REVIEW: Lauren Presley Kicks Off 2026 With Alt-Rock Catharsis On New Single “Potential”
REVIEW
REVIEW
☆ BY KATIE SLATER ☆
BACK WITH HER FIRST RELEASE OF THE YEAR—Lauren Presley keeps her release streak going strong with another emotionally driven single. With a noticeable alt-rock tinge to her distinctive singer-songwriter style, the guitar-driven track “Potential” echoes a nostalgic 2000s era while breathing fresh life into the sound.
As with most of Presley’s discography, “Potential” is driven by emotional intensity. Exploring themes from childhood abandonment to domestic manipulation, her lyrics ring with unfiltered honesty and self-awareness.
Diving into the frustrating experience of chasing someone who can never be what we need, the track captures a familiar emotional cycle. Standing out in the lyrics, Presley declares, “If I can change you just a little, might heal something in me;” a full acknowledgment of the self-reflective nature of obsession.
Beginning with thin yet punchy power chords, we’re introduced to a chord progression that defines the entire track. With Presley’s speech-like vocals soon joining the mix, the lyrics take on a diary entry style in their stream of thought. The contrast between the flowing vocals and snappy chords is stark, a juxtaposition continually played with.
Despite the expansiveness of the vocals, the single carries a suffocating quality, reflecting the claustrophobia of an unhealthy infatuation. The consistent chord progression ties all textural and melodic developments to the same harmonic movement, maintaining a fiercely unchanging background. Even the guitar solo remains largely sandwiched between the chords, allowing only short melodic fills.
Above the stagnant bass layer, a driving-pop-punk style beat propels the upper layers forward. Presley's increasingly emotive vocal performance glides over the top with extended phrases that push across chord changes. The song is born from tension: A battle between the complete lack of control when falling for someone and the frustrations of hitting the same obstacles time after time.
Undeniably Presley-trademarked from its flowing lyricism to its raw, self-reflective honesty, “Potential” shows that 2026 is set to be another big year for the rising star’s distinctive songwriting flair. It’s an emotionally chaotic track, topical in its analysis of anxious attachment and obsessive cycles. The distorted guitars and alt-rock textures provide a cathartic release—one to scream along to when that specific person has infiltrated your brain once again.
