I will say it every time I speak about him – Will Linley is the most exciting thing to happen to the South African pop music scene in years. After a string of hits including his breakout smash ‘Miss Me (When You’re Gone)’, ‘Magic’, ‘Last Call’, ‘Gracie’ and ‘Just Because I Called You’, the star has finally dropped his anticipated debut studio album.
The 22-year-old kicked off the album era with the catchy smash ‘Cinematic’, subsequently dropping ‘First Love’ and ‘Up At Night’ as more teasers from the project.
‘Don’t Cry Because It’s Over’ captures the whole arc of first love – from its hopeful beginnings to its quiet endings. Blending introspective storytelling with polished pop production, the album moves through themes of connection, heartbreak, nostalgia, and growth. Influenced by the emotional realism of classic romantic comedies, the project offers a globally minded take on modern relationships. Across 12 tracks, Linley combines heartfelt lyricism with vibrant melodies, creating a debut that’s both personal and universally relatable.
Will notably wrote and recorded the album during sessions in Los Angeles. He teamed up with trusted collaborators and executive producers David Balshaw and Bubele Booi (The Imports) to bring this body of work to life. For as much as they drew inspiration from favourites such as Coldplay, One Direction, and 5 Seconds of Summer, they also leaned on classic rom-coms, including Notting Hill, About Time, No Strings Attached, Friends with Benefits, and How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days. By doing so, Will tells a story that’s big screen-ready, teeming with drama, joy, heartbreak, and all the feels.
This bold, bright, and brilliant body of work also features the new single ‘American Dream,’ a song that evokes an endless summer romance. The gentle electric guitar riff holds down his heartfelt crooning about a “beach girl.” It really takes flight on the sun-kissed refrain, “Oh, she kissed me back and now I can’t leave, don’t wake me up from this American Dream.” Between the groove, vocals, and energy, it’s a breezy, lovestruck bop you won’t be able to shake anytime soon.
“It’s one of my favourite songs I’ve ever written. I was obviously born and raised in South Africa, but much to my surprise, I ended up falling in love with somebody from America,” Will shares. “It hit me out of the blue. It’s definitely an embodiment of everything I want my music to be.”
Listen to ‘Don’t Cry Because It’s Over’ below and read more music news here.
