Messy (Lola Young song)

"Messy"
Single by Lola Young
from the album This Wasn't Meant for You Anyway
Released	30 May 2024 (2024-05-30)
Genre	Soul-pop
Length	4:44
Label	Island
Songwriter(s)	Lola Young Conor Dickinson
Producer(s)	Solomonophonic Manuka Monsune Carter Lang
Lola Young singles chronology
"Fuck" (2024) "Messy" (2024) "Flicker of Light" (2024)
Music video
"Messy" on YouTube

"Messy" is a song by English singer Lola Young, released on 30 May 2024 as the sixth single from her second studio album This Wasn't Meant for You Anyway (2024). It went viral on the video sharing app TikTok and became her first charting song, peaking at number one on the UK Singles Chart in January 2025.

Background

Young stated in an interview with Metal Magazine:

"Messy" is an ADHD anthem, it really showcases everything I felt during my last relationship, but also it is deeper than that, as it talks about how I feel about myself in general—being too messy one day and too clean another, struggling to find that balance in myself.[1]

In an interview with Atwood Magazine, Young said that "Messy" had her favorite lyrics in This Wasn't Meant for You Anyway and she considered them some of her best. She also described, "It's raw, honest, and encapsulates a lot of the themes of the album. It's about embracing imperfections and finding strength in who I am, scatty or not lol."[2]

Composition

"Messy" is a soul-pop song.[3] It finds Young in an increasingly angry vocal tone, as she directs sharp criticism toward a lover for certain expectations imposed on her.[4]

Critical reception

Brian Denney of Atwood Magazine wrote, "'Messy' is a beautiful display of Young's gritty vocals and world-class lyrical storytelling. As a listener, it plays out as if you are watching the singer leave an angry voicemail to her lover, simply fed up with the irrationality of trying to please a partner who will never be satisfied."[4]

Promotion

On 28 November 2024 social media personalities Jake Shane and Sofia Richie posted a clip on TikTok of them dancing to the song, with moves including finger guns and a "half-shimmy". It led to the song gaining significant popularity, achieving 3.9 million official on-demand streams in the United States,[3] and being used in over 250,000 videos on TikTok, including one by Kylie Jenner of her lip syncing to the song.[5]

Charts

Weekly charts Weekly chart performance for "Messy" Chart (2024–2025) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[6] 3 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[7] 7 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[8] 5 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[9] 13 Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[10] 12 Croatia International Airplay (Top lista)[11] 3 Czech Republic (Singles Digitál Top 100)[12] 41 Denmark (Tracklisten)[13] 8 Estonia Airplay (TopHit)[14] 94 Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[15] 32 France (SNEP)[16] 15 Germany (GfK)[17] 7 Global 200 (Billboard)[18] 5 Greece International (IFPI)[19] 7 Hungary (Single Top 40)[20] 36 Iceland (Tónlistinn)[21] 6 Ireland (IRMA)[22] 2 Italy (FIMI)[23] 49 Latvia (LaIPA)[24] 6 Latvia Airplay (LaIPA)[24] 3 Lebanon Airplay (Lebanese Top 20)[25] 4 Lithuania (AGATA)[26] 5 Lithuania Airplay (TopHit)[27] 57 Luxembourg (Billboard)[28] 6 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[29] 7 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[30] 4 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[31] 4 Nigeria (TurnTable Top 100)[32] 69 Norway (VG-lista)[33] 6 Poland (Polish Airplay Top 100)[34] 18 Poland (Polish Streaming Top 100)[35] 12 Portugal (AFP)[36] 18 San Marino (SMRRTV Top 50)[37] 23 Slovakia (Singles Digitál Top 100)[38] 35 Spain (PROMUSICAE)[39] 64 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[40] 8 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[41] 5 Thailand (IFPI)[42] 15 UK Singles (OCC)[43] 1 US Billboard Hot 100[44] 24 US Adult Pop Airplay (Billboard)[45] 40 US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (Billboard)[46] 4 US Pop Airplay (Billboard)[47] 28

Monthly charts Monthly chart performance for "Messy" Chart (2024) Position Lithuania Airplay (TopHit)[48] 63

Certifications

Certifications for "Messy"

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Norway (IFPI Norway)[49]	Gold	30,000^‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[50]	Silver	200,000^‡
United States (RIAA)[51]	Gold	500,000^‡
^‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

