By: Máire Hannigan
If you’re in the market for new music, we’ve got an artist for you! Betsy Lane, a 24-year-old singer-songwriter from Nashville, TN, developed a passion for music at the age of 5 with violin lessons, which evolved to the guitar at 15. Surrounded by Country music, living in Music City, Lane fell in love with the concept of storytelling through music, releasing her first EP, “10 Months Ago” in January of 2013. The EP quickly climbed the Country charts landing a #63 spot in the US, #23 across the pond in the UK, and #118 in Australia. A year later, Lane released her second EP, “Southern Crazy,” which also found its way on the charts claiming #21 in the UK and #46 in the US. Her most recent release, a self-titled EP, shows listeners, both fans of country and pop, how Lane has changed and grown since her first EP as well as how she has remained true to herself.
WS: Before we dive in, tell our readers a little bit about yourself! Who is Betsy Lane? What can you tell us that we might not already know from your social media?
Betsy Lane: I feel like I share a good amount of my life on social media, and I try to let anyone who sees [my social media] really know who I am. First, I’m a woman of God, then I’m a daughter, a sister, a friend, and lastly, I’m an artist. I am so honored that God would trust me with the gifts of creativity and the ability to write songs – it’s mind blowing that he loves me that much.
WS: You released your first EP, “10 Months Ago” back in 2013. How would you say you’ve grown as a songwriter over the past 5 years?
BL: I had written almost all of those songs when I was still in high school, and my perspective of the world was very limited. I remember I would stay in on the weekends when my friends would go out and I would write in my room until midnight. But, because of that, I was accepted to the Belmont Songwriting program where I grew exponentially as a writer. It’s almost impossible to describe. The people that I’ve met and written with have encouraged me to grow. Community, in any aspect, pushes you to be better, and thankfully, my community has done that. In the last five years, I have found my voice and my purpose. I use my words carefully, to say exactly what I want, because I think the power in the ability to tell stories is amazing and I don’t want to abuse it.
WS: How is this EP different from the last two? What would you say makes this one stand out?
BL: This EP is my truth. I spent years writing it. I lived it. I’m proud of it. I did so much research on production and was really invested in where I wanted this project to go musically. It was amazing to see it all come together because of my producer, Mark Fain. With this specific project, I really wanted to maintain the integrity and dignity of country music, that I feel has been lost a little bit over the last few years, while still making it modern enough to compete with the market.
WS: It’s been a few years since we’ve heard new music from you, why such a long gap?
BL: After the “Southern Crazy” release, I was so focused on writing for the radio and writing for a publishing deal [that] I lost my voice as an artist. I sat down over a year ago to release music and realized that I wouldn’t cut anything that I had been writing. So, that was a big reality check. I talked to a bunch of my friends and made some goals and immediately started writing for this EP. Music takes time because life takes time. I can’t experience everything I wrote about in 6 months.
WS: What can you tell our readers about your songwriting process? What comes first?
BL: It’s different for every song. Usually, I’ll have a hook or a general idea I bring into a writing room. Sometimes, I’ll have a melody to go with it. I am ALL about telling my truth and sharing my story, so sometimes my co-writer and I will just talk for an hour and then start writing what we know.
WS: What’s your favorite song off the new EP and why?
BL: I can’t pick a favorite! That’s like asking your mom to pick a favorite child. It’s too hard.
WS: How did you pick the songs for the EP? What’s the process like for you?
BL: This project was really different. I would leave a writing room and be like, “This song is so going on the project,” and I’d tuck it away and save it for this project. It all came together really naturally, and I immediately realized that when I was done writing for it. I wanted to pick what told my story the best, what shared my truth, and what I would want to listen to as a consumer.
WS: If someone is just discovering you, what song do you think showcases who you are as an artist best?
BL: I could argue for all of the songs on the EP! [laughs] They’re all different and show unique sides of who I am as an artist. I love “Limited Edition” because it shows the energetic and carefree side of my music while “To Hear Her Tell It” shares a truth about life and loss through really intentional lyrics. Listening to those two songs, you get both sides of the spectrum and all [of] the other songs fall in between.
WS: You’ve toured in England twice now. What can you tell us about that? What was that experience like?
BL: It’s wild! I never in a million years thought I’d be playing shows in England, but it’s always SO fun. The girls who have been showing up consistently are my friends now, and it makes me so happy to go across the pond and play shows. They know all the words. They sing along, which is so surreal. They’re always bringing new friends to the shows and making sure everyone knows about me and my music. It makes me feel so loved and so special.
WS: What hopes do you have for your career in the next few years?
BL: I have a lot of dreams. Big ones. Small ones. Some that are so far-fetched that I can truly only dream about them. But, I think the biggest goal is to reach people and make an impact on people’s lives through the stories I tell. Sure, I have dreams about accepting a Grammy, a CMA award, sharing a stage with someone like Taylor Swift, and getting signed to a major label, but I don’t need any of that to keep writing songs and sharing my stories. I can dream and try to achieve, but at the end of the day as long as I have people listening, I’ll keep going.
Stream “Betsy Lane.” Available on iTunes and Spotify!
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