On Be Right There…, Nottingham’s LYVIA sharpens her reputation as one of the UK’s most compelling new soul-pop voices by distilling heartbreak, queer intimacy, and self-reflection into a tight three-track statement. The EP is billed as the second installment of a forthcoming mixtape, but it plays less like a placeholder and more like a confident declaration of range.
The center-piece, “Loved U More,” is the kind of heartbreak anthem that sticks—equal parts tender and bruising. “I definitely loved her more than she loved me,” LYVIA admits, her vocals climbing into silky runs before snapping into a chorus built for repeat spins. There’s a clarity here that feels earned, the sound of someone finally excavating pain they sat on for years. It’s cathartic but polished, grief set to the kind of hook you can imagine blasting from festival speakers.
That tension between vulnerability and bravado threads through the other tracks. “Little White Lie” turns a messy confession, like kissing a girl while still tethered to a boyfriend into a playful, rhythm-driven pop gem. It’s cheeky, but the production refuses to flatten it into fluff; the song lands in that sweet spot where risk and charm collide. “Figure It Out,” by contrast, strips things down to piano and voice, showcasing LYVIA’s grounding in Nottingham’s spoken-word community. It’s hushed and unguarded, the kind of track that stops you mid-scroll.
Taken together, Be Right There… reads like pages from a diary rewritten for the stage: intimate, imperfect, but deliberately reaching outward. LYVIA’s gift lies in making personal moments communal with songs that feel like whispered secrets one minute and belted anthems the next. With her mixtape looming and a headline tour on the horizon, Be Right There… doesn’t just hold fans over; it signals an artist ready to stretch heartbreak and joy into something bigger than herself.
Featured Images: Artist Supplied
