Dubbed “Toronto’s next breakout songwriter,” Lia Pappas-Kemps’ “Revolving Doors” captures the quiet turning point of letting go of old patterns and stepping into new love with raw honesty and delicate instrumentation.
TORONTO (October 24, 2025) – Following the warm reception of her poignant 2025 release “Reservations,” Toronto-based singer-songwriter Lia Pappas-Kemps returns with “Revolving Doors” - an introspective and emotionally rich new single arriving on streaming platforms October 24 via Coalition Music Records.
Rooted in Lia’s signature blend of vulnerable lyricism and cinematic folk-pop, “Revolving Doors” expands on the emotional terrain explored in her earlier work. Driven by hypnotic acoustic guitar and the atmospheric swell of Ray Goudy’s pedal steel, the song captures the quiet, often disorienting process of falling in love - and the subtle shifts that happen when we begin to change for someone new. Reflecting on the ever-turning cycle of people, feelings, and uncertainty, “Revolving Doors” ultimately finds its center in the quiet courage it takes to grow.
‘Revolving Doors’ is a song I wrote about feeling your patterns change while falling in love with someone new. I wrote it by myself with just an acoustic guitar, and then decided to get my friend Ray Goudy to add pedal steel during the recording process, which became such a pivotal part of the song.
- Lia Pappas-Kemps
Fans of boygenius, Fleetwood Mac, and Phoebe Bridgers will feel at home in Lia’s sonic world - one that effortlessly weaves timeless folk textures with contemporary alt sensibilities. The second offering from a forthcoming album due in late spring 2026, “Revolving Doors” is produced by longtime collaborator Elia Pappas at Taurus Studios (Toronto), mixed by Howie Beck and mastered by Kristian Montano, with performances from Lia (vocals/guitar), Ray Goudy (pedal steel), and Elia Pappas (guitar/bass).
Cover art for "Revolving Doors"
The single continues Pappas-Kemps’ trajectory as one of Toronto’s most promising young songwriters with a growing reputation for atmospheric soundscapes and inventive guitar tunings. Her debut EP, "Gleam," received praise from outlets including Atwood Magazine, Exclaim, Northern Transmissions and The Toronto Star, which called her “Toronto’s next breakout songwriter.” Atwood described it as “a bold and brash introduction that aches with the weight of life lessons learned the hard way,” while Complete Music Update noted she “blends alt-pop and alt-rock [on single 'Switchblade'], crafting a sound that could perfectly soundtrack a coming-of-age film.”
Early singles such as "Sad in Toronto" and "Object at Best" showcased Lia's versatility, while her 2021 track "Jinx" has since surpassed 4.4 million streams on Spotify.
About Lia Pappas-Kemps:
For Lia Pappas-Kemps, expressing herself through art has always been second-nature. This is evident in the confident, natural presence the Toronto-born singer brings every time she steps on stage, stemming all the way back to the beginning of her career in music.
In 2021 and 2022, she launched her music career through a series of singles, including the grunge-inflected “Jinx” and the gorgeous, swooning ballads “Sad in Toronto” and “Object at Best". In her emotionally unsparing, sensuous and critically acclaimed debut EP, "Gleam," her intricate sound comes across, demonstrating influences from throwback alt-rock to ’70s troubadours to modern indie rock, but never truly resembling anyone but herself.
As Tom Power said of the project, "Lia Pappas-Kemps perfectly captures teen angst on her debut EP". Back again with her latest release, "Reservations," Pappas-Kemps continues to trace her progress while finding her songwriting voice. But nothing about her music is underdeveloped. Instead, every new track plots a crystalline moment in an engaging coming-of-age story—one that will feel compelling for anyone whose desire has felt as heavy as the weight of the world.