Lola Youngnever intended to be aTikTokphenom.
On Intrusive Thoughts, she speaks softly to her brain over scratchy chords.
There are tinges of reggae, a tad bit of folk, and heaps of heart.
Lola Young has more in store than “Messy"Sophie Jones*
Young manages it all with a maturity beyond her years.
And, of course, theresTikTok, where she currently has 1.6 million followers.
Shes not bothered about that, though.
This is not just about TikTok.
It has to transcend.
Make no mistake, Young appreciates all of the praise.
Its just that her ascent didnt start yesterday.
And shes much too savvy to conflate one viral sensation with staying power.
She has much more to say about themess.
Theres some real bangers on there.
I cant say too much, but I can say that this feels like a step up.
The personal struggles she mentions have included a diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder at age 17.
Society just isnt at a place to understand that yet.
How does she parse out whats for public consumption and whats to remain sacred amid all the new attention?
Her answer snaps all the comparisons to Winehouse into sharp focus.
Well, everything should be for public consumption unless its offensive.
But I dont even think offensive really matters, because art should never be offensive, Young says.
Songwriting, she adds, is the only place she can be truly herself.
Thats something she plans to take with her in the next chapter, and why wouldnt she?
Its worked well professionally, but personally, too.
Thats what I want people to feel.
I understand them, and millions of other people do, too.
I want extensions, like super long, blonde hair, she tells me.
Like how Doja Cat had it at Coachella.
