Lola Young

The music industry is such that so much can happen in so little time, as if lives change with the snap of a finger. In the case of British singer Lola Young, this statement couldn’t be truer. After having her life changed almost overnight thanks to the success of her UK #1 single ‘Messy’, it felt like the world was at her feet, especially after the release of her album I’m Only F**king Myself in September last year. However, that same month, Lola collapsed on stage mid-song during a set at All Things Go Festival. This served as a wake-up call, and what followed was a mental health break away from the spotlight. Lola has slowly worked her way back up, while winning a Brit Award and a Grammy along the journey, and her return to the stage has come in the form of a small UK tour, making up for the rescheduled dates in October 2025. While there’s still a bit to go before Lola begins to fully find her mojo, tonight’s performance in Birmingham proved that this is truly where she belongs.

Walking on to the chants of her name loud and proud, you immediately knew that this was Lola’s happy place. Despite the dark and miserable lyrics of ‘SAD SOB STORY! :)’, Lola sang every one of them with a beaming smile, simply because of how excited she was to be there performing. She took her time to settle in before a run of some of her biggest hits, including ‘d£aler’ and ‘One Thing’, with Lola showing off some of her finest dance moves. There was a very evident gratitude that Lola felt, with her thanking each of the crowd for buying a ticket and trusting her to show up for them, before cheekily boasting her love for the Brummie accent and asking her fans to send her their sexiest voice messages. She has a personality that is hard not to love and the way she has incorporated into her songwriting makes it shine even brighter — ‘Big Brown Eyes’ is a clear example, a track about falling for a troubled man solely down to his looks.

Throughout the set, Lola ensured there was a strong balance between the emotionally impactful and the energetically upbeat, giving each feeling its space to resonate with the audience. ‘Penny Out Of Nothing’ starts off as if it’s her take on bossa nova, before building up into a grand climax that feels almost grunge-like. Speaking of pennies, a great deal of praise is warranted for your favourite artist’s favourite artist, guitarist Polly Money. A member of Lola’s band, she has toured with the likes of Skye Newman and The 1975, and her musical talent is an integral part of the live sonic landscape on display. However, despite the talent within the band, none of this would have worked if it wasn’t for Lola’s raw and natural talent. Whether it’s her vocal runs on ‘Walk All Over You’, or her spine-tingling delivery of the chorus on ‘SPIDERS’, there isn’t a moment you aren’t left blown away by how truly phenomenal of a talent Lola is.

Even on softer moments such as ‘You Noticed’, Lola’s vocals shine in a unique manner, with an opportunity to show her warm lower register. The most vulnerable moment of the set came in the encore, where Lola performed her newest track ‘From Down Here’, reflecting on the journey from the beginning of her break in September to facing the courage to stand back on stage and resume touring. And of course, it isn’t a Lola Young set without ‘Messy’, with the crowd singing every word back to the point where you couldn’t hear a thing Lola was singing. It’s been a hell of a journey for her to get to this point, and it’s clear she’s still easing herself in. After all, she only played just over an hour, and apart from a few festival bookings in the Americas in the autumn, these are her only tour dates of the year. Nevertheless, Lola’s bravery and courage rises high above all else, and her return is something that should be unanimously celebrated. Lola is up there with the very best this country has to offer, and all we have to look forward to now is her continued rise to the top.