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Irish Times
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Times
Tyler, the Creator at 3Arena review: A brilliantly evocative, provocative performance
Tyler, the Creator 3Arena, Dublin ★★★★☆ Long before Kneecap were drawing the wrath of the British establishment, Tyler, the Creator had a claim to the title of most controversial name in rap. Lyrics strewn with apparently homophobic and misogynistic remarks earned him a ban from the UK government in 2015 on the grounds that he posed a threat to public order. Turned away at the border, he claimed he was being treated like a terrorist. But as is often the case with talented demagogues caught up in a moral panic, there was more to Tyler than shock value – though songs such as Radicals were undoubtedly shocking ('Kill people, burn shit, f**k school'). Notoriety established, he would spool off in the opposite direction with music that celebrated the simple joys of life and connection. He also broke one of mainstream music's ultimate taboos by hinting in his lyrics that he was sexually fluid ('Sorry to the guys I had to hide/ Sorry to the girls I had to lie to'). READ MORE The many sides to Tyler are on show during a brilliantly evocative and provocative concert at 3Arena on Saturday night. It begins with the 34-year-old Angeleno materialising in a gloopy green haze, like a groovy Wizard of Oz. A mask covers the top half of his face as he opens with the gorgeous orchestral swell of St Chroma, a gauzy banger from his latest album, Chromakopia. All the way back to his formative hip-hop group Odd Future – whose enthusiasm for violent wordplay saw them barred from New Zealand – Tyler has been an astute manipulator of image. This latest tour begins with the rapper wearing a military-style outfit that accentuates the frame of his body, suggesting a cartoon character brought to life. The outrageous costume is combined with robotic dance moves. He pops and wheels like a cybernetic James Brown while white gloves and epaulettes riff on dress-like-a-dictator era Michael Jackson. Inspired by his mother's life, his struggles with fame and the Lewis Carrollesque children's fantasy novel The Phantom Tollbooth, from 1961, his new tracks Noid and I Killed You blend pastoral melodies and nail-spitting rhyming. But the gloves come off when a gantry descends, and he walks above the crowd. He dispenses with the face covering, too, as he plunges into the emotive Take Your Mask Off, an emotive rumination on staying true to your real self. The theatrics are amped up further when Tyler descends to a mock-up of his teenage bedroom. Here he indulges in some staged insulting of the audience, dubbing them 'w**kers' – a word he surely didn't pick up in suburban Los Angeles. He next cycles through the body-horror hit parade of Yonkers and Tron Cat, the tunes that saw him turned away by UK customs (on the orders of Theresa May, who was home secretary at the time). Nightmares turn to dreamy escapism when he returns to the main stage for a seismic Thought I Was Dead before he brings down the curtains with a soulful power ballad, I Hope You Find Your Way Home. While pyrotechnics ping, he leans into his beautifully syrupy falsetto and expresses the hope that everyone in the room gets to where they are meant to be. Hip hop's one-time bete noire has cycled through his multitude of personas and stands before the adoring room older, wiser, sadder and sweeter. It is a reminder to other rappers likewise vilified by the authorities: they can scorn and demonise you, but they can never take away your voice.
