Layla Kay has come to terms with whether she is the hero of her own story on her resplendent new pop single, ‘Supervillain’.
Brimming with nostalgic pop-rock flair, the single instantly recalls the classic hits of Fleetwood Mac, with gritty guitars alongside silky flairs.
There’s a distinctly 90s feel to ‘Supervillain’, with glittery keyboard flourishes and the kind of catchy guitar melody that’s destined for earworm status.
Elsewhere, the Queensland musician introduces sunlit backing harmonies, adding to her broader vocal performance that proves extremely versatile.
At any given moment, Kay is flitting between gritty sneers and hushed, angelic whispers, which makes for a consistently engaging listen.
On the bridge, she slows down proceedings and delivers an almost Kylie Minogue-like vocal range, before unleashing on a final chorus you can’t help but tap along to.
To create such an infinitely replayable tune is one thing, but Kay tops it all off with some truly clever songwriting.
Here, she applies the idea of supervillains and heroes to a romance, musing on the importance of accountability in a relationship and the realisation that both parties share equal blame.
It’s the kind of thought-provoking lyricism that belies the track’s otherwise-upbeat sound, as Kay sneaks in incisive quips about “a vicious cycle” and someone who “took the best part of me.”
While it’s all too easy to make someone else the villain, Kay reaches a moment of introspection as she realises her own role in the demise of a relationship.
In what might be the catchiest hook of the year, she declares: “I’m a supervillain, you’re a supervillain, too.”
Speaking of the track’s meaning in a press statement, Kay said “the lyrics highlight the manic confusion in believing one person is to blame, before ultimately realising there are always two sides to every story.”
To package such thoughtful themes into the confines of an infectious pop track is no small feat, but it’s a testament to Layla Kay’s sonic vision and clear talent. Listen to Layla Kay’s new single ‘Supervillain’ below.
