Lauren Minear has never been one to shy away from emotion, honesty, or the sometimes messy intersection of the two. Her newest single, “Nice Guy,”, takes everything she’s known for—poetic vulnerability, soaring vocals, and lyrical depth—and sharpens it into a pop rock anthem that refuses to be polite. It’s a bold step into a new era for the critically acclaimed artist, signaling a musical chapter that isn’t interested in pleasing anyone but herself.
The track, which has already become a fan favorite at her live shows, including her release celebration at New York’s iconic Bitter End, is not just catchy—it’s cathartic. “Nice Guy” captures the frustration and clarity that comes when you finally recognize that being labeled “nice” doesn’t equate to being safe, trustworthy, or good. Minear’s voice, often compared to the likes of Natalie Merchant, Dido, and Maggie Rogers, feels more urgent here, laced with the kind of fury that only comes from repeated experience. Her lyrics, always soul-cutting and steeped in introspection, recall the frankness of Joni Mitchell and the emotional depth of Sarah McLachlan, but there’s also something unmistakably her own—especially in how she balances vulnerability with a hard-won sense of power.
This song didn’t come easy. Minear spent a year trying to get it right. Multiple production overhauls, two rounds of vocal tracking, and countless hours of tuning into her own instincts instead of external feedback gave “Nice Guy” its final form—a version that feels as raw and resonant as it does on stage. “I wanted it to feel raw and authentic, like it does when I play it live,” she wrote. “I really had to shut out everyone else’s opinions.”
The seeds for “Nice Guy” were planted long before she ever pressed record. The title had been sitting in her notes for years, waiting for the right story to unlock it. That moment came during a conversation with her sister about a dating experience that stirred memories of her own. Suddenly, the tension between gut feelings and societal expectations—a theme many women will recognize—came into focus. It also brought her back to a painful professional fallout in 2022, when someone who once championed her early career turned out to be anything but safe. “I ignored my instincts about this person because I wanted to believe it would work out,” she admits. “But in my gut, I had always known they were toxic.”
“Nice Guy” is the sound of someone who’s done ignoring that gut feeling. It was recorded across London and Brooklyn, produced by Dan Weeks, with additional engineering by Dan Barracuda. The stellar lineup of musicians includes Reuban Harsant on drums, Matt Weeks on bass, and Jonny Bird on guitar, with mixing by John Foyle in London and mastering by Svante Forsback in Finland. The end result is explosive, honest, and addictive in the way only a song forged from real life can be.
Following the critical success of her 2024 album Chasing Daylight, which Earmilk praised as “a colorful exploration of visibility and self-discovery,” Minear could have stayed in that space. Instead, she’s choosing a path that’s less about soothing and more about speaking. “Nice Guy” isn’t just a breakup with a person—it’s a breakup with codependency, with the urge to please, with silence. It marks the beginning of what promises to be a moodier, more self-possessed body of work.
Lauren Minear has always written from experience, and it shows—whether she’s addressing postpartum depression on her debut album Invisible Woman, supporting gun violence prevention with a charity single, or cracking open the glossy veneer of so-called “nice” guys in her newest release. Her songwriting accolades, international radio play, and stage time with artists like Pete Yorn and Cassandra Lewis only add to the picture of an artist who’s steadily carving out her space with depth, integrity, and a hell of a voice. With “Nice Guy,” Minear doesn’t just sing the truth—she dares you to feel it.
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