Hirschfield also claims he was previously listed as a co-writer alongside Drake on Beyoncé's 2022 track "Heated," per Billboard.
Billboard's legal analysis notes the demo was registered as an unpublished work effective July 21, 2026 — more than two months after the song's May 15, 2026 release — timing that generally bars statutory damages under US copyright law.
Drake's Team Responds
In a statement to TMZ and Billboard, Drake's representative said: "These allegations are categorically, unequivocally, and completely denied. There is not one iota of truth to these accusations, and we reject every attempt to portray these claims as established facts."
His side called the suit a "manufactured and baseless attempt" to cash in on Drake's name, adding: "Drake wrote this song and has no connection or knowledge of this person full stop."
Drake's side also claims Hirschfield manipulated the metadata in his files. No court has decided anything — the case is at the very start of proceedings.
The Song at the Center
"Janice STFU" was released May 15, 2026 as the fourth track on Drake's album ICEMAN, and was serviced to US rhythmic contemporary radio on May 19, 2026 as the album's second single. Check out the Janice STFU lyrics by Drake for the full words behind the disputed chorus.
The song debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 — Drake's 14th career No. 1, passing Michael Jackson for the most No. 1s by a solo male artist.
The complaint calls it "Drake's biggest hit in many years" and claims 300M+ Spotify streams (per the complaint), and notes the song interpolates Lykke Li's "I Follow Rivers."
ICEMAN has kept Drake in the headlines all year — from this Hot 100 milestone to the news that Drake snubs the 2027 Grammys, plus his other 2026 chart runs, including the report that Solar Eclipse debuts on the Hot 100 and the news that Drake's Habibti breaks Billboard record.
Watch the Official Video
Watch the official "Drake - Janice STFU" video from DrakeVEVO below:
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the Drake "Janice STFU" lawsuit about?
A: Songwriter Aviel Calev Hirschfield alleges the chorus of Drake's "Janice STFU" was taken from a demo he wrote and sent to producers in Drake's circle; Drake's team denies the claims. Nothing has been decided.
Q: Who is Aviel Calev Hirschfield?
A: A Portland, Oregon songwriter who records as GoodbyeCalev; per Billboard, he claims he was previously a co-writer alongside Drake on Beyoncé's 2022 track "Heated."
Q: How has Drake responded?
A: His representative told TMZ and Billboard the allegations are "categorically, unequivocally, and completely denied," calling the suit "manufactured and baseless," and said Drake has "no connection or knowledge of" Hirschfield.
Q: Has a court ruled on the case?
A: No — the lawsuit was filed Friday, October 16, 2026 in federal court in Los Angeles and is at the very start of proceedings; nothing has been decided.
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