Lena Belle (Exclusive Interview)
What inspires your music?
I get inspired by nature, my life experiences, and the forces of the unseen realm, what some might call "God". I feel my music does not always come from me directly but from greater natural forces that I am able to channel into music. But, sometimes my music can also come from deeper emotional spaces and processing of my very human self.
How did you start your professional recording career?
I actually went to school for classical music at the Eastman School of Music, and after I graduated, I began shifting styles into more singer-songwriter and alternative pop music. I began writing more songs, doing local gigs in San Diego, and then I recorded and released my first EP My Own Way. Now I have a full album out called Nature Knows, which released this April 2022!
How did you come up with your single?
My album Nature Knows was a long multi-year process from writing the songs over several years to producing them over the course of a year and a half. It was a deep process of translating the vision for the sound I had in my head to the actual music you hear. The title track single Nature Knows was inspired by one walk in the canyon I took at my parent's house years back where I was getting direct messages from nature, seeing parallels in the path I was walking in the canyon with visions for my life in music ahead of me. I have always cherished this direct connection with Nature and the unseen world.
What is your genre of music?
I would say my genre of music is alternative pop with a spiritual bent. I like creating soundscapes with nature sounds, layered vocals, keyboards, and electronic beats. I also have some acoustic guitar tracks that are more introspective.
Who are your influences?
As a kid, I was always inspired by Regina Spektor. I also get inspiration from Joni Mitchel, and some of my now contemporaries in this spiritual festival music scene are Ayla Nereo, Ajeet Kaur, Rising Appalachia, and Trevor Hall. In terms of music production, I also get inspiration from Alina Baraz.
How do you define success?
I define success as living, growing, and expanding with music, having fun, and spreading joy in the world. I am going through a process of letting go of some of the vanity associated with being in a music career. When we get too focused on vanity, numbers, and what our career looks like from the outside, the joy of music begins to get sucked away and leave us feeling dry and exhausted. At the end of the day, we have to play music because we enjoy it and we enjoy sharing the beauty of this fleeting moment with other people.
What can we expect from you in 2022?
I am getting ready to release some remixes of songs from the album Nature Knows. I will also be performing around San Diego and potentially playing at some events or festivals in other areas of the US! In addition, I will be posting little comedic songs and acoustic versions of tracks on my social media, so you can find those on Instagram @Lenabellemusic and Tiktok: @Lenabellemusic_love.
