From Robotic Detachment to Emotional Immersion: The Evolution of Lolo’s Sound
The journey to "god forbid a girl spits out her feelings!" was not a straightforward one for Lolo. Following the critical and commercial success of her debut album and its subsequent sold-out headline tour, a period of introspection and self-doubt emerged. "It was totally like, ‘Shit. What do I do now?’" Lolo recalls with a laugh, reflecting on the immense pressure to surpass her initial triumph. Her debut, a conceptual world built around her fascination with robots and a desire for emotional stoicism, resonated deeply with audiences, offering a sharp, yet artfully disguised, exploration of pain through a pop-rock lens. However, the euphoria of that era eventually gave way to the daunting task of following such a defining artistic statement.
This sense of creative paralysis became the fertile ground for her latest work. Where "falling for robots" sought to suppress emotion, "god forbid a girl spits out her feelings!" actively embraces it. The album delves into the "spirals, the heartbreak, the intrusive thoughts, the ridiculousness of wanting someone who is clearly wrong for you, and the dark humour that often comes with trying to survive your own mess." This deliberate shift represents a conscious decision to shed emotional armor and engage directly with the often-uncomfortable spectrum of human feeling. "When I was writing the first album, I put the songs into their own little world because I wasn’t sure how much of myself to bare," Lolo explains. "This time though, I was more okay with literally spitting out my feelings." The artist’s evolution is palpable; the debut was about wishing for inhumanity, while the sophomore effort recognizes the beauty and shared experience inherent in human emotion. This new mindset, characterized by an uninhibited "word vomit" of recent experiences, prioritizes authenticity over poetic polish.
Embracing the "Pop" Label and Redefining Artistic Boundaries
Throughout her career, Lolo has navigated the music scene as an artist who often finds herself on the more melodic and emotionally resonant end of festival lineups. This has led to persistent critiques of her music being "too pop," "too soft," or "too whiny." Instead of shying away from these labels, Lolo has chosen to confront them head-on with her second album, signaling a definitive stance against external pressures dictating her creative output. "On tours and at festivals, I’m normally the poppiest or the most emotional on the line-up," she observes. "I’ve gotten all of those comments around me being ‘too pop for the scene,’ and you know, maybe I am. Maybe I should just embrace that."
This embrace has led her to explore a more pronounced indie-pop sensibility, drawing inspiration from the raw emotionality and pop-rock sensibilities of artists like Alanis Morissette and Ashlee Simpson. A pivotal moment in solidifying this sonic direction came during the writing of "the punisher" with producer Andrew Goldstein. Goldstein’s suggestion to leave the song in its stripped-down acoustic form, rather than embellishing it with heavier instrumentation, resonated deeply with Lolo. This experience, along with the co-creation of "hung up on u" and "me with no shirt on" with Goldstein, highlighted the power of vulnerability in her music. These tracks, born from a similar creative environment, showcase a more intimate and instinctual side of her artistry, a departure from the grander, more conceptual themes of her debut. Her childhood musical influences, a blend of Green Day’s anthemic rock and Hilary Duff’s pop sensibilities, now converge to create the most authentic iteration of Lolo yet. While traces of her bolder, more polished sound remain in tracks like "007" and "delusional darling," it is in these intimate moments that her truest artistic self emerges, unburdened by the pressure of expectation.
Lyrical Honesty: A Therapy Session in Song
The lyrical landscape of "god forbid a girl spits out her feelings!" is a testament to Lolo’s commitment to unfiltered emotional expression. Unlike the conceptual framework of her debut, this album plunges directly into the raw, often messy, realities of her inner world. The songs read less like meticulously crafted narratives and more like diary entries written in the throes of intense emotion, eschewing any attempt to sanitize or over-intellectualize her experiences. "It really is about embracing the messiness and the fact that this is what I’m going through," she states. This approach transforms songwriting into a therapeutic process, a space where words are a direct conduit for catharsis.
From the opening title track, listeners are invited into Lolo’s most intimate reflections. She navigates the cyclical nature of self-sabotage, the mortifying act of post-breakup digital surveillance on "the punisher," and the inherent humor found within personal struggles. "I really am so unserious," she admits, framing her humor as a defense mechanism against overwhelming sadness. This blend of poignant self-awareness and lighthearted observation allows her to process difficult emotions without succumbing to despair. Tracks like "me with no shirt on" dissect the painful vulnerability of trying to salvage a failing relationship, while "american zombie" playfully critiques her pattern of attracting the "wrong" partners. "the devil wears converse" acknowledges the universal tendency to make poor choices despite foreknowledge of their consequences, and "lobotomy & u" explores the paradoxical comfort found in returning to toxic relationships. Ultimately, the album encapsulates the struggle between self-improvement and the magnetic pull of familiar pain, with "the dumbest girl in the world" serving as a poignant reflection on shared human foibles, inspired by conversations with close friends. The track articulates a collective bewilderment at repeated mistakes, particularly in the context of newfound singlehood, where older songs take on new, relatable meanings. Lolo’s gift lies in her ability to distill intensely personal experiences into universally understood emotions, demonstrating that specificity can, paradoxically, foster broader connection. "No one’s ever had a unique experience in their life," she observes. "Weirdly, the more specific I get, the more people seem to relate to it."