1. Miller, Eythana. "Lola Young – A Londoner and Her Lyrics". Metal Magazine. Retrieved 20 December 2024.
2. Mosk, Mitch (24 October 2024). ""Finding my voice has been a journey of resilience": Lola Young Is Raw, Honest, Unapologetic, & Messy – and We Wouldn't Have Her Any Other Way". Atwood Magazine. Retrieved 20 December 2024.
3. Denis, Kyle; Lipshutz, Jason; Unterberger, Andrew (18 December 2024). "Lola Young Scores the Year's Last (?) Big Viral Hit". Billboard. Retrieved 20 December 2024.
4. Denney, Brian (21 June 2024). "Today's Song: Lola Young's Fresh New Single "Messy" Isn't for You. Perhaps That's What Makes It So Irresistible". Atwood Magazine. Retrieved 20 December 2024.
5. Phillip, Riann (13 December 2024). ""It's A Big 'Messy' Moment, Innit?": Lola Young Spills On Her Viral Gen-Z Anthem, Staying Grounded & That Sofia Richie Grainge Dance". Vogue. Retrieved 20 December 2024.
6. "ARIA Top 50 Singles Chart". Australian Recording Industry Association. 13 January 2025. Retrieved 10 January 2025.
7. "Lola Young – Messy" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 15 January 2025.
8. "Lola Young – Messy" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
9. "Lola Young – Messy" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 26 January 2025.
10. "Billboard Canadian Hot 100: Week of February 1, 2025". Billboard. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
11. "Airplay Radio Chart Top 100 – 27. siječnja 2025". HRT. 27 January 2025. Archived from the original on 29 January 2025. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
12. "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 3. týden 2025 in the date selector. Retrieved 21 January 2025.
13. "Track Top-40 Uge 2, 2025". Hitlisten. Retrieved 22 January 2025.
14. "Top Radio Hits Estonia Weekly Chart: Jan 16, 2025". TopHit. Retrieved 17 January 2025.
15. "Lola Young: Messy" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat. Retrieved 18 January 2025.
16. "Top Singles (Week 2, 2025)" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved 13 January 2025.
17. "Lola Young – Messy" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 10 January 2025.
18. "Billboard Global 200: Week of January 18, 2025". Billboard. Retrieved 14 January 2025.
19. "Official IFPI Charts − Digital Singles Chart (International) − Εβδομάδα: 02/2025" (in Greek). IFPI Greece. Archived from the original on 15 January 2025. Retrieved 15 January 2025.
20. "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Single (track) Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved 22 January 2025.
21. "Tónlistinn – Lög: Streymi, spilun og sala viku 3. Birt 18. janúar 2025 – Næst uppfært 25. janúar 2025" (in Icelandic). Plötutíðindi. Archived from the original on 19 January 2025. Retrieved 19 January 2025.
22. "Official Irish Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 3 January 2025.
23. "Top Singoli – Classifica settimanale WK 4" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved 25 January 2025.
24. "Jauni līderi uzņem apgriezienus Latvijas dziesmu topā" [New leaders take over the Latvian song chart] (in Latvian). TV Net [lv]. 20 January 2025. Retrieved 21 January 2025.
25. "OLT20 – Combined Chart – Week of Sunday January 26th, 2025". The Official Lebanese Top 20. Retrieved 27 January 2025.
26. "2025 3-os savaitės klausomiausi (Top 100)" (in Lithuanian). AGATA. 17 January 2025. Retrieved 18 January 2025.
27. "Top Radio Hits Lithuania Weekly Chart: Dec 26, 2024". TopHit. Retrieved 30 December 2024.
28. "Luxembourg Songs: Week of January 18, 2025". Billboard. Retrieved 14 January 2025.
29. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 4, 2025" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 25 January 2025.
30. "Lola Young – Messy" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 18 January 2025.
31. "NZ Top 40 Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. 24 January 2025. Retrieved 24 January 2025.
32. "TurnTable Nigeria Top 100: January 10th, 2025 - January 16th, 2025". TurnTable. Archived from the original on 23 January 2025. Retrieved 23 January 2025.
33. "Singel 2025 uke 01". VG-lista. Retrieved 4 January 2025.
34. "OLiS – oficjalna lista airplay" (Select week 18.01.2025–24.01.2025.) (in Polish). OLiS. Retrieved 27 January 2025.
35. "OLiS – oficjalna lista sprzedaży – single w streamie" (Select week 10.01.2025–16.01.2025.) (in Polish). OLiS. Retrieved 23 January 2025.
36. "Top 200 Singles: Semana 01 de 2025" (pdf) (in Portuguese). Audiogest.pt. Retrieved 18 January 2025.
37. "Top 50 – Radio San Marino RTV – 15/01/2025" (in Italian). San Marino RTV. 15 January 2025. Archived from the original on 15 January 2025. Retrieved 15 January 2025.
38. "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Singles Digital Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 3. týden 2025 in the date selector. Retrieved 21 January 2025.
39. "Top 100 Canciones/PROMUSICAE". El Portal de Musica. Retrieved 19 January 2025.
40. "Veckolista Singlar, vecka 2, 2025". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 11 January 2025.
41. "Lola Young – Messy". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 12 January 2025.
42. "The Official Southeast Asia Charts – This Week's Official Thailand Chart Top 20 from 10/01/2025 to 17/01/2025". International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 23 January 2025.
43. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 24 January 2025.
44. "Billboard Hot 100: Week of January 18, 2025". Billboard. Retrieved 14 January 2025.
45. "Adult Pop Airplay: Week of January 25, 2025". Billboard. Retrieved 23 January 2025.
46. "Hot Rock & Alternative Songs: Week of January 11, 2025". Billboard. Retrieved 7 January 2025.
47. "Pop Airplay: Week of February 1, 2025". Billboard. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
48. "Top Radio Hits Lithuania Monthly Chart: December 2024". TopHit. Retrieved 21 January 2025.
49. "Norwegian single certifications – Lola Young – Messy" (in Norwegian). IFPI Norway. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
50. "British single certifications – Lola Young – Messy". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 5 January 2025.
51. "American single certifications – Lola Young – Messy". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 15 January 2025.