Lia Pappas-Kemps - Winged
- Samuel Stevens
- Mar 10
- 3 min read
At just twenty-one years old, Toronto-based singer-songwriter Lia Pappas-Kemps arrives with a debut album that feels remarkably self-assured. Winged, set for release on March 13, 2026, via Coalition Music, is a delicate yet emotionally potent introduction—one that positions Pappas-Kemps as a striking new voice in the alternative singer-songwriter space. Built on vulnerability, poetic lyricism, and slow-burning instrumentation, the ten-track record captures the quiet but seismic moments of growing up, loving deeply, and learning when to let go.
Pappas-Kemps first turned heads with early singles like “Jinx” and her debut EP, Gleam (2024), but Winged expands her artistic scope without losing the intimacy that defined those early releases. The album feels cinematic in its restraint; it doesn’t demand attention through bombast but rather draws listeners inward with patience and emotional precision. Her songwriting channels the confessional spirit of artists like Joni Mitchell and Alanis Morissette while echoing the modern indie sensitivity of Soccer Mommy and Alvvays—yet Pappas-Kemps ultimately carves out a voice that feels distinctly her own.
The album opens with “The Hunches,” a quietly gripping introduction that establishes the emotional tone of the record. Sparse guitar and thoughtful pacing allow Pappas-Kemps’ voice to sit front and center, immediately drawing the listener into her introspective world. From there, the album's second track, “Reservations,” builds on the album’s themes of hesitation and emotional uncertainty, with evocative chord progressions that echo the restless push-and-pull of relationships.
One of the album’s standout moments arrives with the ethereal acoustic ballad “Revolving Doors.” The song captures the disorienting cycle of leaving and returning in relationships, its spacious arrangement allowing each lyric to land with clarity. Pappas-Kemps’ delivery is hushed yet deeply expressive, giving the track a weight that lingers long after it ends.
Another highlight is the more rock-based tune, “Two-Step,” which subtly shifts the album’s energy with a more rhythmic momentum while maintaining the same emotional transparency. It’s one of several tracks that demonstrate her ability to balance delicate storytelling with engaging melodic structure.
The album’s emotional centrepiece may well be “Towers,” a tender guitar-driven track that originated from a demo recorded with her cousin in Montreal. The song explores the fragile tipping point of a relationship—the moment when you realize something meaningful may be slipping away. Rather than dramatizing the moment, Pappas-Kemps approaches it with a quiet urgency, her voice hovering over propulsive guitar lines and airy production that amplify the feeling of trying to hold onto something already fading.
Mid-album tracks like “Eight Chambers” and “Wound Up and Coiling” deepen the record’s introspective tone. The former leans into lesser-layered instrumentation, more so acoustic guitar-driven numbers, while the latter is more layered with drums and bass, suggesting emotional complexity without overwhelming the album’s intimate atmosphere. Meanwhile, “Orchid” introduces a softer, almost dreamlike moment that highlights her melodic sensibilities.
Later tracks “Moths” and “How do I get to you?” close the album on a reflective note. These songs feel like emotional aftershocks—less about the moment of heartbreak itself and more about what remains afterward. There’s a sense of quiet acceptance woven through their melodies, reinforcing the album’s overarching theme of transformation.
Throughout Winged, Pappas-Kemps proves she understands the power of restraint. Her songwriting doesn’t rely on grand gestures; instead, it thrives in subtle details—an evocative lyric, a carefully placed chord change, or the tremble in her vocal delivery. This approach gives the album a timeless quality, reminiscent of the introspective singer-songwriter records that shaped earlier generations while still feeling rooted in contemporary indie sensibilities.
For a debut, Winged feels remarkably complete. It captures the fragile, confusing beauty of emotional transition with honesty and elegance, marking a major step forward for Pappas-Kemps as both a songwriter and storyteller.
If Winged is any indication, Lia Pappas-Kemps isn’t just another promising newcomer—she’s an artist with the potential to become one of alternative music’s most compelling voices in the years to come.
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