LOR’s debut single “Used To,” released with Bad Lady Records, is a classic sad love song. The singer herself, based in Toronto, comes from a tough background of toxic relationships, substance abuse and a broken home, all things that have inspired her music and pushed her towards songwriting as a means of expressing herself and her past.
“Used To” focuses on one of those relationships in which a partner gives just enough — but not more — to be kept around. The music itself is a lovely blend of pop and hints of R&B, with song and vocal production by SLWJMZ and Nevon Sinclair. Especially in the bridge and final chorus, some lovely vocal layers and effects give the track a dreamy and ethereal atmosphere.
LOR’s vocals in that bridge section are beautiful, too. There’s a raspiness to her voice that makes her sound quite similar to singers like Jessie Reyez. However, in the song’s opening lines, there is an almost monotonous twang to her voice that makes it hard to make out some of the lyrics. The lyrics are lovely, though. LOR says they’re about “being in a relationship with someone who constantly lets you down but knows how to make it up to you every time, just enough that you don’t have the guts to walk away”. The lyrics give you lots of insight into this tragic, manipulative relationship, speaking of heartbreak but not enough heartbreak to leave.
