Lyn Lapid Weaves a Tale of Situationships and Heartache in to love in the 21st century

We've been megafans of Lyn Lapid ever since she first went viral with "Producer Man," and yet she still manages to surprise and delight us with the growth shown in each and every release.

Last week, the  20-year-old singer-songwriter dropped her latest body of work, the to love in the 21st century EP, consisting of 10 poignant tracks weaving an all-too-relatable tale. Based on a true story, to love in the 21st century follows one relationship (or maybe more accurately, situationship), with the narrator falling in love for the first time, experiencing all of its ups and downs and then falling out of it—all without ever actually dating the boy in question. It's a powerful analysis of the ways we can romanticize our experiences, and the struggle to find something real in a time of noncommittal. The EP is a work of art from start to finish, and Lyn herself was kind enough to answer our most burning questions about it. Keep reading to the full story.

Sweety High: What does the EP name to love in the 21st century mean to you? Why did that title track feel like the perfect summation of this group of songs?

Lyn Lapid: It represents how I feel it's like to be a young person starting to date and meet people in this day and age. My generation has keyed the terms "situationships" and "talking stages" and "no label relationships," which I felt represents how a lot of young people nowadays feel uneasy about commitment and labels in relationships. All of my friends and I know the feeling of being in long-term situationships and acting like a significant other without being given the label of one. That's what the EP is about, it's how my generation has been observed to love in this age.

(to love in the 21st century via Republic Records)

 

Also read about: Lyn Lapid Dishes on Her New Perks of Being a Wallflower-Inspired Single, 'Infinite'

 

SH: You've mentioned that coming-of-age stories were something you had in mind when recording these tracks. How do you feel that idea reflects in the final product?

LL: I feel like that idea is reflected through the listener who's supposed to take the perspective of the narrator/main character in the EP, which is essentially myself. Throughout the EP, I take my listeners through and out of a no-label relationship and how I grow as a person after it ends. I start the EP as sort of a blank slate and finish it with newfound knowledge that even the closest relationships can fade away and end, and that being alone at the end of the day isn't so bad.

 

SH: What do you feel are the overarching themes of the EP? What kind of feel do you hope fans take away from it?

LL: There are definitely themes of love and coming of age in this EP. I hope fans can walk away after listening to this EP knowing that you don't need to force or uphold any kind of relationship for the sake of not being alone, and that it's totally fine if they end.

(Photo credit: Carolyn Knapp)

 

SH: How would you describe the EP's sound? Production-wise, how did you go about bringing these tracks to life?

LL: I definitely intended to bring the listeners on a sonic journey in this EP. We start the EP with a lot of ukulele and bright synths in songs like "poster boy," "pick ur brain" and "do u really." It represents the optimistic, lighthearted, but slightly naive nature of the narrator, myself. Then, in the middle when I learn the reality of my no-label relationship, we feature heavier sounding instruments: strings, piano and deeper sounding synths in sounds like "keep me around," "the alternative" and "cross ur mind." These contrast the initially lighthearted instruments. Last, we end with a combination of bright and deeper sounding instruments, ukulele and sub-bass synths in "ok with it," leaving the story with the experience of first love behind me and being totally content with it ending.

 

Also read about: Everything You Wanted to Know About Singer-Songwriter and TikTok Viral Artist Lyn Lapid

 

SH: How do you feel that these songs represent where you all are in life right now?

LL: It represents my experience trying to find love as a young person today. It's been pretty sucky, to be honest.

 

SH: What's your favorite song on the EP? Why?

LL: I'd have to say "like you want me to." I interpolated Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor in the melody of the chorus, and I just remember being in love with the song when we first finished it. It's the only song that takes the perspective of the other person in the no-label relationship.

 

SH: How do you feel you've grown musically since The Outsider? In what ways if your growth reflected on this new EP?

LL: I feel like The Outsider was me experimenting with different sounds, and this new EP was me taking all the sounds I've experimented with and using them to take the listener on a sonic journey, on top of a lyrical, chronological journey. I definitely wouldn't say my music now fits in a singular genre, but I've definitely solidified my current sound.

(Photo credit: Carolyn Knapp)

 

Also read about: Lyn Lapid's Most Gorgeous Lyrics to Use as Instagram Captions

 

SH: Is there anything else you'd like to add?

LL: I hope all of my listeners who've had similar experiences as fellow young people learning to find love can feel seen after listening to this project.

 

Listen to all of to love in the 21st century here:

For even more from Lyn, click HERE to read our interview with the star on her The Outsider EP.