As someone who spends a huge amount of time and energy wondering what my former flames are up to—and wondering if they’re wondering what I’m up to—I instantly recognized the condition LØLØ describes in her new single, “Dear First Love,” out today.
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“Dear first love, / How are you? / Are you happy? / I never think of you anymore / But my head got messy,” the Toronto artist sings in the track over hushed guitar. “I met someone new that I’m into / Sorry this out of the blue / I’m just curious about you / Yeah you met someone too / But are you ever curious too?”
“I was inspired to write ‘Dear First Love’ when I saw this bus stop that had ‘WHAT WAS THE NAME OF YOUR FIRST LOVE?’ written on it,” LØLØ tells American Songwriter over email. “His name immediately popped into my head and I was like, ‘Woah… I haven’t thought about this guy for a long time.’ It’s an interesting feeling when a name that used to occupy so much space in your head creeps back in after a while. I wanted to write a song about that exact feeling. When I was first writing it, it wasn’t actually something I planned on putting out. It was more so just therapeutic for me to get these thoughts and feelings out of my mind. After I finished it though, I knew I had to put it out. Now that it’s out, I’m low-key kinda scared to see his reaction… if he ever hears it.”
“They say you never forget your first love,” LØLØ continues, “and I think they’re right. This song isn’t necessarily about missing your first love, but more so just about being really curious about them. It’s kind of depressing how someone that had such an impact on your life and on the way you’ll view love forever usually ends up being a stranger. I hope that whoever listens to this song has that same moment I had looking at the bus stop, and hopefully they can think back on that person and smile. Hopefully they don’t text them though… I do not want to be responsible for stirring anything up!”
“Dear First Love,” is LØLØ’s third single of 2020 following “Hate U” and “Dead Inside.” All three songs will appear on her upcoming sophomore EP, Permanent Damage, which comes after 2019’s Sweater Collection.
“Most of my songs are about love, or lack thereof, while trying to grow up and stay in one piece,” LØLØ told an interviewer in 2018. “I hope that my music can make my fans feel something, whether it makes them feel like dancing, or makes them feel like they aren’t going through anything alone. Everyone goes through shit, but music has the ability to bring us all together.”
“Dear First Love,” is out now.
