Recently, we had the opportunity to chat with the uber talented Sunday Lane. As iHeartRadio best described her, she's an artist to watch. Lane has not only played top music festivals like Coachella, but her music has even made its way onto prime-time television. With her lyrics about social injustices in our society, young love, and growing up, Lane sets herself apart from the other singer-songwriters in the music industry today. Check out our interview with Lane below:
Sunday Lane: Recording this album was a wonderful experience. I knew I wanted to work with Zach Annett again (he produced, mixed, and drummed on my EP), I just didn't know when I'd get the opportunity since I was living in LA and he was living in Fayetteville, AR finishing up school. I also knew that I wanted to take my time with recording this album and really get each song done right. This album is a bit unique in that only guitars and bass were tracked in a studio. The rest of it, including my vocals, piano, drums, upright bass, and cello were recorded in the living room of the house I grew up in. It felt like a full circle moment to be able to record my first album on the piano that I wrote my first song on. The title comes from a line in "Light Up," which states, "the sun will only shine from where you are." I knew I wanted to name the album from a lyric within one of the songs, and this line just really clicked with me. My favorite song off of the album is “Waltzing With Fire.” Jessy Greene played a beautiful violin part on it, and I just think it's a powerful song.
PCL: How was making this album different from your debut EP Bring Me Sunshine back in 2010? As far as the music goes, do you see a difference or growth between the two pieces?
Sunday: With the EP, I had nothing to prove and we essentially tracked it in a weekend. I just wanted to have some sort of product to show people what I sounded like and see if anyone would listen. A full length album is already more daunting because it's twice as long and since I was living in LA and recording in Tulsa there would be month gaps between tracking which makes it hard sometimes to stay excited about the project. There's no way I could have done this without the support of my family and Zach Annett. He was so wonderful to work with. I believe I did grow as both a lyricist and musician since releasing Bring Me Sunshine. I got to co-write with Allan Rich on a few of the album songs, and he really challenged me to take my time and make sure each phrase was perfect.
PCL: In the past, you’ve released music videos for your songs “Won’t Go Back Down”, "Reckless One", and most recently “A Little Too Young”. What was it like making these videos? Did you have a favorite one to shoot?
Sunday: I've been blessed to work with amazing people on all three videos. Nathan Presley shot the first one and the goal was to make the video look like it took place over an entire summer, when we really shot it in 3 days. Didn't get much sleep that weekend, but it was definitely worth it. I still watch it from time to time just because it was such a fun experience to shoot! “Reckless One” was shot by Zach Mann. I woke up the day after it had played on One Tree Hill in a panic because we didn't have a video for it on YouTube and people were contacting me requesting for me to put something up. I had a flight that day at 2pm, so I rushed over to Zach's we shot it in about an hour and then he gave me a ride to the airport. “A Little Too Young” was definitely my favorite video to shoot because we literally just laughed all day. Evan Smith shot it in Norman, OK where some of my siblings live so they got to be there too and it was so fun to experience that with them. Samara, the little girl in the video, was incredible. She didn't break character once even though we were all cracking up! Such a fun day.
PCL: Do you have a favorite song to perform live?
Sunday: “Reckless One” isn't my favorite song to sing, but it's my favorite song to perform because people really seem to connect with it and as a performer that's a pretty amazing feeling.
PCL: Two of your songs were featured on the CW’s One Tree Hill. How did that come about? Did you tune in? How did you find the response to your music after those episodes aired?
Sunday: I met Sasha Jackson, an actress from One Tree Hill, after one of my shows. She really liked it, so I gave her a cd, which she passed along to the writer of One Tree Hill. He really liked it as well and contacted me via email saying that he wanted to use two of my songs in the final season. We emailed back and forth a couple times and I actually got to meet him. He's an incredible man. I have so much respect for him and feel honored he wanted to use my songs. I didn't get to watch it live because I was recording with Thick as Thieves that night. So I was a bit bummed about that, but I did get to see it later. The response was incredible. One Tree Hill has such a loyal following and I feel privileged to be a small part of it.
PCL: Back in 2011, you performed at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. There’s so much great talent involved with this highly publicized festival. What was it like to play it? Who did you enjoy seeing perform? Did you get to meet any of the other acts?
Sunday: Musicians Institute hosts a stage there each year and they presented the opportunity to me. Their stage is set up across from one of the main stages, so in between each show I would play a twenty minute set and people from the other shows would file in to escape the heat! It was so fun and I felt really blessed to have been selected. We played all day, so the only band I got to see perform was Mumford & Sons. They put on an incredible show! I didn't get to meet any other acts, I wish!
PCL: What motivated you to become a singer? Who are some of you biggest musical influences? If you could tour with any musician, who would it be?
Sunday: I grew up engulfed in music. My mom is an incredible classical singer and she always encouraged me to be involved in music. I didn't know that music was something I wanted to do full time until I was eighteen, but ever since I can't imagine doing anything else. I really look up to David Gray as both a songwriter and performer. My ideal tour would be to open for Bon Iver. I think he's incredible.
PCL: You’re originally from Tulsa, but now currently living in Hollywood to pursue music. What was that move from home like?
Sunday: It was challenging because I'm really close to my family and still miss them a lot. However, I've met some incredible people in LA and I'm really happy to be living there for the time being.
PCL: Since you’re a singer-songwriter, is there one that you prefer over the other?