Time Out
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
Tyler the Creator at London's O2 Arena: start time, tickets, potential setlist and what you need to know
With massive and colourful stage sets, outlandish and vibrant outfits and, of course, one of the finest discographies in modern rap, a Tyler, the Creator live show is something to get excited about. And this week Tyler is here in London for three huge gigs at the city's biggest indoor venue, the O2 Arena. Tyler's current dates in the UK, which were announced last October and are part of his Chromakopia world tour, are in support of his 2024 album Chromakopia. Named one of Time Out's top albums of last year, Chromakopia peaked top of the UK albums charts with hits like 'Noid', 'Sticky' and 'Like Him'. Heading to see Tyler, the Creator at the O2 in Greenwich? Here's what you need to know about the shows, from set times to whether there are any tickets left. When is Tyler the Creator playing at London's O2? Tyler is at the O2 on Monday May 19, Wednesday May 21 and Thursday May 22. What are the timings? For all three shows, the doors to the arena will open at 6.30pm – though, as always at the O2, you'll be able to get into the venue's restaurants and bars earlier than that. Tyler himself is expect on stage at 9.30pm, though timings are subject to change. Curfew is 11pm. What's the setlist? For an idea of the setlist, here's what Tyler, the Creator played in Amsterdam earlier on the Chromakopia world tour (according to Chroma Rah Tah Tah Noid Darling, I I Killed You Judge Judy Sticky Take Your Mask Off Tomorrow IGOR'S THEME EARFQUAKE A BOY IS A GUN THANK YOU I THINK Yonkers Tron Cat She Tamale Rusty IFHY LUMBERJACK I THOUGHT YOU WANTED TO DANCE DOGTOOTH SORRY NOT SORRY Who Dat Boy WUSYANAME Thought I Was Dead Like Him See You Again NEW MAGIC WAND I Hope You Find Your Way Home Who is supporting? Tyler has two supports that you'll absolutely want to get down early for: experimental hip-hop duo Paris Texas (onstage at 7.30pm) and pop rap hero Lil Yachty (on at 8.15pm). Can you still get tickets for Tyler the Creator at London's O2? Some tickets are still available for both shows, with some on Ticketmaster here from around £65, and on AXS here starting from around £60. The best London gigs and concerts in May 2025.
The Guardian
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Tyler, the Creator review – a fiery performance from a giddy rap god
Fireworks explode, flames burn, smoke engulfs the room and a screech erupts from the audience as a masked Tyler, the Creator emerges from a thick green haze to the gut-rumbling bass of St Chroma. It's rare to hear such a frenzied response to new songs but it establishes the mood for an evening during which the LA rapper's most recent work, from 2024's Chromakopia, is received with the same level of adoration as old favourites. And he runs through the album almost in its entirety. Performing solo on stage to a backing track, he bounces giddily but gracefully across the vast space. The bass frequently hits outrageously hard throughout the evening, shaking the building's foundations, such as during the grinding charge of Noid. While effective, the frequent bass drops do sometimes kill some of the detail in the music, as well as perhaps overcompensating for the lack of live instrumentation. By the midpoint, things get cosy and intimate as an unmasked Tyler, the Creator walks a huge floating catwalk to a stage made to look like a living room. He takes his shoes off and flicks through a box of vinyl before picking out his own LPs and placing them on a turntable. Yonkers and Who Dat Boy absolutely detonate the room, with the latter track spawning huge circle pits in the audience as bodies pinball around inside. This section, while conceptually neat, can feel a little passive at points, with Tyler not always singing fully over the shortened songs, and it coming across more like a DJ set, or as though he is curating a mixtape of his own life's work in real time. However, he leans further into performance during the final run. His impassioned, raspy delivery of Thought I Was Dead is remarkably raw and his flow is both fluid and furious. The crowd harmonising on See You Again is genuinely beautiful, and as he winds up with I Hope You Find Your Way Home, he finishes the evening the same way he started it: with new songs being rapturously received like they are already classics. Tyler, the Creator is at the O2, London, on 19 May and touring the UK until 31 May
Newsweek
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
Dynamic Duo Paris Texas Is Rocking Hip-Hop and 'Just Having Fun'
