Lola Young

Social Media & The Rise of "Messy"

Lola Young's song Messy has taken off as a background song on Tiktok and Instagram. Influencers on every platform are a factor in the single's success as they lip-sync to the chorus line. Different sections of the song have been sampled but the section below resonates with content creators.  

"Cause I'm too messy and then I'm too fucking clean

You told me get a job then you ask where the hell I've been

And I'm too perfect 'til I open my big mouth

I want to be me, is that not allowed?

And I'm too clever and then I'm too fucking dumb

You hate it when I cry unless it's that time of the month

And I'm too perfect 'til I show you that I'm not

A thousand people I could be for you and you hate the fucking lot

You hate the fucking lot"
(Young, 2024b)

On The Tonight Show Staring Jimmy Fallon Lola Young has stated that the song is more about her uncontained ADHD and how she interacts in all of her relationships, not just romantic relationships (Lola Young, 2025). On social media the song is often used to convey the meaning of struggling to live up to expectations, especially by women in romantic relationships with men who are not held to the same standard. This song has struck the same cord as America Ferrera's monologue in the Barbie movie where she lists all of the impossible contradictions that women are expected to live by. 

Critical Evaluation

Lola Young has a husky, soulful voice as big as Adele with the harsh grit of Amy Winehouse. She writes on never being enough, disappointing partners, breakups, intrusive thoughts, and the chaos of young romance.  The album is labeled as alternative indie but each track dips into different tones and genres, especially with the theatrical instrumental accompaniment. Acoustic folk, upbeat jazz, and heavy bass guitar reminiscent of the 1970s all make an appearance on different tracks. For example, Wish You Were Dead starts with a nostalgic 1970's funk and screams into an alternative/punk chorus. My favorite track, You Noticed, has a quiet folk rock voice in a tribute to fleeting love. The orchestra of instruments with Lola Young's emotional voice is a beautiful pairing in each and every song. My only disappointment is that while "Messy" has over 371,000,000 plays, other tracks range in plays from 952,790 to  14,293,593. Her other tracks are just as strong if not stronger. 

Creative Use for a Library Program

Album Release Party: Although this album did not just come out, it is still fun to throw a listening party for older teens (high school). Play the album in a room separated from the main library space, provide refreshments, and invite discussion. This could be an event that you give more control to a teen advisory board to supervise. Opt for the clean version, or radio edit, of the album. The content is still mature despite a lack of swearing in the clean version. In the clean version of Messy the word "fucking" is replaced with "stupid" but there are still lyrics related to drug use. Other songs hint at sexual content, suicide, paranoia, and mental health issues, and these are issues teens are facing! Always include the artist and album details for parents interested in previewing the music to gauge their comfort level. With proper warning and clear wording in advertisements, parents not wishing their teens to participate can opt out. The cursing is more accurate to the language used by a teenage audience, but a radio edit would be a safer choice. 

Teaser

The grit of Amy Winehouse and the depth of Adele came together for an album that defies genre classification. Lola Young writes on heartbreak, and unrequited love to the level of any teenage epic in film or print. You could hear any track as the background to a tumultuous young romance.

Reason for Inclusion

  The romantic themes in Lola Young's music match the intensity of young adult literature. The urgency in young romances is accompanied by impulsive decisions that are more likely to end than survive. Although not always the case, a slow and careful courtship is less commonly found in young adult relationships. I could see any of the songs on this album being used in a film adaptation of a young adult novel.  

Potential Challenges and  Defense Preparation

  As stated in the library programming recommendation, this album is marked explicit for strong language. If the album is available for check out, make sure it is appropriately labeled and have a reconsideration policy written in case of defense. Provide the clean version of the album as an alternative to the explicit version.