Tommy Lefroy Knows It’s Okay To Be “The Mess”
Stella Feinstein
Known for their raw takes on girlhood, the self-produced duo Tommy Lefroy plays with the heartstrings of type-A fans everywhere on their latest single “The Mess.” Wynter Bethel and Tessa Mouzourakis, bolstered with backing vocals by Samia and Dylan Fraser, tell the audience that they’re done living their lives in the track, one out of six off their new EP, Rivals.
“The Mess started as a raw moment of reflection and was the first song we recorded for the sophomore EP,” Tommy Lefroy said. “We related to each other early on about being open about feeling messy. I think that's something women especially are taught they are not supposed to show.”
From constantly crossing paths at shows in Nashville and starting a band while living 4,000 miles away (Bethel in Nashville, and Mouzourakis in her hometown of Vancouver), to naming themselves after Thomas Langlois Lefroy, Jane Austen’s real-life Mr. Darcy, the pair love to wrap listeners in a blanket made from not only reality but fairytale as well.
Bethel and Mouzourakis’ lyrics never shy away from the trials and tribulations of growing up – in this way “The Mess” and the Rivals EP are no different than their debut project Flight Risk, but the similarities stop there.
In “The Mess,” lyrics reflect not only growth as writers, but personal growth as well with lyrics about realizing your place in the world, “I thought being a woman. Was cleaning up the mess. But I am, but I am the mess.” Backed by choir vocals and instrumentals consisting of only a brush drum, pad, and electric guitar, the eerie emptiness haunts the listeners while the kick drum snaps them back to reality.
Bethel and Mouzourakis are seeing the tangible effect their music has had on fans this year. Following supporting tours with both Samia and Sigrid, the duo booked a sold-out debut UK and IE headline tour, with queues around the block for their performance at The Great Escape. Tommy Lefroy was nominated for Breakthrough Group of The Year at the 2023 Juno Awards and will be playing at the upcoming SXSW.
