How can we not be hooked immediately by a name like Lava Dreams? This Kansas City-based queer artist has a fresh electric single that will elevate her career to the upper ranks of the alternative-rock scene. Saying hello to her new self, “R.I.P. The Old Me” will be released on all major streaming platforms on Friday, July 28th.
Lava Dreams (she/they) began writing songs as a young child and became a self-taught musician after learning her first guitar chords from her father. Lava soaked in the experiences of being in numerous rock bands in elementary school leading into her teens and early twenties before deciding to break away from the pack as a solo artist in 2017 when the moniker “Lava Dreams” was established. After her latest Ep, “GOOD ENERGY + FOCUS,” received positive critical acclaim, it became one of the best projects in 2020. Following this release, her upward projection was no stopping as she steams ahead, carving a path for herself while leaving a wake of alternative pop bangers along the way.
The name Lava Dreams perfectly describes the crisp, smoking-hot guitar riffs surrounded by dreamy, ethereal vocals encapsulating her sound as it evolves. A brief docu-series on Instagram stemming from a youtube vlog has been following the creation of the new record since its inception, bringing her audience deep into the personal creation process of the record. The idea stemmed from a bat flying around her bedroom, circling her bed one night. We all have to face the “ugly, little scary things… you have to process it, and you have to deal with it to transform and heal”. She travels deep into herself as much-needed self-reflection grounds herself into the new person this young fan is becoming.
Time couldn’t go by any slower as we wait for July 28th in anticipation of this new single, “R.I.P The Old Me,” waiting to be entranced by her mystical production style that will send you on a journey to the misty mountaintop.
Welcome to BuzzMusic, Lava Dreams, and congratulations on your latest release, "R.I.P. The Old Me." It's been a blast watching your growth since you first appeared here. At what point in time did the bat fly into your bedroom? Was it a crucial transitionary time for you when the event occurred, inspiring the electric record "R.I.P The Old Me?"
One night during the summer of 2020, I woke up around 3 AM because my cat was acting strange, running around the room and pawing at the air. I saw a bat circling above my bed in the dark. After an utterly sleepless night, I took the experience as a symbol of the turning point I was at. Bats are often seen as a sign of death and transformation- that resonated with me deeply, and I knew it would be a significant icon for me- an outer image of my inner world. I was at a point where I had been doing a lot of shadow work - looking at the ugly, dark, and traumatic events that had taken place early in my life and were still affecting me as an adult. Things that terrified me. Something that stopped me from looking in the mirror and facing myself. I chose to do that inner work because I knew that suppressing it was holding me back from my potential. The old me allowed my fears to keep me stuck. That version of me is dead. I've mourned her, and I can never go back to her. She helped me survive and transform, but I no longer need her for this new stage of life. I'm choosing every day now to embrace the new me - an artist who doesn't shy away from brutal truths... who is embracing their potential to the fullest.
We thoroughly enjoyed the docu-series released throughout the creation of "R.I.P. The Old Me." It took us deep into the fun yet deep creative process that brought about the song. Why do you find it essential for listeners to see this process?
People love to see the process behind the product. I know because that's how I feel about the artists I'm a fan of. It is satisfying to know what inspires the art you love and get an inside look at how it was birthed. I wanted to give that gift to my listeners. I wanted to connect on a deeper level and show them what I create and how I create it authentically and vulnerably.
Your sound seems to have elevated on "R.I.P. The Old Me." Has working with the record producer pivotally influenced your sound, or was it more of a personal growth?
There's been a lot of personal growth in my craft, as is perpetually the case. Spencer Hoad produced the vocals and levelled up that piece for me as well. But R.I.P. is the first track I'm releasing on which I produced the instrumental myself, and I'm gaining more confidence as a music producer lately, among other things. I'm always working to grow and improve with everything I do, whether singing, writing songs, playing instruments, performing, or directing and editing visual content.
Would you say "R.I.P. The Old Me" is Lava Dreams finding her new self?
Undoubtedly. There are many indicators of this newfound confidence in "R.I.P. THE OLD ME." Rather than trying to stick to a certain sound because that's what my listeners are used to at this point, I decided to treat this song sonically as an independent project - giving the song what it needed to bloom into its highest potential without limiting it to the sounds I've stuck to in the past. Leaning into music production with this track made me realize I have the capacity to actualize my ideas musically fully, and I can rely on myself more than I previously thought possible. Other than that, there's the subject matter of the song itself. I used this project to cathartically release some of the tension and emotions I've suppressed for most of my life. I even smashed some things for visuals. And it felt good.
What does Lava Dreams have in store for the rest of the year that we can look forward to?
I'll be performing more, working on more new music, more visuals, and continuing to document every step along the way.
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