If you overheard someone talking about Laney Lebo in a bar, you’d probably hear something like: “She’s the girl who’ll distract you from your heartbreak, buy you a shot, then accidentally start a group therapy session.” The Nashville‑based singer‑songwriter moves between sass and sincerity with disarming ease, crafting songs that flirt, sting, and soothe in equal measure. With her new single “Bitch,” she steps into a character who’s unapologetically herself, while Laney herself remains the grounding force behind the chaos.
Photo Credits: @hayleymikell
We always start by asking artists to introduce themselves in their own words, or in the words of someone talking about them in a bar – so, time to introduce yourself!
Laney Lebo: Hi, I’m Laney Lebo! I’d like to think of myself as that artist that can distract you from whatever is getting you down, while simultaneously pulling you in for a healing hug. Let’s laugh about something stupid and let that segue into crying about our deepest insecurities and fears. Sounds like a good night out to me!
“Bitch” feels like a declaration of self-ownership. What moment or feeling sparked the idea for this song?
Laney Lebo: This song was a co-write I did with an amazing artist named Eva Rawlings when we were at Berklee together. We wanted to have fun and write something sassy, so we started with the concept of a girl who is really inpatient with her one night stand the morning after. From there we took it further and developed this character who is a remorseless player that does nothing to hide her heartbreaker tendencies. If you get involved with her, you should know what you’re getting into!
You’ve describes the track as written from the perspective of someone unapologetically themselves. Who is that to you? A character, a version of yourself, or something in between?
Laney Lebo: I would hope most people would use different words to describe me than the narrator uses to describe herself ;)! I wouldn’t say that I relate very heavily to her exact philosophy; I try my best to be polite, and I do not like confrontation. However, I do very much admire her unabashed acceptance of who she is, and I look at that as something to aspire to...on a smaller and friendlier scale!
You wrote the song during your time at Berklee. How did that environment shape the song’s early form?
Laney Lebo: I could answer this better if I remembered the exact prompt this song was written in response to, but it’s been a few years now! Being a songwriting student meant working on a timeline, which was very helpful for me as someone who struggles to focus and finish things on my own accord. The structure I was provided really increased my productivity as a writer. It also gave me the opportunity to work with so many different people. For example, my co-writer on this tune, Eva, was (and still is) very cool and confident, and working with her inspired me to want to write from the perspective of someone with that spirit. Confidence has always been something I struggle with, so I loved being able to step into the shoes of someone who seemed so sure of themselves.
Your sound is self-described as “sexy-sad”. What does that mean to you exactly?
Laney Lebo: This term has come up for me in my brain over the years. I’ve written many love songs that have a theme of longing or feeling like you’re not good enough to have the person or thing you want. I think songs like that have a sort of pent-up energy about them. There’s a frustration that bubbles over into anger, which cools down into deep sadness. It’s that constant cycle of want that I like to live in. My song “Static” that came out in late 2023 captures that feeling by describing the electric pull between two friends who each want their relationship to be more, but neither will take the step to reveal the feelings they both know are there. One of my earliest releases “Burning Bridges” captures this want in a non-romantic way, basically functioning as a scream into the void. It’s a deeply personal word-salad about not knowing what you want or how to get it and just being angry about having to be a person who functions in society. I never asked for that!! Why can’t I just lay in bed playing Animal Crossing and eating ice cream!!! Setting aside the “sexy” and the “sad”, I’ve also just had an obsession with juxtaposition in music and writing since I can remember. There is something so magical and funny to me about a song that sounds upbeat and happy but when you read the lyrics you realize it’s just a pretty picture of despair, and vice versa.
Growing up with classic rock in the house – what did you absorb from those bands that still feels alive in your music?
Laney Lebo: I’ve learned that there is no such thing as too much jamming! I think that classic rock had more of an effect on my listening taste, not so much my writing style. I grew up listening to a lot of jam bands because my dad loves anything he can bop around and dance to. In contrast, my writing has always been very lyric and melody centered without much forethought going into the danceability. Classic rock has certainly affected my performing style, though. I take any chance I get to dance around on stage and headbang!
Who are the artists today that inspire you to push your sound forward?
Laney Lebo: I really, really love Blondshell right now. She is so unapologetic (sensing a theme here…) in her subject matter and how she talks about herself. She immortalizes bad romantic choices and writes about knowing better, which is such a universal feeling! I’m also just a sucker lately for Fleetwood Mac, specifically Christie McVie. Her lyrics are so straightforward and honest, nothing is left unsaid and nothing is too embellished.
How do you approach writing a song that’s deeply personal versus one that’s more character-driven?
Laney Lebo: My songs that are deeply personal are usually written in a moment of deep feeling. It’s very hard for me to capture my own emotions on any random day, so that’s when I’ll usually make up a story or take inspiration from someone else in my life. But, when I’m feeling low, I pick up a guitar and try to get something out of that feeling.
What’s your favourite listener interpretation of a song that was maybe even totally different from your intention?
Laney Lebo: This is a tough one! Going back to the theme of juxtaposition, I do love watching people dance around and happily sing along to a song that I know to be anything but joyous in its subject matter. My last release “I Still Wonder Bout’ You” is my most upbeat song yet, but the lyrics describe a nightmarish situation where you can never stop thinking about what could’ve been with your ex, no matter how “perfect” your current relationship is. It deals with guilt, shame, and regret while taking the form of a danceable pop tune. I get a kick out of watching people not knowing what they’re singing along to!
What can listeners expect from your upcoming releases?
Laney Lebo: After “Bitch” we’re headed into a more personal era. I think it’s time to let the alter ego rest for a little while and put out some of the tunes that feel very true to me and my real experiences. It will be vulnerable yet cathartic to put my real emotions out there again after getting to have so much fun with the silliness of “Bitch,” but I can’t wait to put that out into the world!
BITCH OUT NOW.
Words by
Marie Müller, 2026.