Lenka
Interview conduct March 18, 2021
By Dan Locke
Lenka is an Australian singer and actress best known for her song “The Show”, from her debut album, Lenka. “The Show” has been used in numerous advertisements, most notably for Old Navy, as well as the Nickelodeon film Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging and the 2011 film Moneyball. Her song “Everything at Once” was used in a Windows 8 television advertisement and in a Disney Movie Rewards commercial. Her fifth studio album, Attune, was released in 2017.
You are a Australian singer- songwriter. What is your upbringing?
i was raised by a teacher and a jazz musician in a bohemian country setting, and then suburban Sydney.
You have been around the music world for over 12 years. How did you discover music?
i started playing as a child, through my dad. Piano, trumpet and singing. All was on hold while I explored my first passion, acting. Then I started taking music more seriously around 2003.
How did you start to write music?
i just used to sit at the piano and muck around, putting feelings to words and melodies. It’s always come naturally.
You did a promo for Ugly Betty. How was it to create a promo for the TV show?
Yes that show used my song The Show, which was a lucky break!
Describe your music.
Whimsical indie-pop
What was your first performance at like?
i was six and it was with my dads jazz band in a country town! I loved being in front of an audience.
Do you belong to any to songwriters’ organizations like the International singer-songwriter association, SESAC, BMI or ASCAP?
ASCAP
What was the title of your first original song? Did you record it?
I would say the first good song I wrote was “half cocoon” when I was about 18. It was on guitar and I never recorded it, but played it to friends who encouraged me to keep going.
What is the process of writing your music?
its always different! Sometimes piano, sometimes ukulele, sometimes just a melody recorded on the iPhone and then put to beats.
Tell me about your last EP “Discover”?
The EP was produced by Darren Seltmann of The Avalanches. How was it to work with him?
it was great to work with Darren. He’s very detailed but spontaneous. He got me to play layers and layers of synths and things and then he worked it all out in the mix.
What is the backstory for the video “ What Goes UP”?
My brother filmed that video with his drone on Christmas Day on our property! Just a quick simple idea to express the feeling of going up and down.
What is your favorite track on your album?
it always changes. I can’t possibly choose!
Any plans for new music this year?
Yes! I’ll be releasing a few tracks as stand along singles through the year.
What are you’re feeling about streaming music?
I’m at peace with it now, though it did take me a while to accept it! I listen to Spotify all the time.
The symbol # is known as the number sign, hash, pound sign and a sharp sign in music. The symbol has historically been used for a wide range of purposes Since 2007, widespread usage of the symbol to introduce metadata tags on social media platforms has led to such tags being known as “hashtags”, and from that, the symbol itself is sometimes called a hashtag.
Are people forgetting that the # is a part of music?
i guess so!
Digital vs. vinyl?
both!
What song from the past is in your mind right now? Moreover, what is the meaning that song means to you?
Heart Of Gold, Neil Young. Me and my hubby have learned to play it together on guitar and ukulele. It’s a beautiful song.
Back before the virus hit the world you did a direct TV performance at SXSW in 2009. How was that week for you in Austin TX?
SXSW is crazy! I’ve done it 5 or 6 times and it’s always a blast.
If “Video Killed the Radio Star” do you think that the Covid-19 virus has killed live music? Do you feel the Covid-19 virus going to affect the music business in the future?
No I don’t think so. Here in Australia there are shows happening again as we’ve got Covid under control. People are excited to see live music again!
How are you beekeeping skills?
Terrible! I’m still learning.
How is Cameo Coming alone?
fine!I get a small, manageable amount of requests and donate the proceeds.
How did you get involved with The Asylum Seekers Resource Center?
Just seeing their ads on Instagram. I donate to various different charities.
On Valentine’s day you did a collaboration with SilenceWang at Dream X Collaboration. How did that come about?
i was invited to do something through that company as I’ve got a good fan base in China. I’ve never met Silence Wang. We did the whole thing remotely!
Have you discovered or rediscovered any new hobbies?
I love crafting and baking healthy treats.
