Lara Villani drops new single “Dolce Escape”

Melbourne-based artist Lara Villani has been walking the line where modern pop and R&B meets engaging storytelling, cinematic production and emotional honesty. Her music balances moments of playful confidence with poignant context, creating songs that feel equally personal and relatable while offering memorable musical moments that have struck a chord with listeners around the world. With candid lyricism at the centre of everything she writes, Lara has quickly confirmed her status as one of Australia’s most exciting rising voices, transforming experiences of love, heartbreak and self-discovery into bold, emotionally charged releases.

That creative identity came into even sharper focus with her debut EP, Whiplash, which landed in October last year. Across five tracks, the project captured different stages of emotional growth, turning difficult experiences into songs that shine with confidence, from the anthemic energy of “Second Chances” through to the powerful closing statement of “Too Late,” the EP presented an artist determined to embrace every emotion as opposed to smooth over its rough edges.

The response was instant; selling out her debut headline performance, earning a place in Rolling Stone Australia’s Best Australian Music of the Week and receiving recognition from Happy Mag, triple j and Buzz Music, Lara’s ascent has gathered impressive momentum. Despite the growing attention however, her artistic vision remains based in meaningful expression, with every release revealing another personal side to her output. Now she opens an entirely new chapter with “Dolce Escape,” a brand new single that introduces Italian lyrics into her music for the first time.

While the song embraces romance, passion and the warmth of an Italian summer, its emotional context stretches beyond a traditional love story, offering Lara’s strongest connection yet to her own identity, placing family, heritage and belonging at the heart of her creative world. Raised in a large, close-knit Italian family in Australia, she describes a childhood defined by lively gatherings, shared meals, familiar music and relatives who were always nearby. Those experiences shaped not only who she became as a person but also the emotional landscape that informs her songwriting today and as such, “Dolce Escape” becomes a celebration of that upbringing, using language as a conduit between personal memory and contemporary pop.

Brought in by the flutter of bright acoustic guitar leads and soft rhythms, Lara’s expressive vocals float above to cast R&B-tinged melodies above while the pulse of kick injects a grooving motion to the arrangement. Gliding with sultry vocal performance and smokey aesthetic, the track gathers pace with the punch of drums as instantly memorable hooks flicker throughout, resulting in a danceable pop outing that’s mesmeric and infectious in equal measure.

Brimming with catchy songwriting and immersive aesthetic, “Dolce Escape” sees Lara Villani continue to go from strength to strength while unveiling a new side to her highly compelling musical offering. Later this year, Lara will travel to Southern Italy for a songwriting camp, continuing to explore bilingual writing while deepening the cultural influences that have become such an important part of her music. By bringing together cinematic production, emotionally magnetic songwriting and a genuine celebration of family and heritage, she expands her artistic world while remaining true to the style that’s been present in her music from the very beginning.

Listen to Dolce Escape below

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