Lyra has opened up about the devastating break up that inspired the hits on her new album.
The Cork singer released her self-titled debut album on Friday, which includes her epic female empowerment anthem Queen.
Speaking to the Sunday Independent about the inspiration behind her new record, the 30-year-old confessed: “It’s extremely autobiographical. I find it hard not to write that way as I feel being true to myself and to my life experiences is absolutely crucial.”
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“The song started on my sofa and developed from there. Emotionally, I had really turned a corner. I was done with being heartbroken. I was done with crying about my ex,” she explained.
“I was sick to death of feeling lost and feeling like I didn’t know who I was after I came out of a long-term relationship.
“I was sick of always looking for validation from other people [or] men, and this was a point in my life where I wanted to take back power of my own feelings, my own body and my own life.
“I actually wrote Queen around four years ago, starting at home on my iPad. I then took it into studio in London with Phil Cook and worked on the production – that’s when I wrote the chorus.”
“I actually wrote the middle eight on the train on my way to re-record this song for the album because I wanted to add some sass to it. It was all pretty much done in a day,” she continued.
Recalling that time of her life, Lyra said: “I was free, I was single. I was at a point in my life where I allowed myself to have some fun. I could let my hair down. I was feeling confident again for the first time in a while, like I was coming back to me.
“I feel very proud of myself for coming out the other side of a break-up that could’ve broken my confidence and maybe broken my career – but instead of wallowing in pity, I picked myself back up and managed to make a better version of myself.
“I’m also very grateful for the Âexperience, because I finally started living a life where I wasn’t thinking about what other people would say about me.”
“It was after a time in my life when I’d been sofa-surfing on my friends’ couches, trying to find somewhere to live after my break-up. I felt so dependent on everyone else.
“I felt extremely lonely. I was coming out of a long relationship and I was one of the only single girls in my group at the time, which made me feel unlovable.
“I then moved into a room in a house, went to LA for the first time and started to rebuild my confidence. Life on my own didn’t seem scary anymore; it was exciting and exhilarating. Having to rely on myself gave me confidence.
“But all this is something that took a long time, and I hope this empowers others to start being their own queens.”
The Cork native appeared on The Late Late Show on Friday night to promote her new album.
It’s safe to say the singer impressed viewers at home, as she was quickly a “breath of fresh air” on social media after her interview aired.
Check out a clip of her interview below:
