Laila Proves Her "Gap Year" Was Well Spent

On “Gap Year” Laila proves that her decision to focus on music, rather than continue her studies, was the right move. The 17-track album is reminiscent of classic R&B styles like that of Aaliyah, but incorporates a more modern flare in its production. With two ear-worm worthy singles, “Not My Problem” and “Like That”, which blew up on TikTok and started multiple trends, Laila certainly paved the way for her album to be in the spotlight. The album starts off with a track called “Talent Show” which includes an opening monolouge of her introducing herself, much like you would at a school talent show or open mic, before going into the actual song, “Nothing to Say” . This track serves as a great opener with its striped down acoustic vibe, and transitions into the next track, one of my favorites: “Sink 2 Rise”.  This upbeat track reminds us that in order to “rise” and become our best selves, we have to hit some lows as well; a message that I think many young people can resonate with. 

The project includes many heart-throb songs where Laila gets in her feelings about a possible love interest, such as  “Want 2”, “R U Down?”, and “Could Be”. On the backend of the album, she switches her focus towards herself, and her own potential, declaring that she is okay with letting go of people that don’t serve her. On “IDONTNEEDUANYMORE” she sings: "Your enemy is how you envy me/That's such a waste of energy/No, not a waste of jealousy/I don't know how to not do me/And I do me incredibly.” Listening to the album all the way through, you can see a clear progression from her looking for love and validation from others, to developing her self worth and giving that energy and effort towards herself. Certainly, all that attention and effort has paid off, as this is a very cohesive project.

While the project comes together well thematically, Laila’s novice shows in the lack of melodic diversity from song to song. Eventually as you listen, it all blends together because most songs are in the same key. So despite the fact she touches on various subject matter lyrically, it’s easy to get lost along the way unless you’re actively listening. Additionally, the lyrics are rather straightforward and sometimes repetitive, which sometimes can make songs sound stagnant or boring, but the production helps to move the songs along and offsets this most of the time. 

While there is room for improvement for this young artist, she has certainly cemented herself on the roster of artists up next with this debut. Not too many artists, even established ones, are able to stick to a theme so well in an album like she has. Between the dreamy production, sweet and light vocals, and relatable content, Laila has put forward a solid project and proved she’s a triple threat - singer, producer, and songwriter - to be reckoned with. If this is what she can do alone in her bedroom, it’ll be exciting to see what she can come up with in collaborations and future projects.