Laila!’s debut album Gap Year! is honestly really good, especially for a first album. She is only 18 and already making music that sounds super cool and real. The whole album is like a mix of chill beats and emotional lyrics, which I liked a lot.
The songs on Gap Year! remind me of early 2000s music, kind of like what one would hear from old-school R&B singers. Some of the tracks, like R U Down? and If U Don’t Know by Now, really stood out. Her voice sounds really natural, not overproduced or fake. I can tell she put a lot of herself into these songs.
I asked Kaylea Detweiler, a sophomore, what her favorite song from Laila!’s Gap Year! album was. She said, “Definitely Like That!” right away. “I’ve been listening to it nonstop. The beat is really fun, and the chorus always gets stuck in my head. It’s one of those songs that just makes you want to dance in your room. Laila! sounds really confident in it, and I just think it’s such a fun vibe.” I could tell she really loved that song.
What is also cool is that she made a lot of the music herself, which is pretty impressive. It makes the album feel more personal and unique. Even though some of the songs kind of sound the same after a while, I did not mind it too much because they still had a good vibe.
Overall, Gap Year! is a great first album. It is perfect for anyone who likes chill music with honest lyrics. Laila! has a lot of talent, and I think she is going to get really popular if she keeps making music like this.