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. "Sometimes fire a** bars is funny. That's what makes them hard." Paris Texas is a raucous duo comprised of Louie Pastel and Felix, ushering in the new vanguard of hip-hop. Their grunge-infused jams seamlessly blend energetic guitar riffs with effortlessly witty and layered lyricism. Their penchant for experimentation breathes life into their enthralling visuals that weave outlandish tales that include things like conjoined twins being separated by a magic sword or those same twins being compelled to commit crimes by a sentient gun. The duo joined Grammy-award-winning artist and hip-hop tastemaker Tyler, the Creator on the Chromakopia tour, where they continue to make their ascent to stardom thanks to their chaotic and frenetic performances. Newsweek sat with the duo on their break from the world tour to talk about their origin, musical inspiration, creative collaborations, and their decision to drop two EPs, They Left Me with a Sword and They Left Me with a Gun, a week apart back in February. Paris Texas Is Breaking The Mold Paris Texas Is Breaking The Mold Y'all are on break from the Chromakopia world tour with Tyler, The Creator, and y'all are making waves with your crazy performances. What goes into your stage prep, and what can fans expect from a Paris Texas show? Felix: A lot of jumping. It's just a lot of high energy, a lot of jokes. It's just having fun on stage for everybody, just being excited, man, that's really all it is. Louie: I feel like one of our shows. You gotta bring the same energy of, like, a backyard show to big stages. Just uncontrollable energy everywhere, basically. F: Yeah, as much as we can. How does it feel to be on break from that tour? I know y'all have been around the U.S. for a couple of months now. Are you taking any time off to relax, or is it back to work? F: Here and there we go to the studio, but I'm pretty much relaxing. L: I just started relaxing yesterday. F: Aw man, sorry about that. L: It's cool, man. I got like 9 more days to chill. Did you pick up any new hobbies or anything while you're away? How did you deal with that time away? F: New hobbies? No, I don't know. I'm trying to read where it's hard, though, because I be falling asleep when we're traveling, but then just reading. I don't even know if that's a hobby, but yeah, I'm trying to read. That's all I know. I've been doing everything else, kind of the same. I would say reading is a hobby. A lot of people don't pick up books like that. F: Oh, I just felt like, [people] read every day. I don't know. Yeah, just reading, bro, I don't know. I haven't really changed anything too much in terms of hobbies, there's not really much time to have a hobby for real. Just chilling between cities, recharging? F: Yeah, exactly, because that last s*** forever, it was like 30 shows. It was like a show almost every other day. You know, there's no real hobbies to have. No disrespect, though. Just like, [people] can't really do something. Oh, no problem, that's why I asked! I want to know, what are you doing during that time? F: Aw yeah, everybody's doing different s***. People playing Mario Party. Some [people] be sleep, that's kind of like the big thing at least for me. Have you had a favorite city in the U.S. so far that you've hit? F: I've had a few. I have a list of cities that I think were really good, but in terms of, just like, besides the performance, I don't even know, I'm forgetting where we even went low-key. L: I really like Austin. F: Yeah, I would say Austin was really fun. L: I like the South, weirdly enough. F: We went at a cool time too. L: We hit South by Southwest. F: There was a lot of s*** going on. What did y'all experience during that? Because there's something going on every second at South by Southwest. F: Yeah, yeah, yeah, we was tapping in. I tried a little bit, it was kind of harder, but I tried to see a few people. We saw some homies. Yeah, it was cool. Just walking around. It's just that traffic is a**. But other than that, it's chill. Do you have any cities you're looking forward to on the second half of the tour? L: I'm looking forward to all the random cities. I think we're going to Prague. F: Yeah, we're going to Prague. L: All those places I'm gonna be eyes wide-open, just seeing all these things I never seen before like "Wow. Like 'What, I didn't know--, huh?'" Just filled with childlike wonder again. Tell me a little bit about Paris Texas, how y'all met, and some of your inspirations? L: We met in our youth and we both liked music. We were rocking with each other. We're like, "We should do this," and then we did it. F: It's even just, like, more silly, like, [we] met out of high school for real, like, and then we had our mutual friend who introduced us to each other because he knew we both did music and just