LP is an artist whose songwriting credits include tracks for Rihanna (“Cheers [Drink to That]”) and Rita Ora (“Shine Ya Light”), among others. She has also built an impressive following with her own songs. Her songs have been streamed more than two billion times. Her song “Lost on You” reached Number 1 in 18 different countries. She is preparing to begin a tour that will take her to adoring fans from Leeds to San Diego.
Her new album Churches is her sixth album to go along with three EPs. One of her albums was recorded live in Crocus City Hall in Moscow in front of 6,000 fans. Of her genre-defying music, she said, “My music errs on the histrionic side, but that’s how I feel, you know, I try to just let it seep out because it just hurts me if I don’t.”
By phone, she recently discussed her experience in writing songs for major labels, her new album Churches, and her upcoming tour.
When did you realize you have a talent for writing songs?
Do I? In the early years when I was on major labels from 2006 to 2009, I had no songs. That’s what they were telling me. I kept writing and writing. One of those songs got picked up by Backstreet Boys. That’s when I was given a publishing deal, which is a record deal for a writer. I was now a songwriter, which I thought was wild. I went from being unable to write songs to save my career to writing songs for other people. I think it was just writing the right song that would break me. That’s not the easiest thing to do. I was just trying to figure my place in it all. Just keep writing songs in multiple genres. I knew I wasn’t going to make any money if I was just that chick who could write a pop-rock song once in a while. I tried to expand it out. I didn’t know if I was any good yet, but I knew I was prolific. Then I just started getting cuts more and more. I think I discovered when I was writing for other people is that I am a very eclectic style artist. My songwriting and my style is not that easy to pin down. I’m not an Americana artist, but I’m not a pop artist, and I’m not a rock artist, but I kind of have elements of all of that.
What was your reaction the first time you heard one of your songs on the radio or in a public place?
It was wild. It was a long time coming. I wasn’t dewy-eyed. I was just incredulous, you know. I was surprised and very happy. It was a validating moment.
How is Churches different than previous albums?
I feel like this album, because I had some extra time to do it, feels very together. It feels like it goes well together. I’m pretty excited for everyone to hear it. I called it Churches for a number of reasons, one of which was that that was one of the first songs I wrote for it
You said that “Angels” has always been there in your head. How did the song actually come about?
Even when I told the title to my producer, I just knew it was going to pop out as soon as I started. I knew I was going to figure it out, but it does have a generic quality to it. I felt like conceptually, it would just come together. It was a meant-to-be song somehow.
What are you most looking forward to about your upcoming tour?
Just seeing people. When you’re a musician with a decent live following, you forget that this is my whole world, my tribe, my army. It’s cool when you have a body of work that hasn’t been delivered live. I’m very excited to have the whole album to play live. It’s always exciting. After what we’ve all been through, I feel like this is more special. A lot of the trauma people have been through comes through in this record, especially my own feelings about it. Your fans like you for a number of reasons. They connect with you on a personality level. They want to hear what you’re feeling.
Is it weird to write songs and not get feedback from fans?
Always. I’ve been playing things out. They’re on the record. I remember back in the day, we’d play songs we were just figuring out. Even the few singles we released, it’s been a really cool reaction. I think that’s why it’s going to be fun to play it in its entirety. I think people will have a lot of different thoughts about it.
What would you be doing if you weren’t making music?
I don’t know, but probably something in the psychology field like a therapist. I’m interested in that kind of thing. It’s how I write songs.
