Who Is Lola Young?

Born in South London, Lola Young has always been in the music business, from writing songs from 11 years old to attending The Brit School as a teenager. It was here she learnt to play a variety of instruments and to sing, catching a whiff of stardom when she won a national open mic contest in 2016 over 9000 other competitors. 

After that, she was quickly signed to Island Records which has previously released music on behalf of Bob Marley and Grace Jones. Lola caught her big break in 2021, when she was the voice of the soundtrack to the John Lewis Christmas advert-a huge tradition in the UK. She covered Giorgio Moroder and Phillip Oakleys’ classic ‘Together In Electric Dreams.’ 

That same year, Lola Young had released her own music in the form of an EP in August, called ‘After Midnight,’ and went on her first ever tour that winter. She also released the popular single ‘FAKE’ which was played on BBC Radio 1 and Lola performed it on James Cordon’s The Late Late Show. 

Fast forward to this year and Lola Young has just released her debut album ‘My Mind Wanders and Sometimes Leaves Completely,’ headed by the lead single ‘Don’t Hate Me.’ Much of Lola’s success comes from TikTok, with celebrities such as Bella Hadid and Kylie Jenner lip syncing the single. ‘Don’t Hate Me’ was originally a freestyle that Young had posted a video of herself but it unexpectedly took off and paved the way for her first album.

‘My Mind Wanders and Sometimes Leaves Completely’ is out now and receiving widely positive criticism. It is an interesting introduction to the young artist who has been compared to the likes of Adele and Amy Winehouse. Despite her easy access to fame, Lola Young is surely a talent to watch.