P&P Spotlight: Lena Rich (EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW)

It's no secret that elements of nature often create their own songs - such as the sweet chirping of birds, the loud crashing of waves, and the soft rustle of leaves, just to name a few examples. The more time one spends outdoors, the more impossible it becomes to overlook these details - especially if you grew up on the vibrant coast of Maine, like Lena Rich did. Time and time again, this up-and-comer in the alternative folk scene has characterized a wide variety of natural phenomenon through song. Her two most recent singles, "Idaho" and "Yard Sale," demonstrate the impressive range of what she can do.

Released in July of this year, "Idaho" is a biting anthem about the harsh pain of letting go, despite knowing that what awaits on the other side of the heartbreak is much healthier. Last Friday, Lena delivered "Yard Sale," a sentimental, highly relatable post-summer track about how the season can come and go in the blink of an eye. Playlists & Polaroids had the opportunity to interview Lena Rich, and we love her memorable and insightful reflection on "Idaho" and "Yard Sale."

Image credit: Lena Rich, graphic created by Karly Ramnani

YOU'LL LOVE LENA RICH IF YOU LISTEN TO: Taylor Swift, Noah Kahan, Phoebe Bridgers, Maggie Rogers, Zach Bryan, Joni Mitchell, Madison Cunningham, Lucy Dacus

What were some of your earliest introductions to music? How did you know that this is what you wanted to do professionally - were there some defining moments that stuck out to you? Music has always been it for me. My relationship to it has evolved quite a bit, but it’s always been the most rewarding, energizing, and most “me” thing in the world. I started playing violin as a little kid, like 5 years old, so probably ever since then! I knew I wanted to do it professionally when I started playing gigs consistently in high school and writing more. One local guy from my hometown was super supportive, and after a gig he came up to me afterward and said “you know, you really could do this,” and something about that stuck with me. It feels so terrifying to take a dream seriously. And it still does! But that moment of encouragement meant a lot to me. Other moments, like the pure joy I get from finishing up a song I’ve been working through, also pushed me to pursue music seriously.

How would you say the outdoors influence your craft, both sonically and lyrically?

The outdoors influence everything about me, really. And not in the way of “I’m near the ocean, so I’m going to write a song about the waves." It’s more than each landscape brings out a different palette of writing. I try to spend time back home in Maine when I can, in Bozeman (where I live now) and southern Utah throughout the year. Maine feels familiar and comfortable, Bozeman feels expansive and brave, and Utah feels dreamy and experimental. Each place inspires different music and I love them all so much. I try to interact with the physical environment as much as I can while writing, which is usually as simple as just being in it and feeling it.

Are there a few elements of nature - for example specific plants, animals, weather patterns, or landforms - that you feel particularly drawn to?

The open desert of Southern Utah is so inspiring to me. My artist residency in Capitol Reef was one of the best months of my life. To be able to just soak up the ever changing environment around me and write about it was a dream. I never get used to the size of the mountains in Montana - they always leave me in awe, feeling small in the best way. Same with the ocean in Maine.

Image credit: Lena Rich

Tell us about your time as an artist in residence writing songs at a national park! This is a really cool concept, what are some of your best memories and takeaways from this experience?

My artist in residency was a dream come true! Not too many people know about this program, but it’s funded by the National Parks Service to support the intersection of the outdoors and the arts. It was such an honor to spend a month in Capitol Reef National Park, one of the grandest, most stunning environments I’ve ever seen. To me, the greatest gift was the time to focus 100% of my energy on music. As so many artists know, sometimes the hardest hard is making time for music if we’re working other jobs, etc. So that time was a privilege I didn’t take for granted. My best memories are probably watching the sunset every night from this perfect little lookout spot I found. The rocks look like they’re on fire when the sun sets in Capitol Reef, just sheer golden orange fading to pink and purple. My biggest takeaway from that month is how much I can accomplish if I give my full energy to music for a set amount of time.

As a Maine girl, what inspired you to write a song called "Idaho"? How did the premise and storyline of this track develop?