decided we should meet each other on some chill s***. I don't think anybody expected to be taken this far. I know I didn't. I didn't know... L: I did. [laughs] F: Yeah, it was a mutual homie. He was like, "Yo, you guys should link up." And even at first, we weren't even, like, best homies. We're just like, "All right. Like, yeah. Like, OK." I think it's always weird when people try to matchmake you like, you know, I'm saying, like, they'll be like, "Yo, you know this person? I think you would f*** with them" and you're like, "I'll be the judge of that." You get way more skeptical because you're like, "Do you really know me?" And then, yeah, just over time. Like, you know, I'm saying it's like that, like meeting a shorty or meeting a homie. You're like, someone's like, man, "You gotta meet Todd bruh." And you like, "Yeah, aight, we're gonna see if Todd's really cool." You don't know me like that. F: Yeah, we gonna see, bro. I hear you, like, it sounds good, but I'm like, which is so funny, because like, you doubting your friend, who's probably like, mad close to you, but just like, you know you're still different in some ways. I don't know who I'm about to meet, but we're gonna find out. L: I hate matchmaking homies. I'll bring homies around if they're funny. But I'm never like, "You gotta meet this particular homie." You gotta bring the homies to audition first, right? F: [Laughs] Yeah, man. You said inspiration? Yeah. What are some of your musical inspirations? F: It's just a lot of different s***. A lot of rap, though, more rap than anything for me. But there's a lot of other cool s*** that I really f*** with. I'm trying to think of like a easy statement to say. L: I don't know the easiest way to say the influences. Just like...F***, that is a hard question to answer. Just general s***. I feel like it's not as like crazy as people think, like influences, yeah, like it's like some pop stuff and popular stuff. Indie stuff. Like, was there something Bickle's so inspiring right now. F: Yeah, Bickle's going f****** crazy. Was there a certain thing that y'all were sitting down and being like, "Oh, damn, we both do like this thing together," and it like drove the group? F: I feel like early on, it was a lot of early Soundcloud s*** for real, and then like the big mainstream people like Kendrick and a lot of like, Uzi and Carti at the time. There's always been like pockets of like, you know, like Toro y Moi, and like, there's like pockets of people that like crossover, that like come through as we like make music and then just explore different artists. It changes over time. I think the overlap we had was a lot of early SoundCloud s***, a lot of Tumblr s***. All the s*** you'd find on there. A lot of [artists] from like Florida at the time, and like, oh, like, Indigo shower, yeah. Like, it was like, Florida, New York, because our scene here it didn't grow yet. Like the Raider Klan era? F: Right. Yeah, you know, only people in our scene was kind of OF [Odd Future] and then the popular contemporary we didn't really listen to like that. Then like with Kendrick and s***, you know, like when that during that emergence and s***? Yeah, we listened to a lot of internet s*** for real. Yeah, that was my prime era coming up to that SoundCloud, DatPiff. So what is your collaboration process like when y'all get in the studio, are y'all always working together, or y'all bringing stuff back to each other and workshopping? L: Mostly working together. We usually start things together. Or maybe like a certain idea, because I don't like creating without him in the room because then y'all can't really feel the vibe. I hate bringing beats to people, that's why I never will make a beat for somebody else. Like, I hate that process. It just doesn't feel like real music. It creates an imbalance, you would say? L: Yeah, it feels alien to me personally. I didn't get in it to be like, "Here's a beat pack goes." I like being a part of it. It's the unification that creates the sound. L: Yeah, yeah, yeah. One of my favorite things about Paris Texas is the earnestness, which you say some of the funniest stuff, like, are y'all always trying to out-funny each other? And do you have a funniest line from each other, from Gun or Sword? L: Oh, you know what's crazy? We don't be trying to be funny. It just comes off that way. [laughter] I can tell because you're not letting it breathe like it's a joke. You're just saying it like so matter of fact, and I'm like, "Hold on, man, let me rewind this. I know they just didn't say--" F: At least with the rapping part, it just ends up being funny. But yeah, outside of recording, it'll be like just [us] joking around. I feel like, low-key, don't be saying anything too funny. That's