Chelsea Lankes is a singer/songwriter from Texas who has tons of talent, sass, and confidence that you can’t help but be inspired by how this girl slays the music scene. Her music is just so raw and honest that it deserves a listen.
Recently, Lankes returned from a year-long hiatus and is now back and releasing new music. I got the chance to chat with this kickass lady about her music, the Texas music scene, her friendship with Brandi Cyrus, and more.
TYF: Tell us a little bit about how you got into music.
Chelsea Lankes: Growing up, my mom had me take piano lessons when I was very young and she was a singer/music lover so I was surrounded by it my whole life. I sang all throughout my high school years for choir, plays – you name it. But it wasn’t until college when I would play open mic nights that I began to try to write my own songs. I wanted to tell my own story and not someone else’s.
TYF: Did you originally know you wanted your music to have an electro-pop sound?
Lankes: Not at all- I grew up listening to country music. I wanted to sound like Patty Griffin or Sheryl Crow for the longest time (I sometimes still do). It took me years and a lot of bad songs to find my sound and identity as an artist. I kind of stumbled into writing pop. I had experimented with just about every other genre and I felt the freest with pop. There’s so much room to be creative and clever but still have a solid melody and track. The people I work with have so much to do with shaping my sound as well.
TYF: What is your writing process like?
Lankes: I just start with a chord progression, and then build a simple track and loop it until I hear a melody that I like. Then I think about what I want to say and fit the lyrics to the melody.
TYF: Speaking about your writing process, have you ever experienced writer’s block?
Lankes: All the time. I feel like I have it now actually. I think it’s just understanding that inspiration comes in waves and even if you show up to do the work it doesn’t mean you’re going to knock it out of the park every time or finish an idea at all.
TYF: How do you overcome writer’s block?
Lankes: I think just showing up is important and trying even if it is slightly discouraging because that’s what keeps your mind and your creativity from getting buried with the chaos that is life. If that stays in front of you, those less than stellar days are just building blocks to the one day when something clicks and you get to be a channel to something bigger than yourself again. I think even in frustration, the creative drought is what makes the days when it works so special.
TYF: You came to California by way of Texas. Does your hometown inspire any of your music?
Lankes: Fort Worth is so cool. As I’ve gotten older and go home to visit, I see it growing and changing and the city is becoming more exciting. I don’t know if it inspires my music so much as it just made me who I am. I’m a pretty down to earth, low-key person and that’s kind of how the city is. Who I am and how I write is probably a bit of a reflection of that.
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TYF: What would you say have been some of the challenges you’ve had to overcome when moving to California?
Lankes: Oh man, being broke! Trying to keep up with the cool crowd. Working two jobs and trying to live my life and fund a music career was not easy. I’ve never worked harder or grown so much, though. I think those challenges really pushed me to an edge I didn’t know I had and I’m grateful for that. I’m currently in Nashville now, living/working/writing and I enjoy it so much. I have more time and energy for the things I love – music, friends and working with a different circle of writers which is also exciting.
TYF: Texas, much like California, has a very prominent music scene. What would you say are the major differences between the two music scenes?
Lankes: I’d say the music scene in Texas is more about heritage and has a longer life than what’s happening in LA. In LA, It’s extremely fast-paced and competitive and about what’s going to work right now and a lot of opportunities are short-lived as opposed to Texas, where once people like an artist, they listen to them until their 80 years old playing a dive bar in El Paso. That doesn’t happen in pop music.
TYF: I read that you’re friends with Brandi Cyrus. How did that friendship form?
Lankes: We just met through mutual friends years ago and ended up being roommates for a couple of years! Came out of left field but I’m grateful that it did – she’s been very dear to me over the years.
TYF: Will you guys be co-writing any music anytime soon?
Lankes: We just hang out. Her pursuits in music are more about DJing these days and the closest we’ve come to a collaboration was playing a wedding gig together a few years back.
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TYF: Can you tell us the story behind your new song “Matches”?
Lankes: Well, without writing the gory details – I had been dating a guy for 4 years off and on and it was a very unstable relationship. I was so wrapped up in it and really cared so I would always go back to it even when I knew it was a bad decision.
Ultimately, it took him cheating on me for me to really close the door. For as long as we were involved, all our conflict felt like such a gray area and this song made it black and white to me. I think he wanted out as much as I did and maybe that’s why he chose to end it that way. Infidelity was the culprit of the end of the relationship but it was already falling apart before that for so many other reasons and we knew it.
TYF: Songwriting can be so cathartic but it also opens wounds, how do you mentally prepare yourself to allow yourself to feel past emotions and relive certain memories again?
Lankes: Once I’ve processed things, that’s when I write about them. Writing that song [Matches], in particular, felt like closing a book. I think it feels a little awkward having it out in the world now and sharing that with other people but I’m not reliving the pain of that moment, by any means. I’ve forgiven and have found peace in all of it a long time ago.
TYF: When you were writing “Matches,” did you already know that you wanted the track to have an edgy, dark sound?
Lankes: The track was super minimal and the melody and lyrics just happened in the matter of an hour and a half. It all just came together very quickly and I didn’t even have the chance to think about it. The track and the sounds were definitely what drove the song to be what it is though. That piece came first.
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TYF: Besides writing a bomb song like “Matches,” how else do you cure a broken heart?
Lankes: I think time alone and time with the people that love you help you heal. I spent a lot of time in Texas with family and away from friends and though it made it more lonely at times, I think I had more time to process what happened and how I can grow and be better from it instead of burying it with being busy or going out or numbing the pain with drinking or whatever else. Also, just taking care of yourself and doing the things that make you happy help you move forward. Traveling, writing, working, being productive. I think just finding a solid place to stand and not rushing the healing process is important.
TYF: “Matches” is the first song you released since taking a year and a half break away from music. Why did you decide to take a break?
Lankes: I left LA pretty disappointed and feeling like I had failed because a lot of opportunities and steps forward career-wise never really panned out. Everything stalled and I just felt at a loss. I had to take some time to decide what I wanted to do with my life and what that looked like.
TYF: Will you be sticking to the electro-pop genre or do you like your music has changed since coming back to the music scene?
Lankes: I think it will definitely evolve as I start working with other people! I don’t ever want to put a box on it and not take creative chances. Even if a song is slightly off-brand, if it’s good I’ll release it. I’ll also pitch songs because I love writing for other artists and would love to do that more this next year.
TYF: Lastly, what can fans expect now that you’re back in the music scene?
Lankes: Lots of singles. I’m just going to release new songs when they’re ready to go and see what happens. I’d love to play some shows again as well but nothing is confirmed yet. I’m also going to be making exclusive merch for each single so people can have a keepsake from each release.
For more information on Chelsea Lankes, visit her Facebook page and to listen to more of her music, visit her SoundCloud page.
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