Lauv has dropped his brand new single, Love U Like That, as he embarks on a new era. 

The track launches the next phase of the US star’s career, offering a euphoric, pop-infused ode to a partner who ‘could really tear me apart’, with low-fi drum beats and sparkling synth accents. 

Of the single, Lauv explains: “I’m so insanely proud of this new song because it marks the beginning of a new era for me. 

“A song about realising you’re into something you didn’t think you were into and empowering yourself to go for it and not judge yourself and let society or ideas sway you from it,” he adds. “It’s the beginning of a journey, it’s a proud start.”

Listen to Love U Like That below. 

Last year, the hitmaker opened up to RETROPOP about how his mindset has changed over the past few years in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, crediting “inner-child meditation” for giving him a new perspective.

“I was feeling really out of touch with myself during the pandemic. Really anxious,” he shared. “Feeling kind of disconnected from Ari, the person, because I feel like my life had gotten so crazy with my career and everything.”

Recognising the problem, he embarked on a journey of personal discovery, which saw him look back on experiences from his childhood and reconnect with the passion that compelled him to pursue music. 

“One of the ways I was doing that was inner child meditations, which are these journeys where you visualise yourself at whatever younger age comes up at the moment,” he explains. “I’d have these conversations internally with myself and I realised that I always had this dream to do this music thing on a big level. 

“In my early 20s, I became so obsessed with it that I forgot about me, the person, and the rest of my life. That led me to be really lonely and to feel really anxious and stressed out, and I was like, ‘I just need to be Ari now’.”

He deals with issues such as alcohol and drug addiction on the album, and while he was cautious not to glamourise that lifestyle, Lauv insists it was important to touch on the subject matter.

“It’s interesting because I definitely didn’t want to condone anything, getting into anything unhealthy,” he shares. “At points, I definitely felt like I was struggling a bit with some of it. But you know, I feel like my music has always been an outlet for me to say what’s going on in my mind, so that’s what was going on at the time. 

“So I wanted to put it out there, but also be conscious to not glorify anything.”

READ MORE: Lauv credits ‘inner-child meditation’ for helping him ‘reconnect’ with himself on new album ‘All 4 Nothing’