Trapped within love’s confinement, Ladybyrd releases the beautifully anguished notes of her new single, “Open Cage.”

What’s left in the heart is an inner battle—a struggle between the desire to nurture a flickering flame, despite the fractures and flaws that mar its surface, and a yearning to break free and spread her wings.

In a visually minimalist portrayal, the camera fixates on Ladybyrd, enclosed within the confines of a small room, and the spotlights cascade down, symbolising her entrapment. Shot in stark black and white, the video captures Ladybyrd’s gentle movements as she grows increasingly restless before she pours her raw emotion into every word.

“Open Cage” departs from the London-based artist’s signature piano-led ballads. A delayed, gritty guitar sound lies front and centre of this release. Ladybyrd’s delicate yet cutting vocals blossom above into powerful breaths of catharsis. Anchored by colossal arena-esque drums, whispers of vocal screams intertwine with the declaration, “I surrender now”, adding to the track’s depth and urgency.

Speaking on the new direction she has found herself taking, Ladybyrd notes that “all of it led me to my sound now, far faster than I had expected. My range became bigger, my higher register stronger, and I learned to use my voice in lots of different ways.”

Ladybyrd kicked off the year in spectacular fashion with the release of her single “Way Back Home“, serving as the inaugural glimpse into her highly anticipated debut album. Following the success of her captivating debut EP, Sub Zero, her trajectory continues to soar to dizzying heights; her ascent is not just assured but imminent.

Check out “Open Cage” now.