On Jan. 31, 2024 singer-songwriter Lizzy McAlpine posted a photo on Instagram of herself in a recording studio, accompanied with the cryptic caption, “might have an announcement tomorrow….” With a recently cleared feed and a mysterious solid green profile picture, followers excitedly pieced together the imminent announcement of new music. To fans’ delight, the next day, the singer announced a new single titled “Older,” set to release on Feb. 13.
This post, coupled with the social media cleanse and updated icon, has led fans to speculate that this song will be the first of many from an upcoming album. Given Lizzy’s pre-existing pattern of releasing an album every two years (with the 2020 release of her first album Give Me a Minute, and her sophomore album Five Seconds Flat coming out in 2022), it seems a likely possibility. Whether “Older” ends up being a solo release or is the first of (hopefully!) more new musical content from the singer, here are some of my favorite picks to get you excited to hear more from Lizzy McAlpine.
“ceilings”
With almost 500 million streams on Spotify and a viral stint on TikTok, chances are, if you’ve heard any Lizzy McAlpine song, you’ve heard “ceilings.” Its (well-deserved) popularity has earned this song the #1 spot on my list, as this ballad is the best segue into Lizzy’s music style. I personally consider the entire song to be perfect, but its last minute in particular (which happens to encompass the viral TikTok sound) highlights the blend between one of the singer’s strongest songwriting moments and her beautiful vocals.
Favorite lyric: “Lovely to sit between comfort and chaos”
“pancakes for dinner”
While “ceilings” is the poster child of Five Seconds Flat, “Pancakes for Dinner” has garnered the most attention off of debut album, Give Me a Minute. Throughout the song, the singer nervously goes through a worst-case-scenario line of thinking right before taking off on a flight. With introductory lyrics like, “But if I were to crash in this plane tonight / I’d want you to know this,” the song serves as a confession of infatuation. The lyrics are some of Lizzy’s most wholesome, as she details all of the romantic moments she hopes to share with the song’s recipient. Especially with Valentine’s Day coming up, I recommend this track to anyone currently experiencing the giddy excitement of crushing on somebody.
Favorite lyric: “I’ll try to hide the way I feel / But I’ll just wanna shout / What do I have to lose right now?”
“nothing / sad n stuff”
My personal favorite off of Give Me a Minute takes on a much more solemn tone than “Pancakes For Dinner”: “Nothing / Sad N Stuff” takes the listener through the experience of coming to terms with an unavoidable breakup in a relationship that has run dry. Throughout the lyrics, we see Lizzy both accepting the fact that she needs to end things (“I’d be okay / Without you / I’d feel the same”), while also appreciating the fact that her partner was once a genuine fit for her (“It was good, but it’s time for me to leave”). As for the single girls on V-Day, “Nothing / Sad N Stuff” serves as the perfect reminder to embrace being independent!
Favorite lyric: “He feels good to come home to / But not to stay”
“orange show speedway”
As for more Five Seconds Flat favorites, “Orange Show Speedway” was the track that grabbed my attention and left me wanting to hear the rest of the album. Paired with a catchy instrumental, this album closer recounts Lizzy’s experience being thrown back into a setting from her past that has hardly changed physically, despite the passage of several years (“I’m in the middle of the crowd, and it’s like no time’s passed”). Both nostalgic and cheery, I find “Orange Show Speedway” to be one of Lizzy’s staple tracks.
Favorite lyric: “I had it all at the Orange Show Speedway / Or someplace like that, it all looks the same / Everything changes, what a shame”
“erase me”
“Erase me” is another highlight from McAlpine’s discography. In this song, the singer tries to rebound from her past relationship by using a stranger for distraction, wondering when and with whom her ex will do the same. As with many of her other best tracks, this song builds intensely throughout, emphasizing the singer’s anxious over-thinking. Definitely one of my favorites from Lizzy!
Favorite lyric: “I’ve said too much, in and out of wanting us / Now you’re fading, and I wonder who will erase me?”
“all my ghosts”
Finally, “All My Ghosts” is another staple that highlights Lizzy’s ability to be both lyrically vulnerable and relatable at the same time. In the midst of the various melancholy breakup songs on Five Seconds Flat, this track exudes an optimistic tune instead, in which Lizzy explains the feeling of timidly beginning to trust a new partner, despite the baggage from her past (referred to as her “ghosts”) that has prevented her from moving on. Lizzy also has a super cute music video for this track that I recommend checking out!
Favorite lyric: “Watchin’ as I started to get dizzy / ‘Cause I hate all of my habits / But I happen to love you”
Happy listening!