Lola Young on the impact of ‘Messy’: “A lot of people don’t feel like they’re enough for somebody”

"Don't be scared of putting things down honestly on paper, because that is the most healing thing," she told NME, offering advice to young singer-songwriters The post Lola Young on the impact of ‘Messy’: “A lot of people don’t feel like they’re enough for somebody” appeared first on NME.

May 23, 2025 - 21:10

Lola Young on the impact of ‘Messy’: “A lot of people don’t feel like they’re enough for somebody”

Lola Young nominated for Best Album, Best Song Musically and Lyrically and Rising Star Award attends the Ivor Novello Awards 2025 (Photo by Joseph Okpako/WireImage)

Lola Young has spoken to NME about the impact of and inspiration behind her viral hit ‘Messy’, as well as sharing advice for aspiring singer-songwriters. Watch our video interview above.

Young was speaking from the red carpet of the Ivors in London yesterday (Thursday May 22) where she was nominated for Best Album and Best Song Musically And Lyrically, but went home with the coveted Rising Star Award. “It holds important prestige and it’s just incredible that I’m here and to be surrounded by incredible people,” she said of being shortlisted.

Her win comes in the midst of a huge year, with her single ‘Messy’ ranking as one of the biggest songs of 2025 so far, after attracting millions of streams and going viral due to its lyrics about self-worth in the face of doubt.

“It’s weird for me talking about my own song that I wrote from my past experience in a way that sounds like it’s not me talking about it,” she told NME. “I just wrote it from a really personal place and it can sometimes be re-triggering hearing that song because it was so intense. I’m out of that place now, out of that difficult time in my life.

“I think it’s just a relatable song. A lot of people don’t feel like they’re enough for somebody; they don’t feel like they’ll ever win.”

Asked about having connected with so many people, she replied: “It feels incredible – a feeling I’m blessed to be feeling. There are so many incredible artists across the world, and artists who don’t even know they’re artists yet: just pure singer-songwriters who write songs.

“I’m lucky to move people with my work in a public way, because there are so many other incredible artists that deserve that. I’m standing tonight for singer-songwriters, especially women songwriters.”

As a Rising Star, she also had some sage advice for fellow rising singer-songwriters.

“I would say that it’s all going to be OK,” offered Young. “Everything has its own timing, and I really believe that as long as you speak your truth in a way that feels important and relevant to you, then people are going to relate.

“Don’t be scared of putting things down honestly on paper, because that is the most healing thing, and can be the most celebrated.”

Having recently released the “liberating and sexy” new single ‘One Thing‘, Young promised that her third album was “coming soon” (and saw her write about “some very intense things I’ve gone through”), with the rest of the year seeing her perform at Glastonbury 2025 and support Billie Eilish in Paris.

The post Lola Young on the impact of ‘Messy’: “A lot of people don’t feel like they’re enough for somebody” appeared first on NME.