Artist Interview: Lani Watson
We sat down with Lani Watson, the rising artist known for her bold, genre-fluid music and unflinching lyrical honesty. From Nashville, Lani discusses how her personal experiences—including her journey to self-acceptance, her polyamorous identity, and her passion for activism—fuel her art. Get a glimpse into her creative process, her ambitious multi-genre project, and how she's making space for underrepresented voices.
Tori: Your music often explores themes of intimacy and honesty. What inspires you to write about your personal experiences?
Lani: Writing about my life experiences is a way for me to process them, become more comfortable in my skin and more efficient at explaining who I am to others. Having niche interests and orientations can feel isolating, but when you hear and see artists who look, think, or live like you, it opens a wide door that welcomes you into your own self-expression. I’ve been inspired by other artists writing about their sensuality and sexuality, and the more visible people can be in a multiplicity of lifestyles, the easier it is for people, who are still in discovery mode, to find themselves. It’s so impactful for people of any age to hear a song that resonates with their lifestyle, and I feel personally accomplished in stepping into the vulnerable space of overt self-expression to make my lifestyle visible and accessible to others. Being able to exist as my authentic self inspires me to write about it.
Tori: You experiment with a wide range of genres. How do you decide which style to use for a particular song?
Lani: My producer and I have spent the last year working on a really fun project about composition skill and songwriting variety; we tried to do every song in a different genre. I like to sing in a variety of genres so I wrote and composed differently for each one I wanted to try. The mood of each song dictated which direction we went, and the stark difference in instrumentation was a fun challenge.
Tori: Your voice is described as both raw and reflective. Can you tell us about your vocal approach and how you develop it?
Lani: Regarding the multi-genre project I’ve been working on this past year, vocal performance has been an interesting challenge. Some songs are at the top of my register, "Dodged a Bullet" reaches down into the basement of my voice, and for the pop songs I play into high-register softer tones, breathy seductive tones, and then I’ll change it up again for my upcoming jazzy pop song and lullaby. For some songs I sing my heart out in my natural tone, and in others I transform a different sound to show another side of myself. It’s so much fun to play different characters.
Tori: You're working on a project to write in as many genres as possible. What's the most challenging genre for you to write in, and why?
Lani: So far the most challenging has been French EDM. I’m not fluent, though I can get around parts of Europe in French, but trying to rhyme in a non-native language is difficult. I’ve also worked on learning how to compose for different instruments like bagpipes, trumpet, Celtic flute, and fiddle. It’s a good mental exercise to keep changing up the instruments!
Tori: How do your outdoor activities, like trail running and skiing, influence your creativity and songwriting?
Lani: When I’m trail running or skiing, I get into a flow state and reach this uninhibited idea zone. I have so many terribly bouncy voice memos I record while running or skiing because I don’t want to forget my ideas. It’s similar to when I’m about to fall asleep, in the hazy twilight zone of consciousness where things that might be a little outlandish or unusual poke through, or where emotions that I’ve been distracted from all day are able to surface. Aside from the mental effect of exercise on creativity, the scenery itself is inspiring. Who wouldn’t write a great campfire song while out in the wilderness, staring at an 18,000’ snow-capped mountain?
Tori: You're a passionate advocate for women's and LGBTQ+ healthcare. How do you incorporate activism into your music and artistry?
Lani: You will find me at the women’s marches, you will find me working with local clinics and hospitals on improving pregnancy and postpartum services, and you’ll hear me singing about women’s healthcare, access to reproductive care, and positive representations of sexuality. I work to create spaces for women and people in the rainbow club to feel safe and heard. Most recently I organized a Pride Concert featuring all queer artists and it was such a joy to see everyone on the stage and in the audience enjoy being completely themselves.
Tori: Your single "Poly Pocket" is a bold expression of your polyamorous identity. What inspired you to write this song, and how do you hope it resonates with listeners?
Lani: "Poly Pocket" took about ten years to finish. I first wrote the refrain in college around 2014, and didn’t know what the song was going to fully encompass. It wasn’t until I came out later in life that I was able to finish the song and finally release it on the day I headlined a Pride concert this year. It was inspired by my defiance of the perceived societal expectation of the perfect “Barbie girl.” The variation within Barbie is narrow and I liked the contrast of the myriad Polly Pocket outfits representing the huge variety one can seek in life. Also, the poly-Polly pun makes me laugh. For listeners, I hope they hear that polyamory exists! And that it’s valid and fun and exciting and a customizable way to relate to others. I hope people associate the feelings of curiosity, joy, and inclusivity with my music and are inspired to learn more about the variety of possible relationship styles.
