In a music landscape full of curated personas and polished rollouts, Lewis Love is a breath of fresh air. He might still be a bit of a mystery to some, but his debut album Lovesick, dropping this Friday July 18, offers the clearest view yet into the heart and head of one of Australia’s most promising young artists.

“I feel like someone who’s just kind of been launched into this world,” Love says with an endearing mix of humility and confidence. “Now I’m just trying to figure it all out. I know what I want and where I want to go, but this all kind of happened quickly.”

That fast-track to now wasn’t made without bold moves. One of the most defining? Selling his Honda Civic to buy a one-way ticket to LA, a decision that screamed “all in.” “It was definitely a do-or-die moment,” he admits. “My family was like, ‘You’ve got to make it work soon, or do something else.’ So I thought, this is the opportunity. Now or never.”

It wasn’t the first time Love made a big leap for music. He left school at 16 without parental permission (sorry mum and dad) to pursue his craft. “They weren’t happy,” he laughs. “But I felt like I had to do it. Now, they’re extremely supportive.”

The result of all that risk is Lovesick, a stripped-back, intimate album that leans deeply into emotional storytelling. 

“There’s definitely a theme of past lovers,” he shares. “We’d spend at least an hour in the studio just talking before writing. That’s how everything spilled out. All those feelings about relationships that didn’t work, mistakes made, those conversations became the songs.”

While fans of his recent single No One might expect more bold, forward-facing bangers, Love says this album lives in a different space. “The tone is actually pretty stripped back. The gutsier stuff is coming on the next album. Lovesick is more about intimacy and romance. There’s a song called My Little Lover that really encapsulates that.”

That rawness may be partly due to where the songs were born. Love recorded much of the album in LA where his support network was basically non-existent “I was there for three months, kind of in survival mode. I didn’t have much money, and was kind of in this fight-or-flight space. It had to have impacted the sound of the record.” he says. “Plus, things happen fast there. I’d meet someone, and the next day I’d be sleeping on their couch.”

Despite being surrounded by ‘record label shine’ in LA, Love stayed true to a no-genre approach. “I don’t blend genres, I just make music that’s me. It’s harder to market, sure, but I grew up listening to everything, rap, jazz, classical, country. I just make what I love.”

That mindset carries over into his aesthetic. Love has been equally intentional about building a strong visual identity. “I think that’s a really important part of being an artist,” he says. “A producer told me the other day, ‘If someone can dress up as you for Halloween, that’s a good sign.’ So, I’m working toward that. I’ve even got the heart tattooed on me now, so I guess I’m locked in.”

It’s not just the branding or buzz that makes Love one to watch, it’s the reaction he’s already getting. With just a handful of singles out, he’s clocked major streaming numbers, landed on festival bills, and caught the attention of tastemakers across the industry both in Australia and beyond.

“The most surreal moment so far? Getting booked for Ridin’ Hearts,” he says, still a little in disbelief. “I’d been listening to Indigo by Sam Barber and Avery Anna on repeat, and now I’m on the same lineup as Avery. I’m still pinching myself.”

It’ll be his biggest stage yet, but he’s ready. “It’s still a few months away, so it hasn’t really sunk in. But once it does, I’m sure the nerves will hit. At the end of the day, that’s the business. I’m ready to step up.”

And step up he will. With Lovesick on the horizon, a growing fanbase, and a clear sense of creative direction, 2025 feels like a breakout year for Love. But he’s already got his eyes on 2026.

“I’m hoping for a big year,” he says. “Definitely working on album two. I want to tour more, get my reps in, and just keep building the name. I want people to connect with the music, that’s what it’s all about. If it makes someone feel something, happy, sad, whatever, that’s the goal.”

If Lovesick is the beginning, Lewis Love’s just getting started. And he’s doing it on his own terms Civic sold, heart on sleeve (literally), and music at the centre of it all.