“This was one of the more interesting debuts in recent memory, as the “Baby Genius” out of Brooklyn decided to keep her family lineage a secret and let her talent do all the talking. She writes, she sings, she raps, she produces, she goes viral: That has been her formula since her songs “Like That” and “Not My Problem” had Tik Tok going nuts in 2023. Viral songs aside, Gap Year! highlights like “R U Down,” “Blackberry” and the raw “Talent Show” intro prove she’s no two-hit wonder.”
(c) Billboard: The Best Albums of 2024
“Trying to convince a teen in the throes of passion that their feelings are not the summit of human emotion is a fool’s errand. On Gap Year!, the debut full-length from Laila!, young love blossoms and withers with crushing intensity. The New York vocalist and producer plants you directly into the whirlwind that is life before 18, muddling through mixed signals and dreaming of being asked to prom. All the while, her melodies sound as though they issue from bedrooms plastered in Brandy and Lauryn Hill posters, a compressed mixture of sincerity and wit.”
(c) Pitchfork
“The breakout viral single from Gap Year is “Like That,” the inescapable dreamy R&B hit that dominated FYPs and the TikTok charts over the summer. “Like That” was the perfect vehicle to thrust her into the mainstream, as the record serves as an introduction to her musical dexterity; Laila! can do it all and does it all.”
(c) Teen Vogue
