Lola Young Opens Up About Drug Recovery After Stage Collapse
British singer Lola Young has revealed she checked into a holistic treatment facility and has been in "drugs recovery" after she sparked concern by collapsing on stage last year. The 25-year-old "Messy" hitmaker cancelled all her planned shows after being carried off-stage at the All Things Go Music Festival in New York in September.
The Incident and Initial Response
Following the worrying incident, Lola posted on Instagram that she would be "going away for a while" to "work on herself," adding she would cancel her tour shows for the "foreseeable future." Now, the singer has spoken about how her struggles with drug addiction and mental health were behind the collapse and her subsequent break from the spotlight.
She told The Sunday Times Style Magazine: "What I can tell you is that I was being looked after." The singer later revealed she checked into a "holistic facility" that focuses on addiction and mental health, and she is now attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings as part of her recovery journey.
Ongoing Recovery Process
Lola described her recovery as an "ongoing process" and said she's been doing a "hell of a lot better." When asked specifically about drug recovery, she confirmed: "I mean drugs recovery, yes. When you're in recovery… that doesn't necessarily need to mean drugs — but me specifically, yes."
The star also shared that she endured similar demons while recording her album "I'm Only F**king Myself" back in 2024. "There were a lot of things going on for me personally — I was going through a lot of mental health issues, a lot of battling with addiction," she explained.
Previous Struggles and Criticism
Lola had previously sung about her battle with cocaine addiction and previous stints in rehab on her earlier record, with lyrics describing herself as "a dumb little addict… trying to quit the snowflake." She also faced criticism for cancelling concerts to focus on recovery following her on-stage collapse.
She told Rolling Stone: "There was a bunch of hate, but you know what? F**k it. [Going away] was a decision that I had to make… What else was I going to do? Die? That was the reality of where my addiction was heading." She continued: "I chose to hurt myself and self-sabotage, and I also chose to get onstage and perform."
Turning Point and Support
Despite the traumatic incident, Lola said she is "very grateful that it happened" because it served as a turning point that allowed her to recover and work toward a "better future and better herself." The singer revealed she was overwhelmed by supportive messages from fellow stars including Katy Perry, Elton John and Lady Gaga.
The British star has previously checked into rehab to tackle a cocaine addiction. Earlier this year, Lola was nominated for five Brit Awards and last month picked up her first Grammy for Best Pop Solo Performance for her hit "Messy."
Schizoaffective Disorder Diagnosis
Lola revealed in 2022 that she had been diagnosed at age 17 with schizoaffective disorder. She said in an Instagram post: "I cant find the words to describe how much this diagnosis has affected my entire life, and my outlook on the world around me. I have struggled immensely learning to accept this part of myself, and I am still learning."
She added: "I have to remind myself that I am a regular f****** person, I am human and I am, like everyone, capable of incredible things, my mental health condition does not define me. It is my superpower."
Living with the Condition
Schizoaffective disorder is a mental health condition marked by a mix of schizophrenia symptoms, such as hallucinations and delusions, and mood disorder symptoms, such as depression and mania. Lola made the discovery aged 17 after suffering with what she thought was clinical depression and bipolar disorder.
She explained she had an uncle on either side of her family who also had schizophrenia and who had both tragically died. Lola believed the condition may in part have been triggered by smoking cannabis as a way to manage childhood trauma, details of which she chose not to disclose.
She said she can usually sense an oncoming manic episode when she starts getting strange thoughts, but is usually able to medicate to keep things under control, though she has previously been taken by surprise and ended up being sectioned. Lola admitted the unpredictability of her illness makes touring difficult, and she sometimes has manic episodes that last a month and doesn't sleep for several days consecutively.
Lola said that her illness can present her with a lot of guilt and shame, and that she often feels ostracised after incidents in which she has been unwell in front of people. Despite these challenges, she continues to work on her recovery and mental health management while pursuing her music career.
