East London’s LAVAUD is stepping into her sharpest era yet. The fast-rising British-Mauritian singer, songwriter, and musician has returned with “Change Clothes,” a high-voltage drill-meets-R&B statement that pairs her elegant, stacked harmonies with the cool precision of GRAMMY-winning rapper/songwriter Pardison Fontaine (whose pen has helped shape records for the likes of Cardi B, Kanye West, and Megan Thee Stallion).
Built on hypnotic drum programming, a dark cinematic low-end, and a hook that lands like a boundary drawn in permanent ink, “Change Clothes” takes a deceptively simple phrase and flips it into a self-worth manifesto: protect your energy, move on your terms, and don’t let anyone treat your value like it’s negotiable. It’s the kind of record that feels made for that moment in the mirror when you decide you’re done explaining yourself—dangerous and divine in equal measure.
LAVAUD has always had a gift for duality: softness without surrender, poise without apology. On “Change Clothes,” she glides between flirty control and calm defiance—vocals crisp, harmonies stacked, intent unwavering—while the production (helmed by Trakmatik and Hvstle) keeps the tension tight enough to spark. And when Pardison Fontaine steps in, he doesn’t just match her energy—he amplifies it, snapping into the pocket with superstar ease and razor-edged charisma that pushes the song’s take-no-prisoners attitude into overdrive.
“Change Clothes” doesn’t ask for respect — it moves like it already has it.
The accompanying video leans into that same untouchable confidence, bringing their chemistry to life with the kind of presence that reads as a level-up, not a flex. It’s not hard to picture this one soundtracking late-night rides, post-function debriefs, and every “watch me” walk into the room.
If you’ve been tracking LAVAUD’s rise, this moment feels like a clean pivot from “breakthrough promise” to something bigger and more inevitable. She’s already stacked up tens of millions of plays across platforms, with fan-favorite cuts like “Roll On Me” and “3AM In London” helping define her lane—global R&B sensibilities with London steel in the spine. “Roll On Me,” in particular, signaled serious momentum, breaking into Billboard chart territory in its release window and widening her international reach.
That crossover DNA makes perfect sense when you zoom out. Born in Hackney to Mauritian roots, LAVAUD’s sound naturally bridges continents—threading island rhythms like zouk, sega, and seggae through a contemporary R&B and afrofusion lens, while still letting the pop instinct shine through. It’s music that understands heritage as fuel, not a box—an approach that’s helped earn her press and radio support across tastemaker corners, and positioned her as one of London’s most compelling new voices in the pop/R&B conversation.
With “Change Clothes,” she doesn’t just experiment—she commits. The drill-R&B hybrid isn’t a costume change; it’s a declaration. And with a sophomore project teased for 2026, this release reads like the opening scene of a much bigger story.
