Lana Karlay Explores Her Edge With “Think it Through”

I’m relishing the reinvention of Djilang/Geelong artist Lana Karlay. Hot on the heels of “For the Weak,” she’s released another pop-rock number called “Think it Through.”

“It feels frustrating, messy and a bit chaotic, that feeling of wanting to shake them and say ‘Wake up, you deserve better’,” Lana explained of the song’s inspiration. “At the same time, there’s that selfish emotional side too, because you care more than you probably should. It’s direct, unforgiving and very much a scream it in the car kind of song.”

Like “For the Weak,” Lana penned “Think it Through” in Los Angeles with Aussie expats Mason & Julez and they have a similar Veronicas-esque edge to them.

“This song came together incredibly quickly; it was one of those sessions where everything just clicked. By the end of the day, we all kind of looked at each other and knew we had something really special.”

It really feels like Lana is finding her voice in this pop-rock space, which delivers a little more grit than her earliest releases. She says “there are so many more songs sitting unreleased, half-finished, or still in demo form,” so it sounds like we’ll be hearing a lot more from her through the remaining months of 2026. Lana will also support Darcie Haven at CHURCH, the newest under 18th venue in Djilang/Geelong, on August 29.

Image used with permission from Hunger Digital

Lana Karlay Finds Her Rock Edge With “For The Weak”

Emerging talent Lana Karlay continues her musical evolution with the release of her latest single, “For The Weak.” This one has more of a pop-rock edge than previous releases, sitting somewhere between The Veronicas and Michelle Branch. Personally, I love this new direction and hope we hear Lana releasing more tunes in this vein. Although she’s still in high school, I bet many of my listeners can relate to this song inspired by a week-long situationship.

“’For the Weak’ is basically about a situationship that burns out almost as fast as it starts, like a full-on week of lovebombing and mixed signals,” Lana said. “It kind of reflects how fast and intense relationships can feel now, but also how quickly they fall apart. The song moves through each day of the week, showing that shift from excitement to confusion, to finally seeing it for what it actually is. It’s really just calling the whole thing out, no romanticising, just honesty.”

Lana wrote “For The Weak” with Aussie expats Mason & Julez during a trip to Los Angeles this January.

“’For the Weak’ was super spontaneous, working alongside Mason & Julez for the first time, we weren’t overthinking it, we just started getting thoughts out and followed the beat and vibe we were all feeling,” Lana recalled. “Once we locked into the storyline, everything flowed really naturally, and the song kind of wrote itself from there.”

The release of “For The Weak” continues to move Lana closer to dropping an album and a couple of EPs. And she’s somehow finding time to wrap up her high school studies. Expect big things to come from this Naarm/Melbourne-based talent.

Image used with permission from Hunger Digital

Teen Sensation Lana Karlay Drops Soulful Single, “Running Out of Time”

Lana Karlay is set for a busy year juggling her rising musical career with her year 12 studies. The talented 17-year-old from Djilang/Geelong has just released a new single, “Running Out Of Time” which she wrote and recorded in Los Angeles alongside producer Esthy. It features guest vocals from US artist Cam’dn and is the ideal showcase for her heavenly voice.

Lana was recently named Emerging Artist of 2026 by KROCK and Forte Magazine and you can expect to hear a lot more from her this year. She’s got another single and three music videos on the way to support her upcoming debut album, along with a return trip to the United States for more writing and recording sessions. Mark my words, she’s destined for big things.

Image used with permission from Hunger Digital