Lola Young has released her debut album, ‘This Wasn’t Meant For You Anyway’. The album is a mix of opulent soul and raw indie tunes in which Young, a south Londoner, openly faces desire and its many complications. Young’s lyrics focus on issues surrounding self-esteem and intrusive thoughts and has built up a devoted fan-base online. The 23-year-old first came to prominence as the vocalist behind the 2021 John Lewis Christmas advert and has since progressed to singing nakedly about a schizoaffective disorder diagnosis.
The album follows Young’s breakout mixtapes, and last year’s project ‘My Mind Wanders and Sometimes Leaves Completely’, which was a streaming sensation. ‘This Wasn’t Meant For You Anyway’ does not include any materials from previous mixtapes nor each last year’s project. The absence of ‘Don’t Hate Me’ also allows the album to present itself as a new and cohesive vision for Young’s future. The album’s mood is powerful but unshowy, as evidenced by a moving spoken word outro.
Young has a knack for storytelling that feels real and unflattering. The emotional force of her pain throughout ‘Conceited’ propels its boom-bap arrangements. On the flip side, she radiates the cathartic levity of the ‘girl who is going to be okay’ meme on ‘Walk On By’, centered on reclaiming agency. It feels like the beginning of a journey towards a peace Young did not allow herself in her earlier music. Settling into young adulthood is rarely a linear path, and it comes with plenty of indecision and setbacks. But the album also finds a quiet freedom in knowing that nothing is guaranteed, so you might as well mess around and have fun.
Although Young’s specific type of yearning and bluntness may be indebted to SZA, she possesses the genuine star power to further develop an already strong artistic identity. This record always remains sure of itself, even in its deepest, darkest moments. ‘This Wasn’t Meant For You Anyway’ remains a collection that feels equally empowered and tormented.
The album dropped on June 21, and it is released under Island Record label. Young’s raw and assertive songs will find a place in the hearts of fans, and the album will open a new chapter in the Londoner’s career that promises to be full of promise and adventure
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