Lucy Rose’s journey to her new album, This Ain’t The Way You Go Out, has been anything but ordinary. After the critical success of No Words Left in 2019 and a sold-out show at London’s Barbican, she planned to take a well-earned break, focusing on motherhood and her label, Real Kind Records. But life had other plans.

Five weeks after giving birth to her son, Otis, Lucy began experiencing severe back pain. Dismissed initially as post-pregnancy discomfort, her condition worsened until she could barely move. Eventually, an MRI revealed eight fractured vertebrae caused by pregnancy-induced osteoporosis, a rare and poorly understood condition affecting fewer than 1 in 100,000 women.

“I felt ashamed and broken, unable to care for Otis like I wanted to,” she recalls. But hydrotherapy sessions at a Sussex hospital gradually restored her mobility – and her spirit. “That therapist changed my life,” she says.

Music wasn’t a priority during her recovery, but as her strength returned, she found solace in playing piano while Otis listened. This rekindled her creative spark, leading her to record at Paul Weller’s studio and take an unexpected trip to New York to work with Logic, whose approach to music reinvigorated her. Returning home, she embraced “open creativity,” recording six live tracks in a day, later refined with producer Kwes.

The result? A bold, uplifting record that reflects resilience rather than despair. “Music knew I needed hope this time,” she says. This Ain’t The Way You Go Out is a testament to perseverance, motherhood, and the redemptive power of creativity.

Perhaps Lucy’s hardships led to something extraordinary. Whatever it is, we’re lucky to have this new chapter in her music.