The British artist and songwriter presents a collection of songs that provides diverse viewpoints on beauty.
Sophie Jones
“Being beautiful means understanding that you are who you are and taking pride in that,” Lola Young states. “Beauty is about confidence.”
This belief inspired “Messy,” Young’s unexpected success from her recent album, This Wasn’t Meant for You Anyway, a tribute to wholeheartedly accepting the flaws that characterize our humanity. “It’s about [having] self-acceptance and not feeling the need to apologize for it,” she explains regarding the song, which gained popularity on TikTok towards the end of last year. “I’m incredibly proud of how people have responded to the track. They feel acknowledged and understood, which is truly significant to me.”
“EXPERIENCING the WORLD for a LONGER time is NOT an UGLY thing; it’s POWERFUL.”
At 24, Young began her journey by performing at open-mic events in her hometown in England as a teenager, and her introspective lyrics about toxic relationships, heartbreak, and self-love gained her a loyal fan base.
The playlist she assembled for this issue presents various interpretations of beauty through a diverse selection of tracks. She featured Eminem’s empowering “Beautiful,” which underscores the importance of self-belief, and Beyoncé’s introspective “Pretty Hurts,” which critiques unrealistic beauty standards, alongside Lana Del Rey’s eerie “Young and Beautiful,” which explores aging and lasting love. “Experiencing the world for a longer time is not an unattractive thing; it’s powerful,” Young clarifies. “We need to engage in more conversations about the beauty of that.”
Listen to Young’s playlist exclusively on Apple Music.
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