Track of the Day: Lilla Vargen - 'Belong'

Lilla Vargen’s stunning new single ‘Belong’ is a testament to the internal conflict that comes with leaving a broken relationship. Perfectly capturing the highs and lows of this particular brand of heartbreak, Vargen’s soulful voice speaks directly to those of us who have come to the bittersweet realization that it’s time to move on.

Vargen first appeared on the scene back in 2019 while touring Europe, the UK and Ireland with Dermot Kennedy. Since then, the newly beloved Irish singer-songwriter has amassed over 70 million streams across all platforms.

Gowing up in Ballymena, county Antrim, Vargen's childhood was spent listening to everything from Mariah Carey to the Red Hot Chili Peppers, drawing inspiration from the likes of Nina Simone, Tame Impala, HAIM, and Jai Paul.

Vargen's deeply personal music highlights the importance of human connection and empathy, making waves with her 2019 release 'Why Wait' which spoke candidly of the ongoing housing crisis in Ireland.

The following year, Vargen joined forces with a group of female artists across the country to record a cover of The Cranberries' 'Dream' in order to raise money for a domestic abuse charity, receiving over 30,000 views on YouTube within the first 20 hours of its release.

Over the past five years, Vargen has worked hard to find her place in music, both on a personal and industry level. Vargen’s upcoming release, a four-track EP entitled Drive, is a tribute to all the obstacles she has faced and overcome.

“I'm proud of this work,” Vargen said of the EP. “ I’ve had the space and time to write the songs I want to write, produce the music I want to produce, and the whole process has been a breath of fresh air. In our industry, it’s sometimes the loudest voices, rather than the most creative ones, that get heard, and I hope this EP will give my audience a sense of what that can feel like. Ultimately, these songs are about new beginnings, and having the drive to keep going. But they’re also about rediscovering the joy of music. After all, when I settled on Drive as a title, I did have a road trip soundtrack somewhere in my mind!”

Drive, opening with the newly released single ‘Belong,’ is set to hit streaming plaforms on 10th May.

EP Tracklist:
1. Belong
2. No fool
3. Drive
4. The One Thing