How do you stay healthy during the lockdown?
Exercise, chatting to friends, sunshine.
Many artists are doing nightly concerts over either YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. In October that is going to change at least on Facebook. Facebook is cracking down on livestreamed shows that include recorded music with new terms of service, preventing artists from using the platform for “commercial or non-personal” purposes, unless they have obtained the relevant licenses.
The updated music guidelines state that users “may not use videos on our products [which include Instagram] to create a music listening experience […] This will include [Facebook] Live,” and stipulates that such content should be posted for the enjoyment of friends and family only.
How do you think this will change the landscape of Facebook?
i don’t know anything about this! Sounds weird.
How can bands keep their fans if they cannot play live in front of the fans and sell merchandise to them at the show?
The love of music will never fade away.
Is pay to play still a thing? Now pay to play also means thinks like playlist on the internet and opening slots for a major band on tour.
yeah. This stuff is crazy and I’m glad to have stepped back from that part of the music industry.
What about Holographic concerts in our living room?
fun!
Governments around the world are hearing the call of thousands of music creators and included protections for the music community in the omnibus bill. In addition to extended and improved unemployment benefits and small business loans for freelance creators, the package includes several bills which the Recording Academy, its members, and the larger music community advocated for. From the Save Our Stages Act, provided a lifeline to performance venues and promoters, to the CASE Act, which creates an avenue for smaller creators to defend their copyrighted works, Congress has ensured that both music creators and those who act behind the scenes to bring music to life are given the support they need during this difficult time.” Do you think this will save music venues?
Sounds hopeful! Any support is good.
In the past if a musician stop doing music they find a new career. For example David Lee Roth from Van Halen became a licensed EMT in NY for 6 years, San Spitz (guitarist for Anthrax) became a master watchmaker, Dee Snider (Twister Sister) voice over work for SpongeBob SquarePants.. If you can’t do music what would you like to be doing?
I do voice overs too. And make crafty things which I may start to sell.
What is your happy place?
in nature. Under a tree.
Alot of musicians such as Stevie Nicks, Bob Dylan, Taylor Swift, Journey, Def Leppard, and Shakira have sold their catalog rights within the last year. Bob Dylan sold his entire catalog for a reported $300 million. Once you get to the age of about 70. Publishing is far more lucrative then the mechanical royalties paid to artist based on sales, airplay and streams. A good example of this is Michael Jackson brought the rights to the Beatles catalog in 1985. And in the late 80’s the Beatles Revolution appeared in a Nike commercial.
The lump sums being offered by publishing firms are more tax friendly concerning estate planning.
Do you think you would be willing to sale your back catalog if someone like Universal is will to buy everything, such as all the rights to all your songs? Another factor is mortality.
I have a happy relationship with my publisher for now. One day maybe?
Spotify’s ‘Stream On’ event on Monday (February 22), the company confirmed that more than 60,000 new tracks are now being ingested by its platform every single day. This means people are added new tracks uploaded to its platform every 1.4 seconds.
The figure, announced by Spotify’s co-Head of Music, Jeremy Erlich, means that across the course of this year, approximately 22 million tracks will be added to Spotify’s catalog. Spotify confirmed in November last year that its platform now played host to around 70 million tracks.
Therefore it’s reasonable to assume that, by the end of 2021, SPOT will be home to over 90 million tracks. And that in the early part of next year, it will surpass a catalog of 100 million for the first time.
But still back at the beginning of the year Spotify deleted 750,00 songs, mostly from independent artists. What do you think what that could mean to independent artist?
i didn’t know about this. It’s a shame they deleted songs but over saturation isn’t good either! I try not to think about how much music is out there!
Sony Music in November and Warner Music Group in December, The ByteDance-owned video app revealed on (February 8) that it has struck an “expanded” global licensing agreement with Universal Music Group. Now that TikTok is now fully licensed by all three major record companies, will you start using TikTok?
No, I think I’ve missed the whole Tiktok thing. I’m fine with that!
Anything you would like to say in closing.
Thanks for supporting musicians!
XxLenka
