Toronto-based alt-pop gem Lyubov Kay rings in 2025 with a banger, releasing her vulnerable, emotionally rich new single, “shoulda run.” Self-penned and produced, this is a moment of catharsis in propulsive echoing synths and simmering frustration. It’s a slow burn of realization, soaked in vulnerability but tinged with a subtle, building strength you won’t soon shake.
“shoulda run” sounds like a late-night confession, when you’d at last admit it to yourself after having left the party, or in this case, the relationship. Lyubov unpacks the hurt of loving someone who never really found her there, and her voice, both airy and cutting, delivers every lyric like an act of quiet rebellion. The production remains spare but intentional, spacey, murky, and made for the feeling of breathing.
What is most gripping about this release is how personal it feels. There’s something oddly captivating in how she refuses to hold back the mirror of her past self, nor does she feel shame or regret. She wanted “shoulda run” to feel like a release. It’s that internal monologue turned melody, the sound of someone who’s just broken the spell, yanked off the rose-colored glasses, and finally said enough.
The song isn’t simply for the brokenhearted. It’s for everyone who’s hung around too long, made themselves smaller, or wished someone would be different. And although it is evocative of pain, “shoulda run,” after all, concludes as a victory lap. It celebrates that potent, sometimes muted agency to bail not from spite but for self-respect.
This is Lyubov Kay’s first single of the year, and “shoulda run” indicates what’s to come. 2025 will be this artist’s breakout year. Emotionally candid, raw, and beautifully rendered, this song is a tribute to anyone who finally had to choose themselves.
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