New York-based singer-songwriter Lauren Minear has released her third studio album ‘Boxing Day’, a transformative 11-track collection that explores the raw aftermath of betrayal and the eventual path toward liberation. Born from a period of intense self-reflection after cutting ties with a creative agency that had been stealing from her, the record moves through layers of anger, shame, and acceptance. Produced by Dan Weeks and featuring early sessions shaped by guitarist Dan Barracuda, the album was recorded across a series of creative retreats in New York and London, including a week-long session near Woodstock. The resulting soundscapes are both intimate and cinematic, blending alternative, pop, rock, and folk to create Minear’s most expansive work since her 2024 effort ‘Chasing Daylight’.
At the heart of the album is the lead single “Bruise,” an acoustic-driven track that highlights the fragility of the human spirit. Minear utilizes a haunting falsetto during the chorus to underscore the vulnerability found in loving someone who causes profound pain. This emphasis on honesty is a hallmark of the record, which was distilled from nearly 100 songs into a cohesive narrative of survival. With a vocal delivery reminiscent of Natalie Merchant and lyricism that echoes the depth of Joni Mitchell, Minear establishes herself as a fearless voice in the contemporary indie scene. ‘Boxing Day’ is more than a confessional record; it is a factual document of an artist successfully reclaiming her power and finding light within the shadows of personal conflict.