Leah Lawson, an interview

Leah Lawson’s new LP, Flood House, was recorded three years before its release. Instead of firing off a seething letter that scolded her for making us wait, we decided to talk it out.

UpToHear: We are fascinated by the fact that Flood House was finished three years ago. While we’re all completely enamored with the final product, are there any songs that you wanted to go back and change after living with them for so long? 

Leah Lawson: That’s an interesting question! So, after it was done, I tried not to listen to it much at all. After mixing and mastering, I think I gave it one or two listens in the car, really loved it, and then decided not to listen to it. So when it came out, I actually was hearing it again for the first time in over a year. I’ve done projects in the past where even just months after releasing them, I’d listen back and wish I could change things, but luckily this album still really sounds like me. I think I got really lucky with the guys I worked with on this and really felt like they understood the sound I was going for, so I really don’t think I’d change anything about it. 

UpToHear: In those three years, did you write new songs that you wish could have been included, or did you know it was finished when it was finished?

Leah Lawson: For sure! I’ve written a couple of songs since then that I think would fit really nicely with the album, but even though it's on the shorter side, it still feels like a body of work that makes sense and tells the story I wanted to tell. So yes, I totally would love to have included some of my recent songs, but I think that just makes me excited to record more in the future. 

UpToHear: The record has now been out for over a week. Is it doing as well as you had hoped? What are your goals with it? A tour?

Leah Lawson: My goals for the record were pretty ambiguous: I wanted to get it in front of as many people as possible - oh, and I wanted a song on a Spotify playlist, haha. That hasn’t happened, but Spotify, there’s still time! It’s a little hard to work out how I feel now that it’s finally out there. I feel like there’s so much build-up to a record release, and then it’s just out, and it feels really weird and surreal. On one hand, I’m really relieved to have it out there. On the other hand, there’s always a part of you that wonders if you’ve done enough to market it and get it heard. I’d love to tour, but don’t have anything in the works yet.

UpToHear: Do you want to be famous or is music just some form of catharsis?

Leah Lawson: I used to want to be famous for sure. I think, as I’ve gotten older, some of those dreams have shifted a little, but I’d definitely love to be making music in a bigger capacity than I currently am.

UpToHear: You chose “Colder” and “Cheaper Kind” as the singles. Was this because you thought they were the strongest? While we are obviously fans of “Colder,” it must have been difficult to choose.

Leah Lawson: Thank you! I chose “Cheaper Kind” because it was the one I noticed people connecting with the most, and then “Colder” I chose because production-wise, it felt the biggest. It was a tough decision, and I think “Colder” wasn’t my first choice, but I did kind of poll around with friends and folks I trust, and that one came up a lot.

UpToHear: Which track is your baby? And which is your least favorite to play live?

Leah Lawson: It’s a toss-up between “Kids” and “Cheaper Kind,” for which one feels like my baby, haha. Those are both really special to me and really fun to play live! I feel bad admitting this, but “Colder” is definitely my least favorite to play live. 

UpToHear: Speaking of playing live, how is the scene in Asheville?

Leah Lawson: The scene in Asheville is really sweet and supportive. I really feel like I’ve found a great community here, and it doesn’t feel competitive in the way some other cities I’ve lived in did. It feels really supportive, and I love that. While living here, I’ve stayed pretty local. I have some friends who play pretty frequently in Boone and Raleigh, but I haven’t gotten out a ton - I’m hoping I will more now that I have some recent music out. 

UpToHear: On the blogger side of social media, it’s a real treat when we find artists like yourself by simply scrolling through posts. Have you met any artists with whom you hope to one day trade shows?

Leah Lawson: 100%!! So I became ‘internet friends’ with a few folks from TikTok I’d love to play with. I’d love to play a show with Semler, Drumming Bird, and it’s a dream of mine to open for Penny and Sparrow (I am not internet friends with Penny and Sparrow yet). I also saw Sadurn play a house show here in Asheville, and they’re amazing. I’d love to play with them as well. 

Leah Lawson’s music is available on all streaming platforms, including Bandcamp, Spotify, and AppleMusic.

-TM