Tori: The song has a distinct 2000s dance pop revival vibe. What drew you to that style, and how did you modernize it?
Lani: When composing the music for this, I wanted to feel the way I felt back in the early 2000s dancing to the Pussycat Dolls. I feel the lyrical content in itself is a modern take on dance pop. It’s 2025 - we need hot club songs about threesomes, I can’t listen to another song about bringing one girl back to a hotel. It’s like if the Pussycat Dolls and Tate McRae co-wrote a queer dancey jam.
Tori: Can you walk us through your creative process when writing a song like "Poly Pocket?"
Lani: The melody and half the lyrics came to me a long ten years ago, but the creative process was really coming out. I’d never totally finished a song before I came out, and now the ideas just flow. I do play around with the structure of songs a lot, I don’t like to follow rules and I enjoy rearranging sections until they hit just right.
Tori: How do you balance your artistic expression with your desire to make a difference through your music?
Lani: I don’t try to balance anything. I full-send say what I mean and I don’t censor myself. I believe being my most aligned, most authentic and honest self is the best way to make my music impactful. I want to hear people’s honest emotions and thoughts when I listen to their craft. I want music to strike nerves and embolden actions and be a source of strength when people need something to chant to. The best way to make a difference is to not sand down any differences one has from the status quo.
Tori: You're based in Nashville but hail from California. How has your music been influenced by these different environments?
Lani: I’m an outdoorsman who grew up by the beach, lived in the mountains, studied in farmland, and then moved across the country. California is a magical mix of environments, and it’s such a special place for me to have grown up because I do my best problem solving when I’m running or skiing. There are infinite trails and ski runs all across the state and every single one is an opportunity for creativity and new ideas. The melting pot of people across California and in Nashville have contributed to my varied music taste and writing. Getting exposed to so many different types of people, music, lifestyles, and landscapes has removed barriers to what I thought songwriting could be, and allowed me to freely explore different styles.
Tori: Your music often features catchy, danceable beats. What's your approach to crafting a song that's both meaningful and fun to dance to?
Lani: The more deeply that you mean what you say, the harder the song hits. Whatever the lyrics are, if you’re saying it with your chest, it’s going to be catchy. I write honest lyrics and I have so much fun recording and performing, I think that lends itself to being fun to dance to.
Tori: You're known for your bold and unflinching honesty in your lyrics. How do you decide what stories to share through your music?
Lani: If a memory moves me, if something was a meaningful experience, or just a memorable short moment, those stories carry enough substance to fill a song. I pick the most poignant story at the time, and write it out from there. Whatever I need to get off my chest is the next idea I pick.
Tori: How do you think your music can help create space for underrepresented stories and voices?
Lani: Visibility allows for the less commonly heard voices to feel included through music. I try to explicitly say the typically unspoken truths about women’s health, polyamory, millennial and genZ work culture, and sexuality. I enjoy the poetic side of songwriting, coding things in metaphors, but sometimes I just try to be direct so that my intended message is unmistakeable. The more often someone loudly and proudly presents their honest self, the easier it is for others to see them and feel comfortable expressing themselves in a similar way.
Tori: What can fans expect from your upcoming music releases and performances?
Lani: I am still working on the multi-genre project and have some fun ones in the pipeline - Celtic EDM, a lullaby, French EDM, and Pop-Punk. I also have an Americana-Pop EP underway.
Tori: You're also a painter. How does your visual artistry influence your music, if at all?
Lani: My paintings represent my music visually. Some of my paintings are about my songs, some just show how I feel about myself. I’ve had a lot of fun combining my visual and musical arts and I use my own designs for my merch. I also create my own album cover art. I’m grateful to be able to create acoustically and visually, it feels complete.
Tori: How do you stay true to yourself as an artist while also pushing the boundaries of your creativity?
Lani: Challenging myself to reflect on and process my life experiences deeply so that I can articulate how they affect me keeps me in alignment with myself. I love variety, novelty, and learning something new, so pushing the boundaries of genre and vocal style feels true to who I am.
Tori: Looking ahead, what are your goals and aspirations for your music career, and how do you plan to continue making a difference through your art?
Lani: I’m excited to continue working on my EP and play local shows in Nashville. This winter I’m looking at a small ski tour through Colorado, playing and skiing in different mountain towns. Over time, I hope to further integrate my activism through benefit concerts and donate to women’s, LGBTQ+ and mental health organizations. I’ll keep saying what I mean, writing about real world issues, and unabashedly expressing myself so that hopefully, someone who needs to hear the same things I did, can find my music.
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