Released on Friday (Aug. 16), the Otmara Marrero-directed music video finds the rising talent coming to terms with her boyfriend’s infidelity by seeking advice from within.
After she and her friends catch her man hugged up with another girl, Laila! frustratingly heads to bed, only to catch a 90s-themed commercial for an advice hotline. Dialing the number finds the singer, fully suited in a two-piece tweed set, on the other end with a team ready to dish out guidance to those seeking their help.
“That’s just not my problem,” answers the 18-year-old in the clip during a bustling press conference.
The viral track precedes something bigger for the Gen-Z singer, who just happens to be the daughter of Yasiin Bey, formerly known as Mos Def. Along with the video, Laila! announced her forthcoming debut album Gap Year! which is set to be released on Sept. 6th, via IIIXL Studio, distributed in partnership with Soundcloud.
“’Not My Problem’” began as a freestyle I made after making the beat first,” described Laila! in a statement. “I played it for my sister and she said ‘That’s hard.’ I just started singing the hook and it worked. It’s more of a mantra about letting go and not taking on things that really aren’t your problem.”
She detailed more of the pending 17-track work, all self-written and self-produced to PEOPLE explaining, “It’s such a personal project, and I touch on so many different themes when it comes to love, longing, not feeling the most confident, but also excitement and joy and just fun.”
The Brooklyn native’s “Not My Problem” has caught the attention of several artists, including Cash Cobain , who flipped the record for his “PROBLEM” sexy drill posse cut, adding 14 additional rappers in the mix.
For Laila! however, she is clear that she intends to showcase her artistry beyond digital fanfare.
“I’ve had these moments where the online virality is super fun and cool, but I also want to show people that I really do want to have a career that’s tangible and feels real,” she relays to PEOPLE . “Because as amazing as those moments are, and as much as they’ve definitely changed everything for me, I also want to show people that I have so much to say and offer; that I really am a full-on, thought-out artist.”
Watch the official “Not My Problem” music video above.
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