Lola Young gave her recently shared James Blake collab ‘From Down Here’ its live debut at Radio 1’s Big Weekend – check out footage below.
On Friday (May 22), the ‘Messy‘ hitmaker shared the new track, marking her first new music since releasing ‘I’m Only Fucking Myself’. After taking to the stage at BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend in Herrington Country Park, she performed it live for the first time on Saturday (May 23).
It comes after the former NME Cover star caught up with us on the red carpet at The 71st Ivor Novello Awards earlier this week, which saw her awarded the PRS For Music Most Performed Work trophy for ‘Messy’.
Speaking about the new track – which you can watch her perform below – she said the song was about “knowing that you’re missing a high, but also knowing that being grounded is a much safer place to be and so much more rewarding,” Young added. “It totally is a bright new chapter.”
On working with Blake on it, she added that he was “someone who’s heavily inspired me throughout my whole life, and said “working with him and calling him a friend is just so beautiful”.
Blake also performed at Radio 1’s Big Weekend, with his set immediately following Young’s. She later joined him onstage for ‘Trying Times’ track ‘Make Something Up’.
It comes shortly after Young recently made her return to the live stage after cancelling her 2025 tour to recover from exhaustion, having previously collapsed on stage in New York City. She would later go on to open up about seeking treatment for addiction during that hiatus and attending AA meetings to help get things back on track.
Speaking to NME on the red carpet at the Ivors, Young told us that while she believes “all healing journeys are never ending”, she is “definitely in a much better place”, and feels “excited and ready to perform and to release music” now.
As for the support she received from fans after opening up about her personal struggles, she added: “My fans inspire me in the same way I hope to inspire them. I feel like I’ve never tried to be especially honest… it just comes very naturally to me.
“I don’t really have any other choice but to be honest, so if people connect to that, and that’s amazing.”
Numerous artists also praised the ‘Messy’ singer for speaking so candidly about the intense demand faced by touring artists. Lily Allen, for example, said she was “in awe” of the BRIT and Grammy winner, and Victoria Canal praised her for raising more awareness to the detrimental effect that touring schedules can have on a musician’s mental health.
As for if she can feel the tide turning when it comes to artists setting stronger boundaries to protect their wellbeing, Young told NME: “I never intended it to start a movement, but I hope that it does in some way.”
For help, advice or more information regarding addiction in the UK, visit the FRANK website. In the US, visit SAMHSA.
For further help and advice on mental health:
- “Am I depressed?” – Help and advice on mental health and what to do next
- MITC – A collective of musician industry therapists
- TONIC Rider – Bespoke training and support for music industry professionals
- Help Musicians UK – Around the clock mental health support and advice for musicians
- Music Support Org – Help and support for musicians struggling with alcoholism, addiction, or mental health issues
- YOUNG MINDS – The voice for young people’s health and wellbeing
- CALM – The Campaign Against Living Miserably