Review Fix chats with singer/songwriter Lenny, to find out what inspired her newest track, ‘Taurus Sun’ and so much more.
Review Fix: How did you get involved in music?
Lenny: I’ve been writing music since age 15, but didn’t consider the possibility of playing for anyone other than my bedroom walls until I was about 24. I’ve been performing professionally since I moved to Montreal in 2017.
Review Fix: What’s your creative process like?
Lenny: A line of lyrics and/or a melody will often come to me outside of songwriting, like in the middle of a conversation or in one of a songwriter’s most trusted incubators – the shower. If it sticks or I write it down quickly enough, I start to build a song around it with my guitar. Other times, like while falling asleep, a whole verse or song of lyrics/general vocal melody will come to me, and I’ll figure out how to pieces the rest of it together afterwards.
Review Fix: What inspires you?
Lenny: Relationships with lovers, friends, family. Between me and others, between people I know, between people I’ve never met, or between people who might not exist. My relationship with how I move through the world is a big inspiration too. My love language is physical touch, and I think I bring this into my songwriting. Focusing on texture, colour, and metaphor help me make sense of the abstract feelings guiding my songwriting
Review Fix: How has CO-Vid affected your art?
Lenny: I get my inspiration from being out in the world, so being stuck at home for the last year and a half has made it really difficult to finish new material! As the world opens up again, I’ve noticed that it’s easier to work on new music. Like the feelings and experiences of the last year finally have somewhere to go. Now that I’m no longer living in emergency mode, it feels safer to express those tender feelings that are always part of my songwriting.
Review Fix: What does music mean to you?
Lenny: Music is the lens through which I see the world. It informs my perception and my emotional processes. It provides information and understanding that nothing else in this world can give. It allows me to safely feel the complexity of my life experience – it’s the home I live in.
Review Fix: How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard you?
Lenny: I used to have a very acoustic sound, then moved to ballads of vocals + electric guitar. This single has some of that, with a few songs that have a more indie rock feel (including Taurus Sun). The vocals are emotional and lyric-driven, with some ballad-like verses. I’ve been told it has some Angel Olsen vibes which I’m extremely flattered by, I adore her sound and she’s such an inspiration to me.
Review Fix: How are your live shows different from your studio work?
Lenny: Before the pandemic, I only ever played solo (guitar + vocals). This EP is the first time my music has had a full band, and moving forward I’m hoping to do more shows with a band – It gets lonely being on stage alone sometimes, and I don’t think there’s anything I want more this year than to play with other people. I did all the vocal harmonies myself on the EP, but I can’t WAIT to sing with someone live on backup vocals.
Review Fix: What inspired your latest single?
Lenny: Taurus Sun is about accepting what you can’t change in a relationship, in another person, and in yourself. I wrote it after some painful relationship experiences when it felt like the result was always the same.
No matter how hard I tried, how many Psychology Today articles I read, or how much I tried to bend myself to fit into someone else’s world, I couldn’t mend what wasn’t meant to be. I learned that it’s VERY okay to walk away from something, if staying means compromising your sense of self. We can become self-aware, playful, and optimistic again, even when things feel dark. Trust your intuition — in the end, you know yourself more than anyone else.
Producing Taurus Sun with Gino Visconti brought a levity and joy to the track that I so appreciate. It went from being an emotional, swingy ballad, to a fun indie rock bop – without losing the feeling and depth that we wanted it to have. :)
Review Fix: What are your goals for 2021?
vI want to start playing as many shows as possible with a band! I miss performing so much, that’s a huge priority right now. I’d love to play in a festival too.
Review Fix: What’s next?
Lenny: The rest of my 5-song EP is coming out later this summer. I also have a ton of songs I’d love to record, and I’m starting to think about what direction I want to go in for another EP or upcoming singles. Otherwise, I’ll be playing shows around Montreal asap!
Review Fix: Anything else you’d like to add?
Lenny: The music video for Taurus Sun is really special to me – my long time best friend Nicky Fournier starred in it with me! We used to make sketch videos as kids, filming them on her family’s camcorder, and we still come up with ideas. Nicky is now a professional comedian and actor, and is still the funniest person I know. She knows exactly how to take a vague, silly idea to an honest and charming place that I could watch forever.
In the video which was directed/edited by Sasha Cay, and filmed by Evangelos Desborough, Nicky plays 7 different characters – all of which were improvised. In their own ways, they play out different feelings the song touches on. It’s also just about us being friends – it turned out to be such a heartwarming and fun video that is really special to me.
You can find me on Instagram and Tiktok at @lennymusicmtl, and Youtube, Spotify, and wherever else you can stream music. :)
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