one thing I feel like I'm missing sometimes. I say things that's funny to me, but I don't know if it translates the same. A conversation and music is kind of sometimes a little different. It's hard to pick because I feel like Louie be saying really funny s***. L: It be f***** up 'cause he'll be like, "It's hilarious." I'm like, "I just thought it was a cool bar." Like, damn, I'm not trying to be funny at all. F: Sometimes fire ass bars is funny. L: I know, I know, I know. F: That's what makes them hard, like, I don't know that's a big part. I think I feel like, for me, it's probably on 'Holy Spinal Fluid.' I had to stop multiple times when I first heard it and just laugh. L: Yeah, that was a crazy talk. I think that's probably one of my favorites off of both EPS. F: 'Holy Spinal'? Oh s***, that's crazy. Big ups. L: Thank you. That's crazy. I have a hard time choosing between them both. I just throw them on back-to-back in the order they were released. F: Respect, yeah, that's all you can do. Sometimes, you'll get to a point you can shuffle them around. It takes time, though, bro. [People] got to live with it. And then you'll be like, "Alright, I'm going to these ones." L: I saw Drew yesterday. He was telling me how the second one grew on him, he only listened to the first one for a long time. F: Yeah, that's what happens. L: Yeah, that s*** ended up happening. I can understand that, because I did have a tough time going from one to the other. I was like, "Man, this Sword is perfect, and I wasn't ready to go to Gun yet." I was really stuck on Holy Spinal Fluid, and then 'Twin Geeker' really grew on me. Another one that is pure comedy. F: Yeah, yeah, that one also is very funny. [laughter] While we're there, can you, can you explain a little bit of the difference in sounds between 'Gun' and 'Sword' and why you chose to split them up that way? L: That was the audible. We called an audible last minute. Yeah, we had one done. We had 'Sword' done and, we just sequenced one, so we weren't planning on the second EP. We were just like, "Oh, we got one done." And then I was like, "We'll just do a second one, f*** it," and so the second one has newer stuff on there. That's all it is. It was like newer ideas that we were kind of working through, working on, like, the first sword has, like, things that we were like, these are tight, no questions asked. It feels like the cemented Paris Texas sound that's why I think people kind of get drawn to 'Sword' more. It's more easily digestible, where the second EP is just the newest stuff they're trying to figure out. F: Yeah, I thought, well, you could probably correct me on this too, because the more I've been listening recently, when I think about it. It feels like 'Gun' isn't as heavy, drum-forward. It's not mad heavy. I feel like sort of a lot of the beats are heavier, if that makes sense. And then, like, 'Gun' feels more stripped back and melodic, but also it still carries, like there's still songs that have rhythm and drums to them, but it doesn't feel as bass-heavy or grungy. No, not grungy, but just bass-heavy and 808, and drums and just mad, hard percussions. It just feels like there's more space in 'Gun'. L: Yeah, as you can see, we're trying to figure out the difference as well. We also don't know. F: Yeah, that's what I've been taking away more now that I'm listening more. I'm like, "Oh, it feels more stripped back," and just kind of like letting us try in a little different way. L: I think, well, first, we first did both of those, we spent so long mixing it, so I'd listen to everything, kind of in sequence, and when I got back from tour, I been listening to everything out of sequence. So, yeah, I can see a difference. I probably have a better answer. I don't know, this is a conversation for another time because we're getting carried away. We don't have an answer for you. F: We're, like, debating in front of you. He's like, answer the question, man. [Laughter] What made you decide it was time to bring back the narrator from the earlier projects for this narrative between the two, between 'Sword' and 'Gun'? L: It was like two reasons. One, I think the first time, we didn't utilize it well enough. The first time we used him in 'Red Hand Akimbo', the narrator, it was it wasn't like a character. It was kind of like this cool situation we had, and we thought, "Alright." They didn't feel important. Now, we made it a character. Even in the videos, we made it a character. So it felt like it would kind of give this part of our career a real voice, if that makes sense. Yeah, definitely. With that narrative connection between those older projects and the new ones. Does that mean that there's a Paris Texas Cinematic Universe? L: You know, I've