Laila! — the singer, songwriter, producer, rapper, and viral sensation — has dropped her debut album Gap Year!
Her songs “Like That!” and “Not My Problem” were already viral by the time the world knew what she looked like; a testament to this era of streaming and social media, and she’s taken full advantage of it. The Brooklyn artist’s debut album features 17 tracks that she wrote and produced all on her own. But that shouldn’t come as a surprise when you remember she graduated high school in three years, is a descendant of rap royalty, and her mother’s nickname for her is “Baby Genius.”
Laila! explained the meaning behind her album title on Instagram last month (Aug. 19). “I’m not sure if you guys know, but basically I graduated a year early from high school (in my junior year) & i didn’t have any plan for college,” she wrote. “In all honesty, I just wasn’t taking it seriously, so I decided to take a GAP YEAR (thankfully my mom didn’t freak out), which will mark one school year on the day my album releases … This album is a collection of what i’ve made during this year of being out in the real world & doing what I love; it’s so, so personal and dear to me so i really really pray you all like it.”
She’ll be headlining her first show later this month in her hometown of Brooklyn at Baby’s All Right on Friday, Sept. 20.
Stream Laila!’s Gap Year below.