The Title and Artwork: A Sarcastic Outburst and Whimsical Reflection
The album’s title, "god forbid a girl spits out her feelings!", emerged during a period of creative introspection, a response to the anticipated criticism that her music might be perceived as overly focused on romantic relationships. "I could already see the comments saying, ‘You only write about breakups’ and, ‘You just want to be Taylor Swift,’" Lolo shares. This sarcastic yet fiercely defiant title encapsulates the societal tendency to dismiss or mock women who express their emotions, particularly concerning romantic entanglements. It is a powerful statement against the silencing of female vulnerability and an assertion of her right to explore these deeply human experiences.
The visual identity of the album continues the narrative thread established by her debut, which drew inspiration from "The Wizard of Oz." For "god forbid a girl spits out her feelings!", Lolo pivots to the classic fairy tale "The Princess and the Pea." The album’s artwork features Lolo adorned with a tiara, seated atop a towering stack of mattresses, clutching a leopard-print notebook. This imagery is a deliberate metaphor for her sensitivity and emotional depth. Just as the princess in the tale could feel a tiny pea through twenty mattresses, Lolo posits herself as someone acutely aware of even the subtlest emotional cues. The stack of mattresses represents the layers of her experiences and songwriting process, while the leopard-print notebook signifies the unfiltered thoughts and feelings she commits to paper. "It’s still whimsical, but I wanted it to be like you had opened the pages of my diary and jumped in," she explains, emphasizing the personal and intimate nature of the album’s creation. This visual narrative underscores the album’s core themes of emotional honesty and the courage it takes to navigate the world with an open heart.
Collaborations: Building Trust in the Creative Process
The creation of "god forbid a girl spits out her feelings!" was a collaborative endeavor, involving a diverse group of artists and producers who helped shape its distinct sound. Lolo emphasizes the deeply personal nature of songwriting, likening it to a therapeutic session that requires immense trust. DCF, a long-standing collaborator and friend, has been an integral part of Lolo’s musical journey since her earliest EPs. His familiarity with her artistic process, her tendency to use humor to navigate discomfort, and her emotional history made him an invaluable partner in crafting tracks like "the punisher," "hung up on u," and "me with no shirt on." "He’s known me for a really long time. We’re super close, and he’s unfortunately seen me through quite a few breakups. With him, I can just get into a room and bare my soul. There’s no judgment there," Lolo states.
The demanding nature of touring necessitated a broader range of collaborators for this album. Lolo worked with artists such as Brian Dales of The Summer Set, Taylor Acorn, and Spencer Jordan, expanding her creative horizons. The production team is equally impressive, featuring Andrew Goldstein, Mike Robinson (whom Lolo describes as a "musical soulmate"), Gus Van Go, Giordan Postorino, and Danen Reed Rector. Despite the involvement of multiple producers, the album maintains a remarkable cohesiveness, with each contributor offering a unique perspective on Lolo’s evolving sound. "There are five different producers on the album, but people keep telling me that they can’t tell because it sounds so cohesive," she notes with satisfaction. "I like it though. It meant that I could really capture all the different flavors of Lolo." The collaboration with Andrew Goldstein, in particular, evolved from initial challenges to a highly fruitful partnership, solidifying a creative synergy that Lolo intends to maintain.
The Future of Lolo: Authenticity as a Guiding Principle
As Lolo looks ahead, she acknowledges the inherent tension between creating authentic art and safeguarding her personal peace. She anticipates the inevitable online commentary that will accompany the release of her emotionally charged music, understanding that parasocial relationships can lead to assumptions about her life. However, her primary focus remains on the impact her music has on her listeners. "If it’s affecting even one person, I’ve done my job as an artist," she asserts. Her ambition for widespread success, measured in streams and arena tours, is not driven by personal gain but by the desire to connect with and influence more lives. "All I really care about is people listening to my songs and being moved by them. If it can help even one person in the way that it’s helped me, that’s more than enough," she concludes. Lolo recognizes the profound responsibility that comes with artistic influence, likening it to the Spider-Man adage, "with great power comes great responsibility." The realization that she can be the artist she once needed during her formative years is a humbling yet empowering prospect, underscoring the profound impact of her music on both herself and her audience.
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