We’re Not Okay After “D£aler” and That’s the Point

Lola Young isn’t here to be pretty or digestible — she doesn’t write breakup songs but writes post-mortems. With “D£aler,” she leans fully into the mess — escape, codependency, collapse, craving - and somehow makes it sound like a pop track that makes you want to get up and dance until the sun comes up. It isn’t polished or polite. It’s real and hits like a habit you thought you were ready to quit.

At first listen, “D£aler” is catchy, slick, and almost flirtatious. But beneath the sugary sweetness is something unnerving — the kind of emotional unraveling that happens behind closed doors when you’re ghosting your friends and chain-smoking your way through old voicemails. The contrast between the production and the lyricism is quite poetic and isn’t just clever — it’s the point.

“I wanna get away, far from here / pack my bags, my drugs, and disappear.”

This isn’t just metaphorical sadness — it’s an exit strategy. A truth so many of us have sat in. Lola doesn’t romanticize the breakdown like we see from far too many artists, she names it clearly as if we are listening to her notes app demo mid-spiral. The delivery doesn’t feel like singing but more like her narrating a breakdown to a therapist. It’s vulnerable but not soft. Desperate, but not weak.

And it’s arriving right on time, set to appear on her upcoming album I’m Only Fucking Myself (dropping September 19), “D£aler” feels like the emotional blueprint for everything we are about to hear. If earlier work like “Messy” hinted at an inner conflict, this one drives straight into the building. No Seatbelt. No Airbags. Just emotional whiplash — hope you have good auto insurance.

This evolution is loud and intentional. Lola’s never been here to please the algorithm or play nice. She’s here to bleed on the mic and dare you to look away. While the music industry celebrates polished and relatability, Lola is giving people what they really want — mess, contradiction, grief, and defiance. Something human.

Sometimes you have to say f*ck the industry- there comes a point where playing it safe dulls the art. Elton John’s been living proof for decades — his outfits too loud, his theatrics too much, his vocals unpolished. But he didn’t dial down — he turned it up. And now? He’s a legend. So when he calls Lola Young’s “D£aler” “the biggest smash I’ve heard in years,” it hits different. Not because he’s Elton John, but because he gets it. He sees that same fire: an artist who doesn’t care about being clean, just raw. Like him, Lola’s not here to be digestible. She’s unforgettable — messy, emotional, and sharp enough to leave a scar. Her voice doesn’t float. It cuts. Even when it cracks, it splits so deep you can’t help but fall into it.

Even if Elton John never said a word, we’d still be writing about it. Because Hard Launch doesn’t cover what’s trendy — we cover hits like a punch to the gut. And this song? It wrecked us. “D£aler” isn’t polished, and it sure as hell isn’t safe — but that’s what makes this song unforgettable. It tears into the chaos of self-sabotage and emotional dependency, dressed up in a hook that begs to be replayed. Lola Young doesn’t just dress cool and write songs — she unloads personal confessions wrapped in contradictions and laced with truth. If I’m Only Fucking Myself is anything like this, it won’t be a record for background noise. It’ll be the kind of album that leaves you cracked open in the best way.

Written by Emily (Mily) Ward | July 25, 2025