been working on it, and I don't answer for that yet. I don't want to say no, and then I do it later. I don't want to say yes, and I don't do it. But possibly. That's more of an answer than I expected. Actually. L: [Laughter] The more I think about I know, I know in my head how to connect everything I just don't want to do it yet. Ok, Ok, don't give away the sauce. Speaking of the that's that connected storyline, you've also dropped the short films for both projects, and that's something you've done since your earlier days. Are y'all conceptualizing these visuals at the same time as the music or are you working on the project, "Ok, we've laid it out, and then we're going to form something around it?" L: It's super random. There's no method to it, really. Sometimes, I would do it at the same time. I'm trying to learn not to do that because I think it limits creativity on either end. So if I sit there and I go, "Time to do the visual, I work on the music. Now I'm limiting the music. I have this idea of a visual, but if I like, only do the music without any visuals, and I'm limiting the visuals, if that makes sense. That definitely makes sense. They go hand in hand and create the full package. L: Yeah, so we kind of just wait. I know y'all are on break. So, one more, and I'll let y'all slide. If you could pick a fictional, legendary weapon to wield, what would it be to go with the Gun and Sword theme? F: Any weapon? No, it doesn't have to be a gun or a sword. F: Probably the mask that Jim Carrey wore, whatever mask Jim Carrey had. L: Ahh, that's a f****** good one. That's a cheat code. F: That's the one I choose. That boy Jim, man. There's a lot of other weapons out there! There's Infinity Gauntlets, all types of s***. L: You just took the best one possible. That's so crazy. Mine would probably be like, I'm gonna go green too. I'm probably gonna say the Green Lantern's ring. OK, you got any ideas of what you would make with that ring? L: It's limitless, man, it's limitless because he left me with the Infinity Gauntlet. I might, I might have to conjure up some crazy s***, I can't say it's crazy. Don't say something we have to edit out. [Laughter] L: Yeah. Oh, man, big bomb. Big Bomb. I'm bout to save the world. Bout to conjure up a tariff. [laughter] You know what? I lied, I wanna change my answer to wand, just say wand. F: Oh, wow. L: I want a wand. I want magic. OK, OK. I'm rocking with it. L: 'They Left Me with a Wand' that'd be hard. Alright, that's in print. I'm gonna have to hold y'all to that. F: Respect. L: Yeah, OK, bet. [Laughter] I appreciate y'all for coming through and spending your time with me. Anything else y'all have coming up, or you're getting ready for, or you'd like to talk about? L: Super Bowl, 2028! F: What is that? 2028? [Laughter] F: I was like, wait a minute for real? This [guy] been watching football? L: Get ready for it, we coming, Super Bowl. F: Second leg of tour, man. F*** it, second leg of tour and more music and, yep, I don't even know what else. Man, more music and some s***. [laughter] Appreciate y'all so much, fellas. F: Man, appreciate you. L: Man, thank you. Y'all have a good one, and take it easy and enjoy yourself before you take off for that second leg. F: Appreciate it, man. L: We'll do our best, brother.
Los Angeles Times
10-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Lola Young conquered TikTok with ‘Messy.' Now she's looking for more
When Lola Young visits Los Angeles for work — something the singer-songwriter from South London has been doing with increasing frequency over the six years since she signed a major-label record deal at age 18 — she usually stays among the young and creatively inclined in Silver Lake. 'But right now we're in Bel-Air,' she says with a slightly sheepish expression on a recent morning. Moving on up? 'Apparently.' More like definitely: Late last year, Young's song 'Messy' went mega-viral on TikTok thanks to a goofy dance video posted by the influencers Jake Shane and Sofia Richie Grainge; nearly five months later, 'Messy' has more than half a billion streams on Spotify and YouTube and remains in the upper reaches of Billboard's Hot 100. The chart features a second Young entry in 'Like Him,' her dreamy-wistful collaboration with Tyler, the Creator from his 'Chromakopia' LP. Yet the ample charm of 'Messy' — the latest in a long line of talky, self-effacing British pop hits that includes Amy Winehouse's 'Rehab' and Lily Allen's 'Smile' — is that it's all about not feeling like you've put everything together. 