Don’t mind me, just trying to recover from Lola Young’s performance at the 2026 Grammys. The Best Pop Solo Performance and Best New Artist nominee just took to the stage to perform “Messy,” and as expected, it was iconic.
As part of the series of Best New Artist performances, Lola gave the audience a toned-down version of her hit, playing piano while she belted out the song. It gave a different, even more emotional vibe to “Messy,” which was fitting after Lola’s recent break from performing.
Haven’t watched it yet? Please make it a priority:
Performing at the Grammys is kind of a big deal for Lola, who announced that she would be “going away for a while” and opting to “cancel everything for the foreseeable future” after collapsing onstage at the All Things Go Festival in September.
“I really hope you'll give me a second chance once I've had some time to work on myself and come back stronger,” she wrote in a statement posted to Instagram.
Lola was diagnosed with a schizoaffective disorder as a teen and severe ADHD more recently, and she’s also struggled with substance use and sobriety, which is something she’s open about in her music. As she explained to Elle UK, “All the songs [on I’m Only F**king Myself] connect to me in some way. It tells the story of everything I’ve been through over the past couple of years—discovering different parts of life and what can threaten you.”
Following the news of her two Grammy noms, the “Messy” singer took to Instagram to post an update for fans. “I just wanted to express gratitude to everyone who has given me time and space to gather myself and get my head in a better place,” she wrote. “I’ve felt so much love and support from you all and it has helped more than you will ever know.”
She went on to add, “I am hoping to gradually get back to performing and continuing pursuing my dreams.”
Most recently, during her set at Spotify’s Best New Artist Party on January 29 (which marked her first time on stage since September), Lola opened up about her break from the spotlight, saying, “This is a special moment for me. I’m feeling better, so thank you to everybody here, and to everybody who makes performing feel like this.”
Very happy to have you back, Lola!
