As a follower of Lydia Night for some time, I think I can speak for everyone when I say I am beyond ready for her debut album in August.

Following her series of the becoming of Lydia Night and her musical life after The Regrettes has been, well, a long time coming. I feel like when The Regrettes announced that they were officially disbanding, fans—myself included—were hit with sadness. A small part of me was hoping they would pull a Jonas Brothers, but sadly, no.

I have followed The Regrettes for some time ever since discovering Wallows, and it has been a whirlwind. I will forever be proud to say I saw The Regrettes before they disbanded, and I’ll hold that so dear to my heart.

Lydia Night is unapologetically herself, and that is what draws me into her music. I feel like people often have little hope for artists that venture out from their original music introduction, but I have been following her ever since. I feel like she’s grown from her feminist punk frontwoman days in The Regrettes and has led a presence on social media and musically ever since. She’s been writing her new story, which is entirely her own.

Did someone say reinvention? Parody of Pleasure drops August 8th, and it is nothing short of a creative rebirth—and bleeds Lydia Night.

You can tell how much The Regrettes cherished their bond—from concerts to Instagram posts—it was not a sudden decision. The crave for vulnerability and freedom from Lydia Night was expressed through interviews from The Independent, and going solo felt like the most freeing thing for her career. It was a new wave of figuring out her own personal musical identity—emotionally and creatively as well.

The title alone, Parody of Pleasure, confirms this new wave of musical creativity. It plays like a costume and mimics that feeling we all know too well. It’s like that class project of dissecting more than what’s on the surface.

“Gutter” has been a track I’ve been quite intrigued about since it was first mentioned, and the way she describes the track makes it bleed with vulnerability and that relatable feeling. It’s different from what we’ve heard before from The Regrettes and feels raw, moody, and intimate to her fanbase—it explores that side that’s raunchy. It’s like Lorde meets Billie Eilish.

Three tracks we’ve heard already—“Pity Party,” “Gutter,” and “The Hearse”—play on that playful sound and a sort of art displayed on the feelings of love, that wishy-washy crush feeling, and melancholy tunes. This era represents a more playful side of Lydia, and I cannot wait to dive in with her, alongside her, forever. I feel like it’s an internal reflective piece and a phenom way to open up to her screams rather than the whispers of pop. The trademark Lydia Night bite—a soft, sensual, and messy parody—the most honest thing she’s ever made.

If you haven’t heard ‘Gutter’ yet, do yourself a favor and give it a listen