Messy (song)

This article is about the Lola Young song. For other songs, see Messy.

"Messy" is a song by British 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 the top of the UK Singles Chart. Outside the United Kingdom, "Messy" topped the charts in Australia, Ireland and Israel, peaked within the top ten of the charts in several other countries, including Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Latvia, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland and the top 20 of the charts in the United States.

"Messy"
Single by Lola Young
from the album This Wasn't Meant for You Anyway
Released	30 May 2024 (2024-05-30)
Genre	Indie-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

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]

Young has performed the song live on The Graham Norton Show,^[6] The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,^[7] Like a Version,^[8] and Elvis Duran and the Morning Show.^[9]

Charts

Weekly charts Weekly chart performance for "Messy" Chart (2024–2025) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[10] 1 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[11] 7 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[12] 4 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[13] 5 Brazil (Brasil Hot 100)[14] 97 Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[15] 8 CIS Airplay (TopHit)[16] 63 Croatia International Airplay (Top lista)[17] 1 Czech Republic (Singles Digitál Top 100)[18] 34 Denmark (Tracklisten)[19] 8 Estonia Airplay (TopHit)[20] 6 Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[21] 32 France (SNEP)[22] 13 France Airplay (SNEP)[23] 16 Germany (GfK)[24] 7 Global 200 (Billboard)[25] 5 Greece International (IFPI)[26] 7 Hungary (Single Top 40)[27] 36 Iceland (Tónlistinn)[28] 4 Ireland (IRMA)[29] 1 Israel Airplay (Media Forest)[30] 1 Italy (FIMI)[31] 32 Italy Airplay (EarOne)[32] 5 Latvia (LaIPA)[33] 5 Latvia Airplay (LaIPA)[33] 1 Lebanon Airplay (Lebanese Top 20)[34] 2 Lithuania (AGATA)[35] 5 Lithuania Airplay (TopHit)[36] 7 Luxembourg (Billboard)[37] 4 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[38] 5 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[39] 4 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[40] 4 Nigeria (TurnTable Top 100)[41] 52 Norway (VG-lista)[42] 4 Poland (Polish Airplay Top 100)[43] 12 Poland (Polish Streaming Top 100)[44] 8 Portugal (AFP)[45] 18 Romania Airplay (TopHit)[46] 95 San Marino (SMRRTV Top 50)[47] 9 Slovakia (Rádio Top 100)[48] 67 Slovakia (Singles Digitál Top 100)[49] 33 Spain (PROMUSICAE)[50] 55 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[51] 8 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[52] 5 Thailand (IFPI)[53] 15 UK Singles (OCC)[54] 1 US Billboard Hot 100[55] 14 US Adult Pop Airplay (Billboard)[56] 24 US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (Billboard)[57] 2 US Pop Airplay (Billboard)[58] 20

Monthly charts Monthly chart performance for "Messy" Chart (2024–2025) Position Estonia Airplay (TopHit)[59] 44 Lithuania Airplay (TopHit)[60] 6

Certifications

Certifications for "Messy"

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[61]	Platinum	70,000‡
Norway (IFPI Norway)[62]	Gold	30,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[63]	Gold	400,000‡
United States (RIAA)[64]	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. "Lola Young - Messy (Live On The Graham Norton Show)". YouTube. Retrieved 1 February 2025.
7. "Lola Young: Messy | The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon". YouTube. Retrieved 1 February 2025.
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48. "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 5. týden 2025 in the date selector. Retrieved 4 February 2025.
49. "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Singles Digital Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 5. týden 2025 in the date selector. Retrieved 4 February 2025.
50. "Top 100 Canciones/PROMUSICAE". El Portal de Musica. Retrieved 6 February 2025.
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52. "Lola Young – Messy". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 12 January 2025.
53. "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.
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55. "Billboard Hot 100: Week of February 8, 2025". Billboard. Retrieved 4 February 2025.
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62. "Norwegian single certifications – Lola Young – Messy" (in Norwegian). IFPI Norway. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
63. "British single certifications – Lola Young – Messy". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 31 January 2025.
64. "American single certifications – Lola Young – Messy". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 15 January 2025.