Premiere: Houston singer Robyn Troup wants you to ‘Relax’

The new video from her Yung Kobra project is very personal for many reasons

'Relax' by Yung Kobra features Houston native Robyn Troup. Photo: courtesy

Robyn Troup calls "Relax" her "anti-freak out song."

The song and video, premiering exclusively on the Houston Chronicle's Preview site, was written in the midst of an anxiety attack. (Watch below.) It's evident in the lyrics, which read like a mantra:

"Why so serious? It's not so serious. Don't be so serious"

"1, 2, 3, remember to breathe"

"I was freaking out, and I turned on my computer and sang this song," Troup says. "I know it's so simple, but it's really special to me. I feel a power from this song. It picks me up in those dark places."

The Houston singer is releasing "Relax" under her Yung Kobra project, which features producer Simonne Jones. Troup might look familiar. She won the My Grammy Moment contest in 2007 and sang onstage with Justin Timberlake and T.I. The Yates High School graduate also recorded a cover of AC/DC's "Back in Black" with Carlos Santana and Nas.

"Relax" could be interpreted as an anthem for the current state of the world. The video has an even deeper meaning for Troup. It features her mother, Roxanne Lawson, who works for the City of Houston Housing Department, relaxing after a day at work.

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The video was filmed in Houston on Roxanne Lawson's 15-year sobriety birthday and features emotional clips of her and Troup speaking at an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting celebrating the milestone.

"I watched her go through the ringer and occasionally drag my sister and I down with her," Troup says. "But through it all, she managed to put the bullsh*t behind her and has become a beacon of hope for not only myself but everyone she meets."

Troup is the granddaughter of Rev. Dr. Bill Lawson and the late Audrey H. Lawson, who founded Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church. Her aunt is KTRK anchor Melanie Lawson. Her grandfather and aunt also appear briefly in the video.

An EP featuring "Relax" should arrive later this year. Troup is creating new music for another project, Robyn the Bank, that boasts a harder dance/rap edge. She works with Riptide Music Group and has written several songs that have been licensed for TV and film.

And on top of all that, she's married and has a three-year-old son, who seems to have his own musical aspirations.

"He's loud, and sometimes you can hear him in the background of my recordings," Troup says with a laugh. "He's inspiring but he's also very tiring. I'm still trying to figure out how to balance that."

1, 2, 3, remember to breathe.

Joey Guerra is the music critic for the Houston Chronicle. Follow him on Twitter. Get experts’ picks for concerts, kids’ stuff, fine arts, movies and more by subscribing to the Preview entertainment newsletter.

  • Joey Guerra
    Joey Guerra

    Joey Guerra is the music critic for the Houston Chronicle. He also covers various aspects of pop culture. He has reviewed hundreds of concerts and interviewed hundreds of celebrities, from Justin Bieber to Dolly Parton to Beyonce. He's appeared as a regular correspondent on Fox26 and was head judge and director of the Pride Superstar singing competition for a decade. He has been named journalist of the year multiple times by both OutSmart Magazine and the FACE Awards. He also covers various aspects of pop culture, including the local drag scene and "RuPaul's Drag Race."