LEW - Dead Inside via Instagram
LEW underwent a complete rebrand in 2024. The now pop-rock singer-songwriter once sang country music under her legal name, Lauren Weintraub. In the final quarter of the year, she announced her new stage name LEW — her initials — and the fresh sound change. Alongside this announcement, she released her lead track from Dead Inside, “Army.” While I have adored LEW since her country days, I instantly re-fell in love with this new persona and the fiery music that came along with it. Dead Inside is a skip-less EP that encapsulates this new sound while maintaining the artist’s signature cheeky lyrics. Through the five new songs, the singer takes the listener through a vivid story of love, heartbreak, and pain.
Track List
Army
Hideous
Pressure Points
Jared
Dead Inside
LEW is a multigenre singer-songwriter born in Boston and now based in Nashville. She moved to the music city in 2014 releasing country-pop songs. She has performed at the Grand Ole Opry and several country music festivals. In 2023, I had the honor to see her as a supporting act for Tenille Arts at the Troubadour in Los Angeles. I went in completely unknowledgeable about who Lauren Weintraub was, but I left a fan of the phenomenal singer whose voice gave me goosebumps – something that doesn’t happen to me often. The artist has received impressive achievements, including a nomination for “TikTok Songwriter of the Year” at the 2022 iHeartRadio Awards and being named a HITS Magazine “One to Watch” in 2022. LEW is heading on a mini tour to promote Dead Inside. Head to her website to snag tickets and don’t forget to follow on Social Media to stay updated with all new releases and announcements!
Army
LEW kicks off her flawless EP with the lead single, “Army.” The fiery track exposes her ex-boyfriend for his toxic behavior while showcasing the singer’s mesmerizing vocals. The first time I heard the song, I couldn’t stop replaying it (and if I’m being honest, months later, it’s still on repeat). The song is a perfect pop-rock anthem that would satisfy any fan of Paramore. LEW’s lyrics are undeniably clever. She kicks off the song immediately calling out his 32+ red flags, including disliking The Beatles and loving things “that are a little bit illegal.” The pre-chorus hints at the hook when she sings, “My friends all say I dodged a bullet, but it’s worse than that.” In the chorus, she breaks into everything she dodged: a year of bad sex, him wishing she was his ex, and her waiting up for him to never call her, just to name a few. Then, she ends the chorus with the cheeky hook: “My friends say I dodged a bullet, but they don’t even know it // No, I dodged a whole damn army.” When I first heard the hook reveal, my jaw dropped to the floor. The unique switch from dodging one single bullet to an entire army brought chills to my spine, solidifying LEW’s title as one of my favorite songwriters of all time.
Hideous
LEW continues her project with another masterpiece that highlights her impeccable songwriting. The pop-rock anthem is electrifying, upholding the fiery soundscape of the album while simultaneously maintaining individuality and uniqueness. LEW showcases her vocal range with beautiful falsettos and lovely melodies, earning “Hideous” my top song on the EP. The song is tongue-in-cheek with lyrics that explore inner and outer beauty. She tells her muse they “belong in a magazine” for their gorgeous looks. However, in the chorus, she once again builds to a clever hook. She sings, “Whatever’s up there // Gave you that face, that charm, that hair // But they missed a few parts // Must have run out of hearts.” These lines reveal that her subject is gorgeous, but while they were being made, they were not made complete — like the Tin Man from The Wizard of Oz. She continues with the hook: “What a downside, from the outside you’re the prettiest // But inside you're hideous // And ain’t that the shittiest?” These lyrics were so well written, building vivid imagery of a beautiful man built from a higher power. But his looks are ruined by his horrible personality. LEW holds nothing back in the first two songs on Dead Inside, and she continues to come for blood in the next two.
Pressure Points
“Pressure Points” is the emotionally vulnerable song of the EP. The heartwrenching ballad explores the singer’s pain after falling hard and putting all her trust in someone, only for them to rip her heart from her chest. Throughout the hauntingly beautiful track she confesses she let this person in, revealing the most deeply intimate parts of herself. In the pre-chorus, she sings: “Showed you all my scars and all my secrets // ‘Cause it made me feel strong to wear my weakness” before going into the devastating chorus: “I gave you my heart // And now you’re using it against me // Showed you my cards // For you to turn and be the enemy // I gave you my trust // Because I thought that you’d respect me, and protect me // But you wrecked me.” These lyrics reveal the truth that the one person LEW thought she could trust the most turned out to be her biggest downfall. With all of the lyrics of the song, the hook heavily drives this concept home with “Must be your drug of choice // To press on my pressure points.” The singer not only believes the subject did this on purpose but also that they enjoyed the suffering they caused. They are an emotional sadist who gets off on the misery of others. LEW perfectly describes this bait and switch, making “Pressure Points” the most shattering song on the EP.
Jared
Jared, if you’re reading this… RUN. Dead Inside’s next track ruthlessly calls out LEW’s ex-boyfriend. The song breaks the fourth wall as the singer tells her subject that he is “lucky nothing rhymes with Jared.” Otherwise, she would be compelled to write a deadly anthem that exposes his awful behavior and the damage he left in his wake. The second verse dives deeper into this with hilarious quips about what she would say if she could write his name into the song, including the line: “I couldn’t out in my song today // I couldn’t find the words // Call me immature // If it had worked // I would’ve killed you by the second verse.” This is exactly what the singer is doing, making the song even more legendary. However, the lyrics are not the only aspect of “Jared” that leaves listeners in awe. LEW’s stunning vocals hit impressive notes in the chorus as the singer belts the song's (and ex-boyfriend’s) name, astonishing her audience with her range. The song scratches an itch that words cannot even explain, bringing me back to the night when I was introduced to LEW. Her vocal range is on par with some of the industry’s biggest and brightest names, making her one of my greatest recommendations for the next artists to watch.
Dead Inside
LEW closes out the EP with the title track – a song that deviates from the four other songs. While the previous tracks focus on anger and sorrow from heartbreak, “Dead Inside” brings a fresh perspective on the singer’s outlook on love. While she admits that the world around her is burning (and let’s be real, LEW’s EP couldn’t come at a better time – we all need a positive distraction), she is not as cynical as she once was. Before, she thought she was “dead inside,” but she is falling for someone new. The butterflies are swarming in her stomach, and she cannot help but think of her muse night and day. It is terrifying because all she has ever experienced is heartache. But now, she is wondering why she was ever jaded about love because this new person has let her open up her heart. Alongside LEW is singer-songwriter Knox harmonizing perfectly, making the beautiful love ballad a perfect way to end the project. It shows a different side of the artist and a glimpse of what's to come in the future – hope and healing.
With only five tracks, Dead Inside by LEW packs a big punch. The EP is full of impeccable tracks that leave listeners craving more from the artist. She has big plans in store for the future, now that she has found her sound and leaned into the style she feels is most authentically hers. Each song is uniquely its own while forming together to create one cohesive project. If Dead Inside is an indication of what LEW will release in the future, I know it will be on my top album list.
Written By Karlee Skipper
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