Lara Villani’s 'Whiplash' Turns Heartbreak Into a Power Move

Melbourne-based singer-songwriter Lara Villani is done playing it safe. With her new EP Whiplash, she takes the wheel, crashes straight through the chaos of love, loss, and self-discovery, and somehow makes it sound effortless. It’s the kind of project that hits hard, dances harder, and bleeds honesty in a way that’s rare in today’s pop landscape.

From the first track, Villani sets the tone: this isn’t a heartbreak project, it’s a reclamation. Whiplash is what happens when you’ve lived, loved, and learned the hard way, and you’re finally ready to turn that pain into art. Each of the five songs feels like a chapter in a breakup diary you didn’t mean to publish, but everyone needed to read.

The opening track, “I Love It,” bursts in like a shot of confidence straight to the chest. It’s flirty, fun, and laced with that dangerous kind of energy that makes bad decisions feel good. Villani’s vocals glide over a glossy R&B-pop beat, her delivery smooth but full of attitude. It’s the soundtrack to falling in love when you know better, but do it anyway.

Then “Losing My Mind” hits, and things start to unravel. The tempo slows, the production grows darker, and suddenly you’re in the middle of that chaotic in-between, the place where infatuation meets anxiety. Villani captures the modern mental spiral of love so well that it’s almost uncomfortable. “It’s that push and pull,” she explains. “When you’re addicted to something that’s not good for you but can’t walk away yet.” It’s intoxicating, like she’s whispering your worst thoughts back to you over a late-night drive.

By the time “Make It Go Away” arrives, the cracks start to show. This is the emotional low point, the moment where reality sets in, where you can feel her peeling off layers of denial and pain. It’s a raw, bluesy cut that ties back to her early roots in Rock & Roll and soul. No filters. No pretenses. Just pure catharsis.

Then comes the flip. “Second Chances” changes the tempo, the tone, and the attitude; it’s Villani getting her groove back. It’s cheeky, confident, and full of that post-heartbreak adrenaline where you start to remember who you are without someone else’s shadow hanging over you. Filmed in a laundromat named after her dog (yes, really), the music video is as vibrant as the track itself, a mini movie full of flirtation, color, and independence. “It’s one of those songs that gives me energy every time I perform it,” she says. “It’s fun, it’s powerful, it’s me.”

The EP closes with “Too Late,” a soft-spoken powerhouse of a song that delivers the ultimate mic drop moment. It’s not angry, it’s free. Villani sings from a place of peace, like someone who’s finally stopped trying to fix things that were never hers to fix. “It’s that moment of strength,” she explains. “When you’ve given everything and realize you deserve better. It’s powerful, honest, and a little bit savage, in the best way.”

Across Whiplash, Villani proves she’s not just writing love songs, she’s writing truths. Each track stands on its own, and yet, together they form a complete evolution: the thrill of new love, the chaos of losing yourself, the grief of letting go, and the power of coming home to who you really are.

Visually, the project is just as ambitious. Every track got its own video, not because she had to, but because she wanted to. “I wanted people to see the songs, not just hear them,” she says. “Every song has its own world, its own little story.” Working alongside an all-female creative team, Villani built a series of cinematic moments that feel personal but universal, kind of like flipping through your camera roll after your first real heartbreak.

Co-written with producer Steven Harris, Whiplash is a body of work that feels both deeply personal and refreshingly confident. It’s Villani’s most “her” project yet, blending classic R&B textures, modern pop hooks, and the soulful honesty of someone who’s been through it and came out the other side glowing. “These are songs I’d actually listen to myself,” she says. “They’re fun, they’re honest, and they sound like me.”

And maybe that’s the real magic of Whiplash, it doesn’t try to be anything but authentic. It doesn’t perform heartbreak; it transforms it. It’s Villani’s sonic diary — full of chaos, clarity, and courage. “At the end of the day,” she says, “you’re the one you need to impress. You’re the one you need to fall in love with.”

With Whiplash, Lara Villani doesn’t just impress, she commands attention. The EP is a bold, cinematic statement from an artist fully stepping into her power. It’s not just pop music. It’s pop with bite, blues with beauty, and soul with scars. And as far as we’re concerned, she’s only getting started.

There’s a real emotional duality in Whiplash. It’s vulnerable but also confident as hell. How do you balance being open about pain without letting it define you?

For me, it’s about owning the emotion without letting it own me. I can be vulnerable, I can be hurt, I can be real - but I don’t stay stuck there. I turn it into something powerful. I’m all about being authentic, and I want that to come through in my music. At the end of the day, it’s about taking something raw and turning it into strength.  

The title Whiplash instantly gives off the intensity of a sudden emotional turn. What made you choose that name, and how does it represent where you’re at right now?

I named it Whiplash because every song on the EP carries a completely different emotion. I remember sitting in the studio with my producer, just chatting after we’d listened back to everything, and I said, “I feel like she’s giving me emotional whiplash.”

I always refer to myself as she after I’ve laid down a vocal -  it’s like my little alter ego comes to life. And honestly, listening to it back, I was like… is she in love? Is she heartbroken? Or does she just hate men today? That’s literally where the name came from. It felt chaotic in the best way, real, raw, and totally me.

Tracks like “Losing My Mind” and “Make It Go Away” dive into the mental chaos of love and self-doubt. Was writing them more like therapy or confrontation for you?

You know what - sometimes I don’t even know how I actually feel about a situation until I write it down. I know that might sound a little wild to some people, but songwriters will get it. Once I start writing and just let it flow, that’s when I figure out what’s really going on inside. I kind of love that process because it pulls me closer to how I actually feel. It’s like therapy… but louder and a lot more public.

You co-wrote the EP with Steven Harris. How did that collaboration shape the sound and storytelling of the project? What did he pull out of you that maybe you hadn’t shown before?

I love working with Steve - he’s not just an incredible producer, he’s genuinely such a good human. He creates a really safe space, which is so important when you’re songwriting because it can get real and vulnerable. He has this amazing way of pushing me creatively without ever making it feel forced.

He sees things in me that I sometimes don’t see in myself, and he helps bring them to the surface. This project was honestly so much fun to create with him. It felt like we were unlocking little pieces of me I hadn’t fully shared before.

You’ve talked about already moving into your “next era” after Whiplash. What does that look and sound like? Is it evolution, rebellion, or something completely unexpected?

Okay, so this next era is gonna be hot, spicy, and fun. I’m so excited to share what’s coming. I’ve been collaborating with some really amazing writers and producers to tap into a whole new side of Lara Villani. We’re leaning into my Italian heritage and roots to bring the spice - big energy, bold sounds, and that fiery attitude. It’s definitely an evolution… but with a little extra heat.