London-based singer-songwriter Lydia the Bard makes a triumphant leap into full-length territory with her debut album The Woods — a 12-track folk-rock epic that cements her transformation from viral YouTube sensation to fearless storyteller. Arriving this October, the album captures everything that makes Lydia such a compelling artist: poetic lyricism, cinematic scope, and the emotional rawness of someone unafraid to bare her soul in song.
Since first captivating audiences in 2021 with her heartfelt covers, Lydia has built a devoted following of over 650,000 YouTube subscribers, amassing more than 8 million streams from her breakout 2024 EP Afraid of Quiet. Now, co-writing alongside long-time collaborator Ben Tomalin, she expands her creative world on The Woods, an album inspired by the likes of Florence and the Machine, The Crane Wives, The Decemberists, and Yaelokre, but unmistakably her own.
The record’s lead single and title track, “The Woods,” bursts with urgency and emotion. Fueled by propulsive folk-rock instrumentation and Lydia’s commanding vocals, the song channels righteous anger into something beautifully defiant. Written as a response to global injustice and political apathy, it tells the story of a young girl leading a rebellion in a world ravaged by greed, a dark fairy tale that mirrors real-world disillusionment.
“The Woods is an angry, energetic folk tale about a dystopian future where billionaires have destroyed the world. For me, it is a cautionary tale and I hope holds a mirror up to those that allow injustice to happen for the sake of profit,” says Lydia.
Produced with Peter Miles, the track strikes a balance between polish and raw emotion, its layered harmonies and pulsing rhythms giving it both cinematic depth and unfiltered grit. A fully animated music video, set to premiere on Lydia’s YouTube channel, brings the song’s dystopian imagery to life, building on the rich visual storytelling that has made her Villain series a fan favourite.
Throughout The Woods, Lydia moves with newfound confidence and conviction, weaving tales of rebellion, heartbreak, and hope into an album that feels both timeless and urgent. Each track carries her signature blend of theatricality and sincerity — a sonic journey that invites listeners to shout, weep, and rise alongside her.
From her humble beginnings posting acoustic covers online to headlining her first show later this year, Lydia the Bard has proven that independent artistry can be both powerful and poetic.
