Lola Young’s GRAMMY Win Proves There’s Magic In The ‘Messy’

Nearly a decade ago, Lola Young was a finalist on the British talent show Got What It Takes? and started working with two of the managers behind Amy Winehouse and Adele. In 2025, her vulnerable single ‘Messy’ became an earworm around the world thanks to the power of social media, amidst her own personal battles that eventually led to her taking some time out of the spotlight. In 2026, she performed that very song in front of an arena of her peers and won the GRAMMY Award for Best Pop Solo Performance, beating out songs like Sabrina Carpenter’s ‘Manchild,’ which she had covered in the Radio 1 Live Lounge just months before.

Lola Young may not be the popstar you expected, but she’s a popstar we need. She’s made a name for herself by being unapologetically messy, raw, and real no matter what others might think or say about her. Every single open lyric she’s scribbled down has led her to this moment!

‘Messy’ kicks off with a confessional verse that almost sounds like Lola left you a ranting voicemail to get the day’s building slights off her chest: “You know I’m impatient, so why would you leave me waiting outside the station when it was, like, -4 degrees?” You’re not just a listener – you become part of her story, making it pretty much impossible not to be pulled in. Lola has cited a breakup, her relationships with some family members, and even her self-image as inspirations for the song, proving just how many situations you can relate it to… and just how many situations really mess with our heads.

The first viral sparks for ‘Messy’ started when Jake Shane and Sophia Richie Grainge shared a TikTok of themselves lip-syncing to the song in late November 2024. It took just under two months after that video for ‘Messy’ to hit #1 on the UK Singles Chart, and it went on to top the charts in five countries, including Australia, as well as reaching #14 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. Talk about a global hit!

It became virtually inescapable on our feeds throughout 2025 – Reese Witherspoon and Will Ferrell hopped on the TikTok dance trend together while Hailey Bieber used a clip of the song for a makeup routine video. ‘Messy’ served as a moment of collective cultural catharsis that let us sing (or dance) out our frustrations, grieving and embracing our own personal messes while acknowledging that they’re what make us truly human. 

Lola got to perform ‘Messy’ as part of a GRAMMY segment featuring performances from every Best New Artist nominee, and her moment was unquestionably one of the best parts of the showcase. She went for a stripped-back arrangement of just her strong voice and a piano, allowing her to stand out from the more elaborate production choices from her fellow nominees and focus on the moving emotion that bleeds through the song. 

It’s so easy for the meaning of a song to get lost in the flurry of dance trends and vlogs that adopt it as their soundtrack – see RAYE’s vulnerable tale of heartbreak and vices on ‘Escapism’ becoming a “baddie” sound for outfit and makeup transitions – and Lola’s performance allowed for a reminder of the beautiful storytelling and authenticity that ‘Messy’ holds. The audience was moved and so was everyone watching along at home!

Lola’s next moving moment was one of the biggest of her career so far: winning her very first GRAMMY for Best Pop Solo Performance for ‘Messy!’ Her joy and excitement were so infectious and you could really feel how much it meant to her. And that huge smile when she lifted the trophy up after her speech was everything! This win was a powerful statement on how meaningful it is to really pour yourself into your art, as well as how much potential Lola holds as the next perfectly imperfect pop icon.

Congratulations to Lola on what will hopefully be the first of many GRAMMYs and breathtaking musical moments that take the world by storm!

What do you love most about ‘Messy?’ Which of Lola Young’s songs makes you feel seen? Let us know in the comments below or hit us up on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter! You can also buzz on over to our Reddit community to chat with us.

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