Sunday: Songwriting is definitely my favorite thing in the world to do. Nothing else in my life has ever come to me as naturally or felt more fulfilling. I love singing, but songwriting is definitely something I want to be doing for the rest of my life.
PCL: What’s next for you? Any new projects coming up that fans can look forward to?
PCL: How was making this album different from your debut EP Bring Me Sunshine back in 2010? As far as the music goes, do you see a difference or growth between the two pieces?
Sunday: With the EP, I had nothing to prove and we essentially tracked it in a weekend. I just wanted to have some sort of product to show people what I sounded like and see if anyone would listen. A full length album is already more daunting because it's twice as long and since I was living in LA and recording in Tulsa there would be month gaps between tracking which makes it hard sometimes to stay excited about the project. There's no way I could have done this without the support of my family and Zach Annett. He was so wonderful to work with. I believe I did grow as both a lyricist and musician since releasing Bring Me Sunshine. I got to co-write with Allan Rich on a few of the album songs, and he really challenged me to take my time and make sure each phrase was perfect.
PCL: In the past, you’ve released music videos for your songs “Won’t Go Back Down”, "Reckless One", and most recently “A Little Too Young”. What was it like making these videos? Did you have a favorite one to shoot?
Sunday: I've been blessed to work with amazing people on all three videos. Nathan Presley shot the first one and the goal was to make the video look like it took place over an entire summer, when we really shot it in 3 days. Didn't get much sleep that weekend, but it was definitely worth it. I still watch it from time to time just because it was such a fun experience to shoot! “Reckless One” was shot by Zach Mann. I woke up the day after it had played on One Tree Hill in a panic because we didn't have a video for it on YouTube and people were contacting me requesting for me to put something up. I had a flight that day at 2pm, so I rushed over to Zach's we shot it in about an hour and then he gave me a ride to the airport. “A Little Too Young” was definitely my favorite video to shoot because we literally just laughed all day. Evan Smith shot it in Norman, OK where some of my siblings live so they got to be there too and it was so fun to experience that with them. Samara, the little girl in the video, was incredible. She didn't break character once even though we were all cracking up! Such a fun day.
PCL: Do you have a favorite song to perform live?
Sunday: “Reckless One” isn't my favorite song to sing, but it's my favorite song to perform because people really seem to connect with it and as a performer that's a pretty amazing feeling.
PCL: Two of your songs were featured on the CW’s One Tree Hill. How did that come about? Did you tune in? How did you find the response to your music after those episodes aired?
Sunday: I met Sasha Jackson, an actress from One Tree Hill, after one of my shows. She really liked it, so I gave her a cd, which she passed along to the writer of One Tree Hill. He really liked it as well and contacted me via email saying that he wanted to use two of my songs in the final season. We emailed back and forth a couple times and I actually got to meet him. He's an incredible man. I have so much respect for him and feel honored he wanted to use my songs. I didn't get to watch it live because I was recording with Thick as Thieves that night. So I was a bit bummed about that, but I did get to see it later. The response was incredible. One Tree Hill has such a loyal following and I feel privileged to be a small part of it.
PCL: Back in 2011, you performed at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. There’s so much great talent involved with this highly publicized festival. What was it like to play it? Who did you enjoy seeing perform? Did you get to meet any of the other acts?
Sunday: Musicians Institute hosts a stage there each year and they presented the opportunity to me. Their stage is set up across from one of the main stages, so in between each show I would play a twenty minute set and people from the other shows would file in to escape the heat! It was so fun and I felt really blessed to have been selected. We played all day, so the only band I got to see perform was Mumford & Sons. They put on an incredible show! I didn't get to meet any other acts, I wish!
PCL: What motivated you to become a singer? Who are some of you biggest musical influences? If you could tour with any musician, who would it be?
Sunday: I grew up engulfed in music. My mom is an incredible classical singer and she always encouraged me to be involved in music. I didn't know that music was something I wanted to do full time until I was eighteen, but ever since I can't imagine doing anything else. I really look up to David Gray as both a songwriter and performer. My ideal tour would be to open for Bon Iver. I think he's incredible.
PCL: You’re originally from Tulsa, but now currently living in Hollywood to pursue music. What was that move from home like?
Sunday: It was challenging because I'm really close to my family and still miss them a lot. However, I've met some incredible people in LA and I'm really happy to be living there for the time being.
PCL: Since you’re a singer-songwriter, is there one that you prefer over the other?
Sunday: Songwriting is definitely my favorite thing in the world to do. Nothing else in my life has ever come to me as naturally or felt more fulfilling. I love singing, but songwriting is definitely something I want to be doing for the rest of my life.
PCL: What’s next for you? Any new projects coming up that fans can look forward to?
Sunday: Yes! I've actually got two side projects that will both be releasing EP's soon. One is called Fauntella Crow, it's a collaboration with Jessy Greene and sounds a bit like female Bon Iver. The other is a hip-hop/rock band called Thick as Thieves. We've been described as "Led Zeppelin meets Tupac." I really believe in both projects and feel honored to be a part of them!
We want to thank Sunday Lane for taking the time to talk with us. Make sure to check out her latest music video for her current single "A Little Too Young" below. If you haven't already, go follow her on Twitter here and pick up your copy of her first full-length album, From Where You Are, here.
Interview by Stephanie Coffey
