My favourite album of 2025: Lotus by Little Simz

Simz blooms like the lotus

With the year coming to an end, now is the perfect time to discuss the best album of the year. While I have enjoyed a plethora of new releases, from indie rock band Wednesday’s alternative folk album, Bleeds, to PinkPantheress’ pop perfection, Fancy That, one album has stood out. Lotus, by British rapper Little Simz, is a perfect development of Simz’s hip-hop sound, becoming more refined and beautifully emotional, and has continued to develop her lyrics that are sharp, poignant, and meaningful. 

To fully understand the album, one must understand the relationship between Simz and Inflo, Simz’s former producer. Simz and Inflo had been close friends since they were children. Eventually, their friendship became professional. Inflo has produced Simz’s past three albums, which have all been critically acclaimed for Simz’s performance and Inflo’s stellar production. While the two were extremely close, something much more sinister was going on in the background. Simz had lent Inflo approximately CA$3 million, which he never paid back, resulting in Simz suing him and partnering with a new producer, Miles James. Many of the tracks in Bleeds focus on this relationship, how a close childhood friend betrayed her, their falling out, and her reclamation of her music. 

 

The album begins with a sonic emphasis on Simz’s strength after Inflo’s betrayal. The opening track, “Thief,” evokes themes of revenge – from the menacing guitar reverberation to Simz spitting bars upon bars of accusations against Inflo. Many fans speculate that she showcases her own humanity through her lyrics, contrasting with Inflo’s alleged narcissism. The reverb of the guitar in “Thief” is quickly cut off by the rhythmic drums of “Flood,” which is a warning to new artists. “Keep me away from the Devil’s palm” refers to the people in the industry who will want to make deals that will not benefit the artist. “Young” continues these upbeat vibes with likely the most danceable song, even if the lyrics are about the struggles of the lower-class English population.

The fourth track, “Only,” featuring Lydia Kitto, shifts the tone of the album from the powerful and bold sound of the opening tracks to a softer, jazz-inspired hip-hop/rap fusion. Lydia’s soft voice is a beautiful contrast to the story of success Simz paints – how she grew up without a lot of money, and progressed into a world of artistry and fame, all the while remaining respectful of her upbringing and her Jamaican ancestry. Each verse highlights a different version of love. The first focuses on self-love, and the second and third verse focuses on the love she feels for her partner.

“Free” and “Peace” continue these more mellow, soft tracks, with “Free” focusing on finding self-love, passion for your artistry, and learning not to strive for perfection. “If beauty is in the eye of the beholder / then why are we obsessed with seeking perfection?” “Peace” focuses on Simz’s own story, and how she had to and continues to fight for her spot in the industry, and to stay true to herself. “In your heart you will always be home / so make peace with what you outgrow.” Simz is finding peace from the situation with Inflo, and finding her own self-love.

 

The seventh track, “Hollow”, is my favorite from the album. The electric keyboard and strings create a hauntingly somber sound, almost retro in nature, and the choir singing adds to the heart-wrenching beauty of the song, which lyrically returns to the topic of Inflo. Unlike “Thief” and “Flood,” which are purely to show Inflo as the scam artist he is, “Hollow” is a deeper reflection on their relationship. As stated, Inflo was Simz’s childhood friend, and they were extremely close. Simz even featured his wife, Cleo Sol, on several tracks from previous albums. This was not just her producer betraying her and stealing her money; this was someone who was like family to Simz. The line “You told me be wary of the sharks and then you became one” highlights the knife in Simz’s back, and “I don’t expect you’re not a flawed person / but I thought you was good at the core, person” highlights how she thought Inflo was on her side. She understands that people can have faults, but this was not a fault. This was intentional. Inflo hurt her. She is not judging for no reason. Inflo stole from her, and she is rightfully retaliating. Tracks like “Thief” and “Flood” are important, as they fight against Inflo, but “Hollow” truly highlights how horrible Inflo has acted and how he has changed from the person she once knew.

 

The following tracks, “Lion” and “Enough,” return to the upbeat sound that started the album, and continue to focus on her own self-confidence and her disdain towards Inflo. However, the last four tracks reprise the more subdued sound, with each focusing on a different aspect of Simz’s life. “Blood” creates a dialogue between a fictional brother and sister, setting the scene as a phone call. The entire track is stylized in a way I have not heard before, with a natural dialogue while also remaining rhythmic between the two. I view the track as acting as a reflection on herself and her own relation to her brothers and sisters. While she may be famous, there are more important parts of life than fame and money. The following tracks, “Lonely” and “Lotus,” highlight the poor mental state Simz has dealt with and how she has dealt with it, with “Lonely” showcasing the hardships she suffered from Inflo and the struggles she had writing this new album.

 

The closing track, “Blue,” acts as a discussion about the state of the world, but it is also one last discussion with Inflo. The lyrics of “Blue” highlight how Simz is mad, angry, confused, but is most of all, heartbroken. Both Simz and Inflo came from childhoods without money; however, they went down two different paths. Simz references how Inflo did not talk to an angel, which harkens back to the track “Angel” from her previous album. “Angel” focused on the music industry and remaining true to yourself, which Inflo has not done. He has lost himself. The track and album ends with the lines “It’s not the fact that you’re not here / it’s the way you disappeared.”