I was born and raised in Maine but in college I started dating a guy who lived in Bozeman. That’s when I fell in love with Bozeman (and out, eventually, with him). After a really painful year of being on and off, I was working near Bozeman, on the border with Idaho, trying to make it work with him. I wrote "Idaho" when I finally allowed myself to stop forcing something that wasn’t healthy for me. That summer the wildfires were really intense and I wrote the chorus - “Idaho, the sky was on fire when I let go” - during a particularly smokey and red sunset.

How would you compare and contrast the geographical setting of "Idaho" with your homeland?

Idaho is the polar opposite of Maine, geographically, but I personally love the contrast. It’s why I value switching up my location so much.

On that train of thought, it looks like "Idaho" and "Yard Sale" seem to juxtapose each other, because "Yard Sale" is very much about your roots. Were these intentionally created as sister songs?

"Yard Sale" came to me very quickly. I wrote it in an afternoon! Unlike "Idaho," which felt heavy and the result of a huge shift in my life, "Yard Sale" feels light, easy, and carefree. I’ve written so many intense songs, so I just wanted to embrace the simple essence of "Yard Sale" - the fleeting nature of summer.

Image credit: Lena Rich

I love the story behind "Yard Sale." What advice would you give to someone hoping to make summer feel longer? Based on your experience, what are some things everyone can do to really soak in the moment and make the most of it?

I know I have a line in the song about making plans and having them amount to nothing, but my advice would actually be to make a few solid plans for summer way ahead of time and stick to them. That way you can hold yourself accountable for something you’ve really been wanting to do all year! I’m also big on everyday practices. I try to meditate every morning and do some form of movement. This helps to ground me in my surroundings, including the season. What are some highlights for you of working with Daniel Markus, especially sharing the role of production with him? Daniel’s the best! We’ve been working together since 2020, even though we went to college together too. Daniel does a great job of bringing my vision come to life, while also pushing me to go outside of my comfort zone. As soon as I sent him a demo of "Yard Sale," he said “okay, you’re not gonna like this but…” and suggested a lyrical change that was totally necessary in retrospect! I’d recommend Daniel to anyone who makes music, even those who are interested in getting into it. He runs a great studio in Brooklyn with the best bang for your buck value I’ve found, called Juniper Sound. He also produces remotely!

Which artists do you draw the most inspiration from, and who would be your dream collaborators in the industry?

Ah, such a tough one! My inspirations are changing all the time, but I would say my core influences are classics like Joni Mitchell and Elliot Smith and some artists I’m loving today are Madison Cunningham, Maggie Rogers, Slow Pulp, Victoria Bigelow, and Adrianne Lenker. It would be a dream to collab with any of them. Or Alex G.

And finally the P&P Classic! From both "Idaho" and "Yard Sale," what is a lyric that you feel especially drawn to? Walk us through the process of yourself writing it, and how you personally connect to it!

From "Idaho," probably the chorus: “Idaho, the sky was on fire when I let go." It came to me in one breath, and just fit the situation I was in mentally and literally, so well. It’s those inexplicable moments that make songwriting so mysterious and fun.

For "Yard Sale," probably "I had big plans for summer, now the days are getting shorter." I wanted to convey something like “holy shit, here we go again, summer is over before I know it!” without it being cliche. I think the line about the days getting shorter gets that across, without being something people have heard a million times. Noticing how much earlier the sun was setting was definitely what sparked me to sit down and write the whole song out. I came up with the “Yard Sale” idea from an idea for a poem I’d had floating around in my mind for a while, so I merged them and wrote the song through the story of a yard sale.

We surely can't take "Idaho" and "Yard Sale" off repeat, and we always love when an innovative, refreshing voice like Lena Rich takes the time to chat with us! As always, we've curated a playlist to help you dive deeper into her creative world, if you feel inspired to do so. But this time, we'd highly recommend listening to it outdoors - just like how much of her discography was written, in the very environment that shaped her craft.