Nell Mescal debuts long-awaited single, “Thin”

After nearly eight months, upcoming singer-songwriter Nell Mescal has finally released her highly-anticipated single, “Thin.” Mescal first teased the song on TikTok in September of 2024 to high praise: she received hundreds of comments praising “Thin”’s lyricism, with the videos amassing over one million total views on the platform. 

It’s not hard to see why – Mescal gets immensely vulnerable in her verses, and it pays off; the lyrics are cutting in their bluntness, visceral in their candor: “We talk until I'm sure that you're thinking / You'd love me if I looked different.” Mescal isn’t one to mince her words here, and her ability to put such complicated emotions so simply is as impressive as it is agonizing – her words are deeply relatable yet extremely personal.

Mescal stays in her lower register for a good portion of the track; her vocals are rich and warm, reminiscent of Chappell Roan on tracks like “Coffee” and “Kaleidoscope.” They float over the mournful guitar line and cut through it, making for a lament that’s both soft and strong – the stripped back instrumentals really serve to let Mescal's vocals shine.

The last minute of the song in particular, though, is gutting; Mescal uses her mix sparingly on this track, making the transition from bridge to final chorus all the more cathartic – her heartbreak is palpable in the final “I’ll get thin and let everybody call it a relief,” coming out on a wail that’s almost primal.

With a packed festival lineup this summer and a recent contract with Atlantic Records, there’s no denying it – Nell Mescal is the one to watch. Find all of her upcoming shows on www.nellmescal.com, and listen to “Thin” on all streaming platforms.