Lydia Night Bares Her Soul in Solo Debut Single“Pity Party”

L.A. based punk-indie band The Regrettes announced that they would be performing their final show as a group via Instagram on November 14, 2023, stating that they intended to focus on “other projects.”  Lydia Night, who was lead rhythm guitar and vocalist, has since alluded to working on her personal project on her own account, finally announcing her debut single and its accompanying music video, “Pity Party.” 

Night is unapologetic and blunt in her lyricism on the track, immediately opening with “I love the way I really hate myself / I profit off a lack of mental health.” Night explores the ups and downs of the early twenties and navigating a life within the industry on top of a reverb strum of electric guitar during the verses. Laying her fear of death on the table, Night muses on the second verse, “It's crazy how I almost died this year / And now I'm shotgunning my very first beer / And dad keeps telling me that his end is near / Am I dying, waiting for him to die?”

The chorus lifts itself up in the best way it can, juxtaposing the content of the song itself, the kicking snare and nostalgic chime of the synthesizer is reminiscent of the classic indie-rock song she found herself in during her time with The Regrettes. It’s undeniably catchy, instrumentals aside, Night experiments with vocal layering and keeps the content of the chorus simple, stating it for what it is: “It's all just a pity party Oh, what a joy, what a crowd” and “It's all just a pity party / So cry for me or get out.” 

The accompanying music video is an introspective to who Night is on her own. Simple visuals that directly reference lyrics, such as her clown makeup and going as far as to use bacon to spell out the words being sung, are settled within Easter eggs of her life including a piece of The Regrettes merchandise, a milk bottle that says “SWALLOWS” (with the “S” covered ever so slightly, most likely a call to her ex, Dylan Minnette of Wallows). 

This truthful debut serves not only as a first step into a solo artist journey, it is a first step into recontextualizing who Lydia Night is, to herself and to her audience. Some know her from The Regrettes; some know her as Dylan Minnette’s ex. And that’s okay! We’re still invited to her pity party!