Lola Young Details Burnout Recovery, Graces British Vogue Cover
The 25-year-old artist discusses her journey through addiction recovery and self-sabotage on the heels of her Grammy win and upcoming album.
Lola Young has made her British Vogue debut for the November cover, reflecting on a transformative year that included overcoming severe burnout and self-sabotage. The 25-year-old, known for her candid songwriting about topics including drug use, addiction, mental health, and ADHD, detailed her path to recovery in an interview with the publication.
Young took a hiatus last year after collapsing on stage in September 2025, later revealing in March that she had entered drug recovery. Prior to this stage incident, she had undergone two stints in rehab within a year for cocaine addiction and also sought help at a holistic facility and attended Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. This period left her feeling "severely burned out."
Following the success of her 2025 album "I'm Only F**king Myself," Young is now working on her follow-up record with James Blake. She describes the new material as more "joyous and reflective," a shift she attributes to a significant personal metamorphosis.
Reflecting on the period leading up to her 2025 album, Young stated, "a lot of things were going on for me personally. I was working but I also was self-sabotaging and that is not a good combination."
Initially, Young found it difficult to perform songs from "I'm Only F**king Myself" as they brought back painful memories. However, she has learned to take pride in the album's honesty, recognizing it as a true reflection of her experiences. She also expressed concern about maintaining her creative drive without substances, but affirmed that she has found the answer to be yes.
"I've lost the dark times. I've lost the kind of pain and the comedowns and the really excessive big feelings. And I've lost being high. But I've also gained so much perspective and clarity and joy," she told Vogue.
Young also addressed online speculation that her team had pushed her too hard, clarifying that she is in control and her team works for her. This statement comes as she prepares for her 17-date "Everything Begins" North American Tour in Spring 2027, which will feature some of her largest headline shows to date. The tour follows critically acclaimed UK performances over the summer.
She recently returned to perform at the All Things Go festival, where she had previously collapsed. Young began her career at 17 and received a BRITs Rising Star nomination in 2021. Her global breakthrough came in 2024 when her single "Messy" went viral on TikTok and topped charts worldwide. The full interview appears in the latest issue of British Vogue.