Singer/songwriter Lori Triplett hails from Nashville, TN, and is all for expressing her truth in the spotlight. Transitioning into a variety of genres and dabbling in various forms of artistry, Lori Triplett has always had a pure sense of attraction towards the music community. Her most recent collection of work has proved her to be quite a down-to-earth artist. Tailoring numerous themes to the essence of her songs, Lori Triplett knows how to compel an audience and ultimately propel the spiritual senses of listeners.
One of Lori's recent releases, "Slow Poison," feels potent in various and contrasting ways. Graceful guitar melodies open up "Slow Poison," which sets up the song's theme in a stabilizing way. Lori Triplett focuses on harmonious vocalism and ultimately pairs it with honest recollections of life experiences. Soon enough, listeners are exposed to more graceful melodies that establish a serene and tranquil listening environment, allowing time for one to escape their own thoughts and tribulations. With the spotlight on introspections regarding her own personal life, Lori Triplett isn't afraid, to be honest with both herself and her listeners, which allows for that artist-to-listener connection to extend deeper with more depth. All in all, "Slow Poison" felt incredibly surreal, offering moments of reflection and gratitude, as well as explorative realizations.
What kind of introspection level did you feel you had to reach in order to create "Slow Poison?" Were there any obstacles you encountered while writing and recording the track, specifically regarding the intended message of the track?
In thinking back at my writing process for the song “Slow Poison,” it almost seems as though the idea was stirring in me for a very long time before it was even a thought in mind to try to write. I’ve always been someone who feels things deeply and is highly reflective and empathetic, so seeing the endless stories and cycles of hatred, racism, disrespect, fighting, and overall pain in the world are things that I’ve always carried around with me and that has bothered me to my core...even if they weren’t my own stories to bear. I wrote “Slow Poison” pre-pandemic and before the most recent protests and riots and could never imagine how timely this song would be when it would finally be released. I sat down and started writing what would eventually become “Slow Poison” after unexpectedly seeing a short sequence of very graphic violent videos that really shook me. And even though the song is very simple musically and lyrically, I knew what I wanted to say had a lot of weight behind it. I really struggled with getting the right words out for this because I didn’t want it to sound “preachy” or that I thought I was above any of it, but I knew I had something really important I wanted to say about it all, so I didn’t let myself get up from the room I was writing it in until I finished it. How would you describe the primary way you intended your listeners to feel after listening to "Slow Poison?"
I would hope listening to “Slow Poison” would make someone stop and really think about what’s happening around them. Are they adding to the problem or helping it to disappear instead? Life is too short for all this chaos and hatred, and I really feel if people tried to swallow their pride even a little bit and took the time to really get to know one another on a personal level, they might see they are more alike than different. We all want to be understood, heard, and loved. And I just want anyone who listens to this to remember the humanity in us all. We don’t have to hate each other just because we disagree...we can learn to appreciate those differences and learn how to do better together. I know it sounds a little dreamy, but I hope people can at least find it in themselves to consider this possibility and path because if we aren’t loving each other, we are just slowly killing one another with hatred...a slow poison. You're most definitely an artist who strives to be deeply rooted within your own faith. Would you say that "Slow Poison" reflected any of this faith in any way?
My faith is definitely something that comes out in my writing sometimes because it’s at the core of who I am as a person. I grew up learning you should love your neighbor as yourself and also that you should love your enemies. I understand these can prove to be really tough things to put into practice in real life, but I think we would all be better for it if we all gave it a try, which is what I’m suggesting in the song. As an artist who has worked with various individuals and collaborated with many artists regarding the content of your songs, are there any experiences that you've endured that have felt lesson-learning?
If there’s anything I’ve learned in this journey of being an independent artist, it’s that I have to find the balance of listening and respecting the opinions and advice of others I respect and trust my own instincts and artistic voice. In the past, I’ve held off on creating something I felt passionate about because I was waiting for someone else’s approval or for the green light from someone else. I’ve learned that if it’s genuinely good work and important to me, then it’s my duty to the listener as the artist to put it out there in the best way I can. We’re all constantly evolving and growing, and so I think it’s important to show those snapshots of yourself as those artistic changes are happening instead of waiting for the “perfect time.” What has been keeping you inspired in 2020?
Seeing other people persevere in the face of struggle has inspired me to keep moving forward while dealing with my own struggles from this pandemic. Being reminded that we’re not promised tomorrow has lit a flame under me to really push myself to keep creating and releasing new music while I have the opportunity and gift of life to do so.