Summary
Lilly Hiatt’s album, Royal Blue, marks an exciting step forward in her musical journey, moving beyond the traditional singer-songwriter style into a sound that’s more vibrant and adventurous. In this podcast, we explore how Hiatt taps into her personal insecurities and turns them into powerful, relatable songs that resonate with listeners. She also opens up about life on the road, sharing what it’s like to perform both solo and with a band. Royal Blue stands out for its mix of humor and heartfelt reflection, tackling life’s ups and downs with honesty and charm. Through our conversation with Hiatt, it’s clear that she’s an artist in constant evolution, and we can’t wait to see where her music takes her next.
Episode Highlights
• Host Sloane Spencer sits down with talented singer-songwriter Lilly Hiatt to talk about her second album, Royal Blue, released on Normal Town Records.
• Royal Blue marks a shift in Hiatt’s sound, moving away from the folk-centered vibe of her debut and embracing a more dynamic, indie-rock feel.
• The conversation dives into the personal themes behind the album, including Hiatt’s reflections on insecurity, growth, and the creative journey that shaped each song.
• Hiatt shares what touring has been like, from playing solo shows to performing with a full band, and how those experiences have influenced her connection with audiences.
• She talks about how much she’s grown since her first album, and how life’s twists and turns have shaped her songwriting and artistic voice.
• The episode also explores her collaboration with producer Adam Landry and her band, who helped bring the sound of Royal Blue to life.
• Hiatt opens up about the importance of community, praising the support and creativity of fellow musicians in the Nashville scene.
• Listeners get a behind-the-scenes look at the music-making process, the stories behind the songs, and what it means to keep evolving as an artist.
Chapters
• 00:03 - Introducing Lilly Hiatt and Her New Album
• 05:58 - The Journey of Songwriting: From Idea to Album
• 13:24 - The Creative Balance: Ego and Self-Doubt in Music
• 14:15 - The Creative Process: Writing on the Road
• 19:51 - Transitioning to Royal Blue: The New Album
Here's What We Wrote Back in 2015
Lilly Hiatt released Royal Blue, to the surprise of fans of her singer-songwriter styled debut a couple years ago. For those who have seen her live with her band, though, Royal Blue comes closer to catching Hiatt’s quirky, reflective, trippy sensibility and personality. Royal Blue moves forward, demonstrating her growth as an artist in her own right, finding her path, and doing so her way. With an honest, open discussion of the self-doubt necessary to create art and some songwriters who are catching her ear, Lilly Hiatt shares who she is in this conversation.
Takeaways
• In this episode, we dive into Lilly Hiatt’s artistic growth and the making of her latest album, Royal Blue.
• Hiatt shares how her sound and songwriting have evolved since her debut, showing just how much she’s grown as an artist.
• We talk about her creative process, from writing songs to working closely with other musicians.
• Hiatt also opens up about life on tour and what it’s like to connect with audiences, whether she’s playing solo or with a full band.
Links
• Lilly Hiatt (https://LillyHiatt.com)
• Lilly Hiatt on Bandcamp (https://LillyHiatt.Bandcamp.com)
• You may also enjoy our conversation with Aaron Lee Tasjan (https://countryfriedrock.com/episode/Aaron-Lee-Tasjan)
• Sloane Spencer now hosts a Gen X sleep podcast, Sleep with Rock Stars (https://SleepwithRockStars.com)
• After you buy music or see a show with these musicians, we would love your support with a few dollars in our Tip Jar (https://countryfriedrock.com/support)
Bands and Musicians Mentioned in this Episode
• Deer Tick
• Diamond Rugs
• Buxton
• Aaron Lee Tasjan
• Margo Price
Recommended If You Like
Lilly Hiatt, Royal Blue album, Country Fried Rock podcast, singer songwriter, Normal Town Records, Nashville music scene, touring musicians, creative process in songwriting, live acoustic performances, album art design, music collaboration, indie music interviews, songwriting inspiration, emerging artists in Nashville, analog recording, personal music journey, songwriting challenges, music production techniques, humor in songwriting, music career evolution, Normaltown
Transcript
Speaker A
00:00:00.160 - 00:00:32.940
Welcome to Country Fried Rock. I'm your host, Sloane Spencer. This week, I'm talking with Lily Hyatt about her recent album Royal Blue, available now on Normal Town Records.
Hyatt's debut album was strongly in the singer songwriter camp, and her sophomore release takes her much more in the direction of her live shows. No folky coffee shop barista right here. Lily Hyatt is channeling her creative insecurity and taking he...
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