Irving Plaza in New York, NY — June 10, 2025

Lyn Lapid was anything but a “buzzkill” at New York’s Irving Plaza. The 22-year-old singer-songwriter brought her debut album to life on the Buzzkill World Tour, delivering a joyful, genuine set that had the NYC crowd singing, swaying, and smiling all night. From the floor to the balcony, the venue was packed wall-to-wall with dedicated fans—many dressed for the occasion in red, a nod to the album’s visual theme. Despite launching her music career just five years ago out of the pandemic, Lapid made it clear with her stage presence and talent why her songs are resonating so deeply with Gen Z. Her vocals were just as rich and controlled live as on the record.

She kicked off the night with instant energy. “Buttons,” “Coraline,” and “Producer Man.” The barricade lit up, and the crowd shouted back every lyric. Lapid was spot on with every note and showed her love for the ecstatic NYC crowd. The setlist wove together tracks from “Buzzkill” with earlier songs from her 2023 EP, To Love in the 21st Century including fan favorites “The Alternative” and “Poster Boy.” She even slipped in a crowd-pleasing cover of Steven Universe’s “Love Like You,” a wink to her roots in the internet and fan communities.

Lapid took time to express her appreciation for her fans and the opportunity to live out her dreams— performing at a venue like Irving Plaza for her debut album clearly meant a lot and spoke volumes about her career success so far. The songwriter spoke openly about the album’s themes: moving to Los Angeles, skipping college, maintaining long-distance friendships, and feeling out of place. Despite the weight of the material, she never made the show feel like a buzzkill—for lack of a better word. She let the songs speak for themselves.

The encore brought a thrilling end with the album’s namesake song “Buzzkill,” the viral hit “In My Mind,” and finally, the lively “I’ll Be Happy When.” During the last song, the entire crowd chanted the closing line—“Be a buzzkill forever”—again and again as Lapid picked up a guitar to jam with her bandmates. It was raw, cathartic, and empowering. Between Lapid’s resonant songwriting, easy vocals, and genuine connection with fans, she proved that being a “buzzkill” isn’t something to hide—it’s about owning the messiness, embracing the awkward, and turning those out-of-place feelings into art that brings people together.

Words & Photos: Katherine Hui