Photographer Credit: Oscar Tam
There’s a particular kind of ache that doesn’t arrive loudly. It settles in slowly, like weather. Toronto alt singer-songwriter Lia Pappas-Kemps understands that feeling instinctively—writing songs that don’t just describe emotion, but hold it in their hands, trembling, unedited, and strangely strong.
Today, Lia announces her anticipated debut album Winged, arriving March 13, 2026 via Coalition Music, alongside the release of her tender new single “Towers.” The track is guitar-driven and emotionally spacious, balancing vulnerability with a slow-burn intensity that never collapses into melodrama. It’s the sound of love’s architecture shifting—quietly, then all at once.
Lia describes “Towers” as a song born in her Montreal living room with her cousin Elia, starting from a demo that became so beloved it was almost impossible to replace. “Re-recording it was a pain,” she admits, “because we became so attached to the demo… eventually we ended up keeping most of those original elements.” That loyalty to the first emotional imprint—the original feeling—is exactly what makes Lia’s writing hit so hard: it doesn’t chase perfection, it preserves truth.
At just 21, she’s already earned millions of streams and widespread praise for her “close-to-the-bone” lyricism, with comparisons ranging from early Joni Mitchell and Laura Marling to Alanis Morissette, plus modern touchstones like Soccer Mommy and Alvvays. But “Towers” feels less like a reference point and more like a statement: Lia isn’t trying to become a “next” anything—she’s becoming unmistakably herself.
Where “Towers” truly lands is in its honesty: the tipping point of a relationship, when you can feel everything slipping, and the last-ditch effort to save what used to feel stable. It’s not just heartbreak—it’s the moment before the fall, when you’re still bargaining with gravity.
With Winged on the horizon, Lia Pappas-Kemps is stepping into her biggest chapter yet—one built on softness, volatility, introspection, and the brave decision to be seen in unrefined sincerity.
Q&A — Lia Pappas-Kemps on “Towers,” softness as strength, and the emotional world of Winged
“Towers” feels emotionally spacious yet incredibly precise. What was the first image, feeling, or sentence that unlocked the song for you?
I did have the flare gun line for a while and wanted to incorporate it in something, so that felt like a little bit of a puzzle piece moment when it landed organically in “Towers.” “You had eyes for another, hand me that flare gun” gave me something to latch onto thematically. But honestly, I wrote the song chronologically (starting with verse 1, then chorus 1, verse 2, etc.), as I do most of my songs, which means I uncover the song narratively in the same way it unfolds to listeners. Oftentimes I’ll write a verse and be like, “Hm.. I wonder what this song is about.”
You’re often praised for “close-to-the-bone” lyricism. How do you decide when to leave something raw and unresolved versus shaping it into something more cinematic or composed?
With “Towers,” we were trying to make a rock song, so the intention of a more produced-out heavier song was there from the beginning. Otherwise, I feel like usually when one of my more intimate songs gets a “cinematic” treatment is when I’m experimenting with the band. I feel like unless someone else is bringing energy to the song, I’ll usually keep it quite true to how I wrote it.
At just 21, your writing is frequently described as “wise beyond your years.” Do you feel connected to that idea, or does it feel like an external projection placed onto your work?
I don’t think I’m able to really decide whether or not I am wise. I definitely feel pretty raw to the world and naive a lot of the time. It is nice to hear though that my work resonates and holds up with people of different ages.
Many listeners compare your vocal presence to early Joni Mitchell, Laura Marling, or Alanis Morissette. How do you hold space for those comparisons without letting them define or limit your own voice?
All of those artists have influenced me greatly and I hold them very dear to my heart, so it’s totally flattering. I rarely find comparisons stifling, if anything they just remind me of the landscape of music that I love to draw from, whether intentionally or not. I also get compared to such a large array of artists, some I’ve never even heard of sometimes, so I think it’s beautiful to know people are hearing things in my songs.
Toronto feels like a quiet but crucial backdrop to your songwriting. How does the city—its weather, pace, and emotional texture—seep into your music, consciously or not?
I’ve been thinking a lot about the seasons since I visited LA in the fall. I realized how introspective winter is for me, and how important introspection is for my process. I think it forces me into solitude, which is my preferred state to write. Plus, there are so many musicians in this city that I respect and adore. I love that you can go to a show any given week and see great music surrounded by friends and people who care about the community.
“Towers” arrives alongside the announcement of your debut album Winged. How does this song function within the larger emotional arc of the record?
Reflecting on this album now, I’m aware of the leaps between intense pining and self-doubt, and this sort of bravado or overconfidence. I feel like this song is an amalgamation of those two sides of this record, and it also sits right down the middle of it. I think it represents the more frenetic side of the former feeling. So much yearning, one becomes kind of frantic. Plus, I just wanted a song that was fun.
Your melodies have been described as “wrap-yourself-on-a-cold-evening” songs—comforting, but never passive. What role does softness play in how you think about strength in music?
People often assume softness and strength are antithetical, but they’re actually the same. I think I feel most powerful in my quietest moments, especially live.
You’ve built a massive audience online while maintaining an intimacy that feels very personal. How do you protect the emotional core of your songs once they’re shared at that scale?
I feel like there’s quite a force field around my personal process. Social media can be frustrating and sometimes demoralizing in many ways as an artist, but I have never really felt its impact on the core of what I do, the private act of writing and playing.
Winged suggests movement, escape, or transformation. What does that image mean to you personally at this moment in your life?
There are many positive associations with flight, but on this record I feel like it represents volatility, and the impulsive urge for freedom.
As you step into this new chapter—with a debut album on the way—what do you hope listeners take with them after spending time inside your world?
I hope people feel seen through my more unrefined moments of sincerity on this record. It’s a bit scary sharing it, but I’m really excited. I hope people find comfort in it.
Lia Pappas-Kemps’ debut album Winged arrives March 13, 2026.
Listen to “Towers” now and pre-save Winged ahead of release.
