In songwriting, emotional transparency is often expected –– but it is not always earned. However, Lauren Presley stands out for how freely she reveals her inner world. The Texas-born, Nashville-based singer-songwriter makes a bold entrance with her debut EP “Hanging In The Balance,” which is out today — a project that reads more like a diary cracked open than an introduction into the alternative and dark pop scene.
Presley first turned heads with her breakout single “A Little Longer,” a moody, emotionally textured track that earned over 1 million Spotify streams. Since then, she’s caught the attention of tastemakers at Wonderland, Notion and Earmilk and also landed the cover of Spotify’s “Fresh Finds Pop” playlist — not bad for an artist still in the early stages of her career.
Now, with “Hanging In The Balance,” Presley delivers a five-track collection that dives deep into the themes that have shaped her — self-doubt, healing, emotional endurance and the quiet hope of human connection. It’s a project born from years of personal reflection and inner work, one that Presley describes as “incredibly healing” to create. “My hope is people who hear it will … connect with it and realize they aren’t alone in those thoughts [and] struggles,” she shared.
Where “Hanging In The Balance” shines brightest is in its lyrical honesty — a quality that threads each of the five songs together into a cohesive emotional arc. The EP opens with the title track, “Hanging In The Balance (Prelude),” a stripped-down meditation on burnout and unmet expectations. Presley sets the tone with confessional vulnerability: “Thought it would be different/ And there would be more,” she sings, capturing the aching disconnect between who we thought we’d become and where we find ourselves. Her voice is crisp and compelling, and the production — built around haunting synths and minimal instrumentation — elevates the emotional rawness without overpowering it. The outro lands with quiet devastation as she repeats, “I’d give anything/ But at what cost.”
“People Leave,” the standout single, dives headfirst into the trauma of abandonment, exploring how past wounds shape adult relationships. The lyrics feel like pages torn from a journal: “Sorry I’m so obsessed with the idea I’ll die alone,” she confesses, before confronting her inner critic and the fear that love is fleeting. Presley walks a delicate line here, managing to sound both exhausted and hopeful. At times, the lyrics edge toward being overly literal — “And watched them walk away/ Cause people leave” — but the vulnerability and vocal delivery give it staying power.
With “Can I Be Happy,” Presley asks one of the EP’s most relatable questions: What if happiness just isn’t possible? It’s an honest look at self-worth and the exhausting pursuit of joy. But while the lyrics are deeply personal, the production on this track feels overwhelming. The heavy layering of rock and synth elements makes it feel almost chaotic, which ends up drowning out some of the track’s emotional resonance. Unfortunately, there’s a sense that the vulnerability — which is so clear in the writing — gets lost in the noise.
A similar issue arises on “Paralyzed,” a track centered on the suffocating weight of self-imposed expectations. Presley sings, “Push and pull, the tension is killing me/ Self-imposed, the pressure, the misery,” over a dark, driving beat. But while the theme is strong, the track doesn’t quite leave a lasting impression. It feels somewhat frenzied and lacks the distinctiveness or sonic restraint that makes other songs on the EP land with more clarity and impact.
The EP closes on a high note with “Ghost,” which offers a refreshing sense of contrast. Opening with soft, minimal production, Presley’s voice and emotional rawness take center stage, allowing the listener to feel every word. As the track builds, it transitions into a fuller sound — a swell of rock and synth that mirrors the emotional arc of the song. The bridge is particularly striking, with Presley heart wrenchingly repeating, “Overworked and underpaid/ Overwhelmed and not okay,” as the rhythm intensifies into an emotional climax. Here, the production finally aligns perfectly with the narrative, enhancing rather than overwhelming.
Collectively, “Hanging In The Balance” is an emotionally cohesive debut — not lyrically perfect, but still deeply sincere. Presley’s strength lies in her ability to open the door to her inner world, even when the language she uses to do so sometimes borders on overly direct or slightly clichéd. There are moments where the production choices feel mismatched with the intimacy of her writing, but when everything clicks — as it does on “Ghost” and the opening prelude — the result is gripping.
She may not be reinventing the alt-pop wheel just yet, but Lauren Presley is clearly carving out her own space within it. “Hanging In The Balance” is a solid first step — a debut that resonates not because it’s polished but because it’s real.
