Lindsay Lohan's 'Back To Me' is her big comeback to music after 12 years, so why does no one seem to care?
Given how utterly tumultuous her life has been, you'd think more people would be talking about Lindsay Lohan's big comeback. And yet, as the singer dropped her first song in 12 years, it seems as if those who were here for all the drama that plagued the singer and those who tirelessly rooted for her return seemed to have vanished overnight.
Lohan's new song, 'Back To Me' dropped on April 1 and aside from a scathing article or two about the song and a few about its message, the track seems to have flown mostly under the radar. If the song itself is the only criterion for how much publicity it would get, then that would be understandable. It's a fun, catchy dance-pop song, but it's in no way worthy of a return following 12 years away from the music scene. And while it has hints of Lohan's earlier lyrical prowess, easily heard on songs like 'Confessions of a Broken Heart (Daughter to Father)', it is not nearly as moving despite being about her taking charge of her own life again and trying to find her way back to a healthier space.
One fan tweeted, "We will never get early 2000s lindsay lohan / amanda bynes back and i for one am sad," and that might sum up why this release is getting a mostly lukewarm reception. We're expecting a return to form, but what we're getting is something indistinguishable from any other dance-pop track being put out right now.
Had this song come out at any other time, it might actually do relatively well. But a dance song that may do well at clubs being released when no one can go to them because of an active pandemic only means fewer people are going to hear it. One fan tweets, "I should be bussin it down on someone’s son @ the club rn to Lindsay Lohan’s new song but miss rona has other plans"
Beyond it being catchy, there isn't much else to this track. Lohan's voice sounds much fuller and deeper than what we once heard from the singer, but it still maintains its classic rasp. This adds a lot of depth and character to it, even lending some maturity to an otherwise lackluster release. But aside from the interesting tone of her voice, she doesn't do a whole lot vocally with this song. And there's even less to go on lyrically.
Lohan has proven she is a capable singer and songwriter who can channel her pain and experiences into a song, so perhaps we've come to expect emotionally charged music when she does delve into that part of her life. 'Back To Me', however, is overly simplistic and doesn't seem to match the weight of the message it's trying to convey. It mostly dances around the message, and right when you think it'll lean into it, it goes a different way. Having said that, it does have some moments of positive affirmations for anyone dealing with similar experiences. One fan says, "@lindsaylohan your new song #BacktoMe is my new anthem for working my recovery program.! being Sober is amazing ! #soberlife"
Perhaps we're expecting far too much because of how wild the ride has been for anyone that has followed Lohan in the hopes that she would make a miraculous return to her once untouchable throne. Maybe she needs to ease back into it and perhaps this is her way of doing just that. After all, reclaiming herself would also include going at her own pace, and maybe for her, this is exactly what that looks like.
Or maybe, this was the safest attempt she could make when returning to music, one that takes the existing formula of a repetitive hook paired with a trustworthy beat and a message about taking ownership of one's self. And that, in itself, might be why many people didn't notice the song came out at all. Because the music industry is a sea of songs that do exactly that, and aside from being a Lindsay Lohan song, there is nothing about this track that would make it stand out from the rest.
And yet, despite its underwhelming release, 'Back To Me' will probably do alright over time. Because somehow, Lohan remains one of those personalities you root for, even if she isn't really giving you a whole lot to go on. So while this may not be the big comeback we were all hoping for, if it can serve as a vehicle for her to come out with something better in the future, then perhaps it was worth the wait.
