Lola Young Chronicles Chaos on the Gritty, Autobiographical and Instrumentally Lush ‘I’m Only F—ing Myself’: Album Review

Lola Young first broke through with "Messy," a candid, viral hit that felt like stumbling upon someone’s unfiltered late-night confession. Hailing from South East London, her raspy yet smooth vocal delivery immediately set her apart. The track defied conventions with lyrics like, “I’m not skinny, and I pull a Britney every other week—but cut me some slack, who do you want me to be?” It wasn’t so much a plea as a manifesto: Young refuses to conform to the sanitized pop star archetype.

Now 24, she has unveiled her third studio album, "I’m Only Fucking Myself," which leans further into personal turbulence—but this time, she’s channeling it into art. The provocative title doubles as both a punchline and a proclamation, mirroring her experiences with rapid fame, a cocaine rehabilitation stint, and the emotional fallout from her initial rise. The cover—featuring an inflatable doll bearing Young’s face—visually reinforces themes of objectification, alienation, and the surreal nature of contemporary youth. Lyrically, she offers unflinching self-reflection, tackling self-destructive patterns with a wit and vocal sophistication that feels well beyond her years.

Young’s artistic foundation is noteworthy. A 2018 graduate of the BRIT School—the renowned performing arts college that also launched Adele and Amy Winehouse—she refined her skills through grassroots performances before being spotted by industry heavyweights Nick Shymansky (once Winehouse’s manager) and Nick Huggett (the A&R who first signed Adele). Shymansky continues to manage her, linking Young to a lineage of emotionally resonant British singer-songwriters. As music journalist Emma Walsh observed, “Young inherits the raw vulnerability of her influences but refracts it through a lens of Gen-Z irony and digital disquiet.”

Sonically, the album represents a shift from the acoustic intimacy of her earlier releases, embracing a more polished and experimental alt-pop direction. Working with producers like Manuka and Solomonophonic—known for collaborations with SZA and Dominic Fike—she incorporates touches of psychedelic funk and rock. Songs such as “Who Fucking Cares?” blend self-mockery with humor, while “Post Sex Clarity” offers a more radio-ready moment that still retains its bite. It’s on “Fuck Everyone,” though, that Young fully leans into her confrontational style, delivering lyrics designed to provoke and resonate in equal measure.

Beneath the album’s bold exterior and defiant tone lies Young’s undeniable soulfulness. Her gritty delivery and confrontational wordplay are anchored by emotional depth and musical nuance, ensuring the message isn’t lost in its own audacity. She captures a distinctly modern form of confusion—one that is chaotic, deeply relatable, and impossible to dismiss.