'OK, so yeah, I smoke like a chimney / I'm not skinny and I pull a Britney every other week,' Young sings over a gently chugging soul-rock groove, 'But cut me some slack / Who do you want me to be?' The singer, now 24, calls 'Messy' an 'ADHD anthem' — one that's finally focused listeners' attention on her to the point that she had to find roomier digs on this trip to accommodate her growing team. 'That's how English we are — we're like, 'No, no, no…,' trying to justify the bigger house,' Jack Siggs, one of Young's managers, says with a laugh as he sits next to his client at an Italian restaurant in Brentwood. Dressed in a pink striped top, her hair pulled back into a bun, Young is in L.A. to play this month's Coachella festival and to perform on Jimmy Kimmel's late-night show. Every few minutes she puffs discreetly from a vape pen when the server is out of sight; her phone lies screen down on the table, though she's hardly vanquished the temptation to check her notifications. Would she say she's brain-damaged because of phones? 'Yes,' she replies without hesitation. 'I mean, I have brain damage from other things as well.' Young admires when a musician like Matty Healy of The 1975 pauses a concert to urge his audience to put away their phones and live in the moment. 'But that wouldn't work for me because so much of my brand and everything has come from social media,' she says. 'So to say, 'Everyone turn the f— phone off' — it's a bit much.' Even so, her goal now is to prove she's not just another of TikTok's countless one-hit wonders. Coachella can be a promising launch pad, as Chappell Roan — a labelmate of Young's at Island Records — demonstrated 12 months ago in a much-discussed performance that set her on a path toward a best new artist win at February's Grammy Awards. Louis Bloom, president of the Island EMI Label Group, is naturally behind her: He describes Young as a 'once-in-a-generation talent' and tells The Times she's 'at the beginning of an extraordinary career.' So too is SZA, who's called herself a fan and whom Young singles out as a crucial influence on the frankly conversational songwriting that defines Young's tangy sophomore album, 'This Wasn't Made for You Anyway,' which dropped last summer. 'The way she flows and wanders and her melodies meander — I was massively inspired by that when 'CTRL' came out,' Young says of SZA's 2017 LP. 'The fact that she validated me is really important.' Before SZA, Young grew up idolizing Avril Lavigne and Eminem, then got into Prince and Joni Mitchell. Her great-aunt, Julia Donaldson, wrote the popular children's book 'The Gruffalo,' and Young's parents encouraged her to sing as a kid; later, Young studied at London's Brit School, the prestigious performing arts academy that counts Winehouse, Adele and Rex Orange County among its famous alumni. Looking back, Young says she learned loads about music at the Brit School, though she also got into plenty of trouble 'smoking weed behind the sheds,' as she puts it over a late breakfast of spaghetti carbonara. After graduating, she met manager Nick Shymansky, who earlier had overseen Winehouse's career. Young honed her craft with a series of singles and EPs, then released her debut album in 2023. (Probably worth noting: Shymansky's cousin Elliot Grainge, CEO of Atlantic Records, is married to Sofia Richie Grainge, whose TikTok video set off 'Messy's' ascent.) Today, Young's debut sounds a little too polished; 'This Wasn't Made for You Anyway,' much of which she cut in L.A., has a punky, appealingly ragged quality — think Arctic Monkeys meets Mary J. Blige — that better suits her raspy voice. Her writing is sharper too — not just 'Messy' but the mordant 'Wish You Were Dead' and 'Conceited,' in which she expertly roasts a hot-and-cold lover: 'I heard that you tell the guys I'm the worst / You come 'round on Monday and goddamn, you stink like you've missed me.' For all the mileage she's gotten out of the album, Young says 'This Wasn't Made for You Anyway' has already started to feel old; she's more excited about the next record she's working on, which she's reluctant to describe in detail other than to say that there's 'sort of a country-ish song on it.' One problem she's encountering for the first time as a songwriter is that so many of her social interactions these days come down to people wanting to know things about her. 'I'm a cocky little s—, so obviously I want to talk about myself,' says Young, who's scheduled to perform between Coachella weekends at the Fonda Theatre on April 15. 'But I want to listen to people too and figure out things about their lives. It's a weird balance.' At the risk of piling on: What's up with the prominent tattoo on her left ear? 'F— if I know,' she says of the little network of squiggly lines. 'I kind of regret it every time I see it. Not in a deep way.' She laughs. 'I think I was just afraid of dying without a tattoo and looking like a p—.'
