'Lakelin Lemmings' Album Review
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Lakelin Lemmings Proves She's Country Music's Next Breakout Star With Stunning Debut Album
Nikki Blackburn
Some artists spend years trying to figure out who they are before committing it to an album. Lakelin Lemmings has somehow managed to do it before being legally old enough to drink and celebrate it back home.
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For anyone who's followed the West Tennessee singer-songwriter over the past year or so, her self-titled debut record feels less like an introduction and more like the moment where all the pieces are finally clicking together.
Across sixteen tracks, fifteen of which she co-wrote, it becomes clear that this isn't just another promising young country artist in an ever-growing industry full of them; it's the arrival of a true talent with the songwriting instincts, vocal maturity and authenticity to become one of the genre's brightest new stars. Speaking of vocal maturity, did I mention she's only 20!
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Yet from the opening notes of 'American Dreamin'', Lakelin lays all of her cards right out on the table; it's autobiographical without feeling self-indulgent, celebrating Lakelin's small-town upbringing, her close-knit bond with her family, her relationship and connection to her faith and a lifelong love of country music. All of those elements combine with an infectious energy that makes it impossible not to feel happy when you're listening - which is a vibe that runs throughout the entire record. The soaring chorus feels tailor-made for festival crowds, while the lyrics remind you exactly why she's connecting with so many listeners her own age. Speaking of festival crowds; Lakelin will be over in the UK next month playing a handful of shows, including Country Calling so UK country music fans: ASSEMBLE! Do not sleep on this incredible artist because you will regret it.
The autobiographical honesty and authenticity continues throughout the record; 'Parking Lot' brilliantly captures the strange relationship many of us have with the towns we grow up in. It's affectionate and frustrated in equal measure, pairing pounding drums and electric guitars with flashes of mandolin before unexpectedly slipping into an 80s-inspired guitar solo. It's nostalgic, relatable and undeniably country.
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Lakelin is very much an authetic and autobiographical songwriter, and as faith is deeply important to her as a human, it's also a consistent throughline throughout the album, but it never once feels preachy or overpowering, but instead serves as another piece of Lakelin's identity: whatever your own relationship is with faith, you'd be hard pressed not to connect to who Lakelin is as a human, and as someone who was lucky enough to interview her last year, I can say - hand on heart - that all the warmth and positivity that's present in her music is also reflected in just sitting and chatting with the young woman behind it. Speaking of faith, that brings us to Lakelin's third single: 'Keep The Faith,' which is the only song she doesn't have a writing credit on out of the sixteen on the record, but it fits seamlessly alongside her own material and was co-written by one-third of the legendary Love Junkies writing trio in Lori McKenna, alongside Phil Barton and Jaron Boyer.
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Elsewhere, Lakelin proves she's just as capable of writing about contemporary relationships as she is timeless, traditional country values. 'What Are We Doing' perfectly captures the frustrations of today's undefined situationships, asking the question so many singles have found themselves thinking but never quite saying out loud in a 2026 dating landscape. It's conversational, catchy and wonderfully honest.
Rating: ★★★★★
Of all of the record's previously released seven tracks, '19 & Single' is a definite highlight. Opening with an Irish-inspired blend of acoustic guitar and mandolin that almost feels like The Corrs wandered into a writing session with an early-days Miranda Lambert, it's one of the album's standout moments. More importantly, it's a refreshing anthem of self-confidence. Rather than chasing the fairy-tale romance country music has often celebrated, Lakelin reminds young women - or anyone listening - that being single isn't something to apologise for. Lyrics like: "I do that for me not for anybody else," and "19 and single ain't the end of the world," feel empowering without ever becoming heavy-handed, while the subtle nod to trusting God's timing once again feels authentic rather than forced.
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One of the smartest decisions Lakelin makes, however, is saving plenty of surprises for listeners. Nine previously unheard songs make up the remainder of the record and, honestly, they're best discovered without someone telling you exactly what to expect, so I'm not going to focus on them too heavily because that's exactly how I experienced them myself, and I'm glad I did. What I will say though, is that the consistency in storytelling, maturity in vocals and relatability is extremely high - this is an exciting debut album, from an emerging artist that you should be excited about.
The consistency here is something that bears repeating; debut albums can often feel like collections of singles stitched together with filler, but "Lakelin Lemmings" never falls into that trap. Instead, it flows effortlessly between confidence, heartbreak, hope, humour and vulnerability, all tied together by an artist who already seems remarkably comfortable in her own skin, which isn't too surprising when you learn that Lakelin first stepped onto a stage at six years old, and was writing songs in Nashville by the age of twelve, and for an album that arrives carrying plenty of expectation - as all debut albums do - "Lakelin Lemmings" not only meets those expectations but exceeds them.
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This isn't simply the debut of an incredibly gifted young singer-songwriter. It's 51 minutes of joy, hope, heartbreak and confidence wrapped inside one remarkably accomplished record. More than anything, it feels like the opening chapter of a career that's destined for serious longevity, as well as much bigger stages.
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Rating: ★★★★★
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Lakelin will be on our side of the pond for the first time for a string of shows including:
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Country Calling Music Festival on August 16th,
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FortyFive Vinyl in York on August 17th and,
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B: Music Symphony as part of Nashville Sounds in the Round: Country Calling Takeover in Birmingham on August 19th.
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Additional dates will be announced soon. For the latest tour information, visit: lakelinlemmings.com/tour
Keep up with Lakelin's socials below:
