Lauren Mayberry released her third solo song today titled “Change Shapes,” a powerful pop groove that dives into Mayberry’s personal experience in the music industry, focusing on how performative she must be at times. The first verse immediately sends this message with the lines “Guess I’m quite the actress, no one knows I’m a liar / I’m preaching to the choir / I’m a body for hire.” Then, in an electrifying chorus Mayberry describes how she navigates the music industry: “I change shapes ‘til I get what I want from you.” While this song is much more upbeat than some of her past solo work, such as “Shame,” it still reveals a more personal side of the singer. It’s clear that her solo work has given her room to express herself in a freer fashion as she delivers these deeply personal messages in her music, no matter the tempo. 

In a press release, the CHVRCHES vocalist shares that she never felt able to truly connect to her idols when creating music in a band. By 15, Mayberry was already connecting and performing with other musicians, but she doubted that her male peers would care for the likes of Fiona Apple and Tori Amos the way that she did. But now, with her solo career, Mayberry is finally able to connect to these idols that she has loved since her teenage years by embracing her sexuality and femininity in her music, starting with “Shame” and “Change Shapes.” 

Listen to “Change Shapes” down below.