Silyla Unveils 'what was it all for?' A Bedroom-Pop Gut Punch For Summer

Canadian-born, London-based singer-songwriter and bedroom producer silyla isn’t asking for your attention—she’s commanding it. With the release of her shimmering new single, what was it all for?, silyla proves she’s not just riding the bedroom-pop wave; she’s defining it.

Soft, Sultry, and Unapologetically Real

Built on warm R&B textures and sugar-sweet vocal delivery à la Billie Eilish and PinkPantheress, what was it all for? feels like summer heartbreak in slow motion. It’s catchy enough to dance to, but raw enough to make you pause mid-twirl and reconsider your entire dating history. Nostalgic, sun-drenched, and laced with just the right amount of melancholy, the track walks the tightrope between vulnerability and groove with expert balance.

A One-Hour Wonder Born in a Bedroom

There’s magic in the mundane, and silyla found it in her boyfriend’s childhood bedroom. That’s where this single came to life—in just under an hour. The vocals? Demo takes. The vibe? Pure alchemy. What started as a casual guitar loop from producer Rndmbeats turned into what might just be her most emotionally articulate track to date.

“The song just flowed out of me,” silyla shares. “It felt so nostalgic, so soft, so me—so silyla.”

It’s rare for a track this intimate to feel so universally accessible, but what was it all for? lands with effortless resonance. She credits the emotional fluidity to the chemistry of creating with her partner—an experience that’s helped her shed ego and lean into artistic honesty.

A Love Letter to Lost Friendships and Fields of Cows

Yes, fields of cows. The song’s emotional anchor is rooted in rural stillness, where silyla—bored and blissfully disconnected—spent afternoons singing to livestock and reflecting on faded friendships.

“Whenever I think of this song, I think back to those fields,” she says. “It made me subconsciously reminisce about all those late nights and early mornings with people who eventually just... faded.”

What could have been a bitter lament becomes a soft acceptance: of people, of impermanence, of life’s quiet little losses. That’s the beauty of what was it all for? It mourns gently, then lets go.

With or Without the Hype Machine

Despite working independently, silyla is picking up serious momentum. With nods from BBC Radio 1Xtra, BBC Introducing, BBC Asian Network, iHeartRadio, and praise from Rolling Stone India and COLORS, the industry is watching.

She’s also no stranger to viral moments. Previous single Party on the Weekend lit up TikTok and gave her her first BBC 1Xtra plays, while earlier release Home Alone earned her a BBC Track of the Week and acclaim from underground tastemakers like Wordplay.

Silyla’s Not Chasing Fame—She’s Building a World

This isn’t an overnight act. With years of songwriting, co-producing, and genre-dipping behind her, silyla has built a sonic identity that’s part DIY dreamscape, part sharp-edged pop powerhouse. Whether in her bedroom studio or a countryside field, she’s quietly carving out a space where softness is strength—and vulnerability sells.