Lola Young Opens Up About Addiction Treatment and Joining AA After Stage Collapse
British singer Lola Young has publicly discussed receiving treatment for addiction following her dramatic collapse on stage, revealing she has been attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. The London-born artist, who shot to international fame in late 2024 when her song "Messy" went viral on TikTok, cancelled her autumn tour dates after the incident at All Things Go festival in New York.
Rising Stardom and Rehabilitation Struggles
At 25 years old, Young experienced rapid success alongside personal challenges. Around the same period her music gained massive popularity, she spent five weeks in rehabilitation for cocaine addiction. The following summer, during a packed festival schedule that included Coachella, her manager confirmed the former Brit School student had relapsed and returned to treatment.
The situation reached a critical point in September, just one week after the release of her third album, when Young collapsed during her performance at All Things Go festival. Seven days later, she announced the cancellation of all upcoming tour dates, stating she was "going away for a while" to focus on her health.
Holistic Treatment and Ongoing Recovery
In a new interview with Rolling Stone, Young disclosed that after her on-stage collapse, she checked herself into a holistic treatment facility for two months. She has since been regularly attending AA meetings and has obtained a sponsor to support her recovery journey.
"It was a decision... that I had to make, and it was sad that I had to do that," she said regarding the tour cancellation. "What else was I going to do, die? That was the reality of where my addiction was heading."
Despite the traumatic experience of collapsing, Young - who has been diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder and ADHD - expressed gratitude for the incident. "It was, what do you call that? Like, a breaking point which allowed me to then be able to be here today, allowed me to be better for my fans, better for the future, and better for myself," she explained.
Addiction Themes in Music and Career Resurgence
Addiction has been a recurring theme throughout Young's musical career, appearing in tracks like the self-explanatory "D3aler" and lyrics where she refers to herself as a "dumb little addict" in "Not Like That Anymore."
"I'm just writing what I'm feeling, and then I'll realise later, 'Oh, f***. I shouldn't have said that I'm a raging drug addict,'" she told Rolling Stone. "Then I'm like, 'You know what? I am. What the f*** am I trying to hide?'"
Following her treatment and recovery period, Young made a triumphant return to the stage at the Grammy Awards in February, where she performed "Messy" and won the award for Best Pop Solo Performance. Most recently, on March 4th, she played her first headline show since the collapse at the prestigious London Palladium and appeared on the front row at Paris Fashion Week.
Support resources for those struggling with addiction:
- In the UK, Frank provides confidential help for drug addiction 24-7 via phone (0300 123 6600), text (82111), email, or website
- For alcohol addiction in the UK, Drinkline offers support at 0300 123 1110 or through NHS programmes
- In the US, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration helpline is available at 1-800-662-HELP
