Buzzkill There will be times in our life when we discover an undeniable talent in our music rotation. That type of artist who makes you say, “Well, of course this person was meant to do this for a living!” I’ve had that feeling with several key artists in my music discovery, and I think I’ve just found the next great one. Lyn Lapid is a 22 year old music sensation from Baltimore, Maryland who started to gain a loyal social media following with her ukulele and acoustic guitar-driven covers of popular songs. Her original song of “Producer Man” in 2020 was her first taste of fame, but given the breathtaking vocals and production found on her debut album, Buzzkill, it certainly won’t be her last brush of notoriety. Lapid’s sound is somewhere in the realm of the quieter moments of Billie Eilish, paired with a starry-eyed vision for her music like Olivia Rodrigo, and the vocal range of Amy Winehouse. Lyn Lapid shimmers all over Buzzkill and cements herself as a marquee artist to watch.
After the quiet opening title track that was released as a single, Lyn Lapid gets into a comfortable groove on “Coraline.” The up-tempo song features some nice production elements that remind me a lot of OIivia Rodrigo’s debut paired with a great vocal tone from the young songwriter. On the chorus of, “And now I feel like Coraline / Everywhere I go, nothing feels like home,” Lapid carefully croons over the mix with great poise. “Back Up Plan” follows the great opening one-two punch with some vibrant vocals and great lyrics found in the second verse about the pitfalls of young love as she sings, “I’ll be the one you run to / But only when you want to / Long as I’m still within your reach / Will I always be low priority? / Right there where it’s convenient / At least it means I’m needed.” Lapid takes it all in stride through breathy vocals and top-notch production.
”I’ll Be Happy When” finds Lapid pondering her future well-being as she opens with, “I’ll be happy when this lonely city feels like mine / Maybe when I have a license and a car to drive / I can take a trip to nowhere on the 405 / Just to feel alive,” before gradually building to a summery chorus. “Floater Friend” is more of a somber track that showcases Lapid’s incredible vocal range and tone as she stuns all over the jazzy song. “Forecast” takes a closer look at mental health and the importance of having someone looking out for your friends, even if it happens to be yourself. Lapid explains on the chorus, “I wish I could help change the forecast / It’s been rainin’ in your head / You’ve been hangin’ by a thread / If it breaks, I’ll be there when you need / I miss you, I wish you’d come back to me.”
”Death Wish” picks up the pace with a cool bounce to it, and is paired with a great bass line groove as Lapid fantasizes over a friend’s breakup to get more time with that person in her life. The second verse is well-constructed as she laments, “I know it’s normal to grow apart at our kind of age / But I was hoping that boy you like would be just a phase / And you’d run back to me, laugh and commiserate / But you’ve been gone for weeks / Guess Romeo’s here to stay.” The jazz piano of “Buttons” makes for a memorable song in the middle of the set and Lapid continues to impress with her floaty vocals. “Fix” finds Lapid considering the pros and cons of a flawed lover as she sings on the chorus, “You’re lying here in my arms / Lying straight to my heart / Say my love’s all you need / But it’s so obvious that you don’t / Care where you get your fix from / As long as you do / I can’t fix that about you.” The rest of the song features great lyrical wordplay and shows that Lyn Lapid has a rich vocabulary in her arsenal.
”Who” goes further down the path of self-discovery in complex relationships as Lapid ponders, “Wonder who am I to you? / ‘Cause if you’re not mine, you’re a waste of my time / I’d rather be spending my energy on somebody / Who isn’t confused.” This self-realization of a lover who’s mind is somewhere else is heartbreaking, yet Lapid takes it as a lesson learned that she can re-apply directly into her music. “Take Me As I Am” continues down this logical journey of weaving her way through relationships as Lapid admits on the second verse, “Got me under safekeepin’ for those who can grow to love all of my pieces / I’m not gonna settle to be tolerated or put on a shelf for decoration / And I know that it means that my circle gets smaller, but it don’t mean I have less left to offer / And those that are right will just stick around longer.” She’s right to stick up for herself and she twists her life experiences into great pop gems.
The album closer of “It Doesn’t Kill Me Anymore” solidified my feelings on Lyn Lapid as a key artist to follow as she has crafted a stunning debut statement here on Buzzkill. While some may brush her off as another songwriter in the same vein as Billie Eilish, Lyn Lapid has so much more to offer for those who take the time to spend it with her and her music. It’s a quality that is rare as Lapid’s poise, and she struts confidently on her debut album.