If there’s something on your mind, let it out! That’s the empowering message behind Lex Gibbon’s debut EP ‘I’ve Got Something To Say’ which is out now. It emerges after the 18-year-old received her first ever Radio 1 play on Mollie King’s Future Pop for her previous single ‘Own Advice’ which she followed with another Future Pop play last night, this time for the EP’s new single ‘Let Them Down’.
‘Let Them Down’ is Lex’s most affecting moment to date. The initially minimalist production exposes the pain and uncertainty of Lex’s deeply personal lyrics for all to hear and connect with as she notes the vulnerabilities that come as she approaches her twenties. She addresses those issues – the pressure to be something she’s not, the continuing struggle to identify who she really is – but also finds the strength to acknowledge that life is a long process of doing your best regardless of the circumstances. And when the beat hits with thunderous resonance, Lex’s voice ascends to skyscraping heights like the most down-to-earth diva imaginable.
Building towards the release of the EP, each previous single presented Lex’s reflections on the rites of passage that come with young adulthood. First ‘One More Party’ presented the story of feeling like you’re the only teenager who feels out of place with the drinks, pills and gossip that comes with such events. Then ‘We’ll Be OK!’ offered the much-needed perspective that you’re not alone in having body confidence issues, but also that there will come a time when those anxieties feel much more manageable. And most recently ‘Own Advice’ highlighted that your own unique qualities are what makes you special – social media pressures be damned.
Those messages are all wrapped up in ultra-addictive modern pop hooks, providing a double-bill of strengths that shows why Lex already has over 100,000 followers just from the force of her personality and the strength of her songwriting.
Lex says, “‘I’ve Got Something To Say’ is for anyone navigating the transition from teenager to young adult. It’s such a hard time to go through that I wouldn’t want anyone to go through it alone, so let’s do it together.”
The EP is completed by another brand new song ‘Temporary’. A piano ballad that builds into waves of vocal harmonies, it’s another warm embrace of a song, this time with Lex reminding us that all heartbreak is just a setback along the way of life’s big adventure.
The ‘I’ve Got Something To Say’ EP features production from Jordan Cosmo (Chinchilla’s ‘Little Girl Gone’), Zak Lloyd (Charlie XCX) and SAYITAGAIN. Lex co-wrote all five songs with further collaborators including Cristina Hart, Ben Cavanagh, Taylor Cousens and Grace Davies.
Prior to this campaign, Lex’s early releases such as ‘Dear Hater’ and ‘Tattooed On Me’ introduced her as an artist whose open-hearted lyricism, conversational style and girl-next-door image gives her the relatability of a best friend or a big sister. But there’s nothing contrived about that: Lex is simply singing about the authentic experiences that she has gone through with the hope that her songs may offer comfort to people going through similar problems for the first time.
She was badly bullied while growing up in Hertfordshire and that time in her life led to long-term mental health issues. But Lex looked within and persevered to become the first curve teen model to hit the catwalk at the London, Paris, New York and Los Angeles fashion weeks. Major fashion brands and editorial platforms appreciated Lex as the personification of staying true to yourself in an industry in which such an attitude isn’t easy, leading to collaborations with Harper’s Bazaar, Elle, Tatler, Gymshark, Next, St Tropez, River Island and Pepe Jeans.
As positive an experience as that was, Lex also vowed to use her profile to help guide others through those coming-of-age issues. Full of uplifting messages but also unafraid to confront the realities of such situations, Lex’s songs began to make waves with BBC Introducing airplay, new artist showcases including New Music Monday at The Ned, Peachy, and Jodie Bryant’s Discover Live as well as a collaboration to help promote the book ‘You Deserve Better’, which was written by one of her favourites artists, Anne-Marie.
‘I’ve Got Something To Say’ EP tracklist:
- ‘Let Them Down’
- ‘Temporary’
- ‘We’ll Be OK!’
- ‘Own Advice
- ‘One More Party’
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