Lola Young Says ‘It Feels Like Hard Work’ Just to Breathe After Years of Vaping

Lola Young has never been interested in sugarcoating the messier parts of her life. Now, the singer is turning some of that bluntness toward a habit she says is unfortunately catching up to her: vaping.

In a TikTok posted Wednesday (Sept. 30), Young, 25, spoke candidly about how she feels after years of vaping, describing breathing as something that has become very unexpectedly difficult.

“My lungs feel like they’re battery powered, like they’re just one big battery,” she said. “And breathing feels like a chore.”

Young recalled being warned years ago that she would eventually notice the effects of vaping. At the time, she said, she dismissed the idea. Looking back, she now says, “the day has come.”

“It feels like hard work,” she continued, adding in her characteristic humor that she should be earning “£30-an-hour” just for breathing.

The singer didn’t frame the video as a formal announcement that she was quitting. In fact, when she considered whether she might eventually kick the habit, Young joked, “I’ll try to quit when I’m 45.”

She captioned the post, “spoken word 4 ya.”

The update on Young’s personal life comes after she opened up about her struggles with addiction and recovery. Her breaking point that ultimately pushed her to make changes in her life was a 2025 performance at New York’s All Things Go Music Festival, where she suddenly collapsed onstage.

Young’s vulnerability has also existed alongside a rapidly expanding music career. Her breakout single “Messy” became her first Billboard Hot 100 hit, climbing to No. 14 in March 2025. That success helped bring Young’s candid songwriting and unvarnished personality to a much larger audience. Her Hot 100 run also includes Tyler, The Creator‘s “Like Him,” which features Young and peaked at No. 43 on the chart.