Yung Lean is back and so am I (sort of)

"Forever Yung" and some thoughts about Midweek Crisis’s future | MC #90

Hi peeps,

For a bit, I’ve been wondering about Midweek Crisis’s future - and hell no, it’s not a farewell. I don’t have a new format to introduce today, either. MC is still rolling, even if life’s a bit chaotic right now. I can’t promise you anything other than spontaneous song recommendations straight from the heart every now and then.

Today, I am back with something that deeply resonated with me. It’s raw, honest, filled with hope, and perfectly imperfect.

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Yung Lean - "Forever Yung" ♾️

Lean has walked a hard road, struggling with addiction and psychosis, moving through rehabs, and stepping into a new chapter. Now he’s back, reborn, and transformed. With "Forever Yung", he emerges from darkness into something lighter and hopeful.

For me, alongside Mac Miller’s "Balloonerism", this is one of the most refreshing and unexpected Q1 releases. I’ve been listening to Jonatan Leandoer Håstad, aka Yung Lean, a Swedish rapper, since his earliest days in the early 2000s. Does anyone here remember the epic "Ginseng Strip" or "Kyoto"? Damn, he was ahead of his time with his sound, style, and entire aesthetic. Seeing his evolution over the past decade has been fascinating. And that 2017 Warsaw concert? Unreal. The energy, the crowd, the music. It felt like stepping into another dimension.

In "Forever Yung", the imagery is powerful. Yung Lean riding a coffin carrying his old self, then dressed as Uncle Sam, a striking image of how a materialistic, drug-fueled lifestyle stripped away his innocence. Being thrown into that world so young, unaware of its dangers, must’ve been brutal. Seeing him now, sober, focused on himself, and staying true to who he is, is truly inspiring. His next album, "Jonatan", drops in May. I Can’t wait to hear what this new chapter sounds like!

Listen on Spotify

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That’s it for today.

May your Wednesday be a great one!

Until next time.

Yours,