Tobey Lynn Talks “what’s it to you?”, Y2K Nostalgia, and Finding Her Way Through Her Twenties
With a little Y2K nostalgia and a healthy dose of existential dread, the Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter turns the uncertainty of her twenties into a coming-of-age pop anthem.
There’s a particular kind of optimism that belongs to a 2000s coming-of-age movie. The outfits are good, the soundtrack is better, and somehow, even after everything falls apart, you know the main character will be fine.
Tobey Lynn wants that feeling back. She just isn't pretending the messy parts don't exist.
On her latest single, “what’s it to you?”, released October 23, the Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter brings the playful energy of a Y2K rom-com into a song about feeling stuck, questioning your decisions, and wondering whether everyone else has adulthood figured out.
It's bright, nostalgic pop with something more complicated underneath. For Tobey, that's exactly the point.
The Reality Behind the Rom-Com
“I wrote this song a few months ago, alone in my bedroom on guitar and had that phrase, ‘What’s it to you?’ on repeat in my head,” Tobey tells Everyday Jams.
The song emerged from a frustrating period of doing everything she thought she was supposed to do, only to find that life wasn't unfolding quite as expected.
“At its core, this song is about being angry at everyone around you, but truly you’re the only one who got you into the situation you’re in.”
At 24, Tobey has found herself navigating the excitement of building a life in Los Angeles alongside the less glamorous realities of early adulthood. There are moments when everything feels possible, and others when even an ordinary night out can feel overwhelming.
She's experienced both sides. Leaving a songwriting session she's proud of and driving home beneath the California sunset can feel like a childhood dream realized. Making plans with friends only to wish she'd stayed home with her boyfriend, Sam, is another story.
Both experiences made their way into “what’s it to you?”
“Post grad is filled with such an immense amount of uncertainty and loneliness that often is shied away from,” she explains.
And while the movies she grew up watching usually offered a neat resolution, real life doesn't always follow the script.
“I wanted this song to encapsulate that dread and anxiety of ‘What if I never figure this out?’”
A Little Disney Channel, A Little Existential Dread
For Tobey, nostalgia isn't just a visual reference. It's part of her musical foundation.
13 Going on 30 was a major influence on the single, while High School Musical remains one of the defining inspirations behind her relationship with music.
“I always say that High School Musical is the blueprint for everything I do musically, and to be honest just in my everyday life.”
That influence feels especially present on “what’s it to you?”, a track that embraces the glossy, carefree spirit of early-2000s pop without sacrificing the more personal writing underneath.
Working with producer Tom Crouch helped bring that vision into focus.
“I really emphasized how I wanted to make a y2k banger and he was the catalyst that pulled this track over the finish line,” she shares.
The finishing touches came through playful production choices, particularly the record scratches and sparkling chimes Crouch brought into the arrangement. Layers of background vocals helped complete the sound.
For Tobey, the result feels like a natural evolution rather than a departure from her earlier work.
“It feels incredibly full circle to be making music that fits into my childhood music taste so seamlessly.”
Growing Up Without Losing the Fun
While the production has become increasingly adventurous, Tobey's songwriting still begins in familiar territory: alone in her bedroom with a guitar or sitting at a piano.
She's always approached her lyrics like diary entries, but lately, she's been finding more room for humor, metaphor, and a little creative chaos.
“I think my songwriting has hopefully evolved into a more mature and introspective, yet playful nature,” she says.
That balance extends beyond the music. Tobey describes herself as someone who tries to keep life colorful and childlike, even when adulthood demands something different.
“I try my very best to protect the little girl that I once was and that’s how I lead a lot of my life.”
It's a sentiment that explains much of the charm behind “what’s it to you?” The song doesn't dismiss the pressures of growing up. It simply leaves room to have fun while figuring things out.
And if Tobey could place the track in her own coming-of-age movie, she'd know exactly where it belongs.
She imagines it playing just before the end credits, as the main character rides the subway home after a series of disappointments. Maybe she's lost her job. Maybe she's had her heart broken. Her life certainly isn't perfect anymore.
But for the first time, she's okay with that.
“Maybe she embraces that yeah, her life is going to be messy, but it’s also exciting that there’s so much unknown to it and she’s okay with that.”
The Next Chapter of Tobey Lynn
If “what’s it to you?” offers a glimpse into Tobey's evolving creative world, she's already finding new ways to expand it.
She recently worked on another Y2K-inspired electronic track, which she affectionately described as a “cry but shake ass song.”
It's a fitting description for an artist increasingly comfortable pairing emotional honesty with music that makes you want to move.
“I’m genuinely just so excited to continue pushing in this sonic and creative direction that really feels like me,” she says.
There's no grand resolution here, and Tobey isn't rushing to find one. Instead, she's building a musical world where nostalgia and uncertainty can exist together, where growing up doesn't have to mean growing out of the things you love.
Maybe that's the real appeal of “what’s it to you?” It's not about having the perfect coming-of-age moment.
It's about realizing that even the confusing parts deserve a soundtrack.
“what’s it to you?” is out now. Stream the latest single from Tobey Lynn on your favorite streaming platform.
