Lola Young
A South London singer-songwriter whose soulful, jazz-inflected voice and raw lyrical honesty capture the complexities of young adulthood.
Born 2001 (age 25)·English musician·Birthday: January 4·Generation Z
Biography
Lola Young emerged from the vibrant South London music scene not as a manufactured pop product, but as a fiercely authentic storyteller. Winning the under-16 Open Mic UK competition was an early signal, but it was the release of her early EPs like 'Intro' and 'Renaissance' that defined her sound—a blend of soul, jazz, and minimalist R&B anchored by her strikingly mature, emotive voice. Her breakthrough moment came when her cover of 'Together in Electric Dreams' scored the 2021 John Lewis Christmas advert, introducing her warmth to millions. Nominations for the BRIT Rising Star award and a spot on the BBC Sound of... list followed, validating her as a significant new voice. Her debut album, 'My Mind Wanders and Sometimes Leaves Completely,' is a confessional and sonically adventurous work that firmly establishes her artistic vision.
Generation Z
1997–2012
Born into smartphones, social media, and school shootings. The most diverse generation in history. Pragmatic about money, fluid about identity, anxious about the climate. They do not remember a world before the internet.
Lola was born in 2001, placing them squarely in the Generation Z. The events that shaped this generation — social media, climate anxiety, and a pandemic — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Lola Was Born
The biggest hits of 2001
#1 Movie
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Best Picture
A Beautiful Mind
#1 TV Show
Survivor
Lola's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
2001Born
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2006Started school
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2014Became a teenager
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2017Could drive
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2019Could vote
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2022Turned 21
Russia invades Ukraine; Queen Elizabeth II dies
Gas: $3.97/galHome: $348,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"As It Was" — Harry StylesBest Picture: Everything Everywhere All at Once
2026Age 25 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Nominated for the BRIT Award for Rising Star in 2022.
- Featured on the BBC Sound of... 2022 longlist.
- Provided the soundtrack for the 2021 John Lewis Christmas advert with her cover of 'Together in Electric Dreams'.
Did You Know?
She attended the BRIT School for Performing Arts and Technology in Croydon.
Young has cited artists like Amy Winehouse and Lauryn Hill as major influences on her musical style.
She performed at the Glastonbury Festival's BBC Introducing stage early in her career.
“I write songs about the things I see in my ends, the good and the ugly.”
