I had the chance to connect with Lennon Stella, 20-year-old Ontario born, Nashville raised singer, songwriter, and actress during her stop in Tacoma, 39th out of the 41 stop World War Joy Tour with The Chainsmokers and 5 Seconds Of Summer. Listed on Refinery29’s “Young Celebrities to Watch in 2019” and Teen Vogue’s “16 Musicians You Need to Be Listening to in 2019.” Lennon Stella has been streamed over half a billion times in less than a year and is the 155th most listened to person in the world on Spotify.
Lennon Stella Exclusive Interview
RMR: How has the tour been going? Are you excited for the U.S. to end?
Lennon: I mean it’s been very, very fun, honestly way more fun than I could’ve possibly mustered up in my brain. It’s just been such a lighthearted, good time. And the guys are all so sweet. And it’s just been very, probably the most fun tour I’ve been on. But I definitely am looking forward to the headlining tour in Europe, and then later doing a North American one, and just kind of taking a breather. This is definitely a long tour.
RMR: Yeah. I know when tickets went on sale back in February, I’m like, oh, all the way in December the tour will be here.
Lennon: I know. I know. It’s just, it’s a long one for sure. I was just talking to my sister about this. I was like, it’s so crazy to think of when she came out for the first show, it literally feels a year ago. It’s so long. Yeah. Long tour.
RMR: Do you plan on releasing new music with Maisy?
Lennon: I think in the future, for sure. Right now she’s just kind of figuring herself out. And for her to put music out right now wouldn’t really make sense just because she’s kind of still discovering, and once you put music out you’re kind of locked into it. So yeah. So she’s just kind of waiting right now. But definitely in the future. Yeah.
RMR: What do you like to do outside of music that contributes to your creativity?
Lennon: I’m big on being alone. That sounds weird, but I really love when I’m, just because touring, you’re so surrounded by so many people, and it’s just a constant kind of entertaining. And just having to just manage so many different personalities, and navigate through different, it’s a lot of people and a lot of time with people. So whenever I’m not touring, for me to get inspired, I really like to just be alone, and in the grass, and just be outside, and really just think and use my brain. I feel like I’m not really using my brain when I’m on tour just because it’s such a routine, and it’s so regimented and kind of like Groundhog Day. It’s the same thing over and over and over, every day. So I feel like it kind of dulls your brain as far as being creative. So I think whenever I’m not on tour, I’m just trying to do things to spark thought.
RMR: Out of all the songs you’ve made, is there one that stands out or means the most to you? Of course, they’re all special, but is there one that is the most extra special to you?
Lennon: Out of the songs that are out in the world, I think Like Everybody Else is probably the closest to me.
RMR: Do you plan on doing acting again or are you just trying to focus on your music?
Lennon: I would love in the future to dive back into the acting world and just have more freedom with it, like a mini-series, or movies, or indie films and stuff like that. I can’t see myself doing another six-year TV show just because it’s such a commitment. But yeah, I would love to circle back and do some shorter things that I could be creative with. I love acting. I would love to circle back.
RMR: You have an album coming out next year. Is there anything you’d like to say about your debut album?
Lennon: It’s the album of my dreams. I’ve literally been waiting for so long to get to a point where I can make an album that I feel is complete and expressing every emotion I really wanted to get across. And I feel like, now, I’m well on the way to doing that. So I’m just really excited to have it out in the world, and just feel what that feels like to have a full body of work that I’m proud of floating around. I’m just really excited about it.
RMR: What is the most interesting thing about you that nobody would know initially meeting you?
Lennon: Oh, probably that I’m really introverted. I really think because of my career and just my life, I’m kind of forced to be really social. And I really do like being social. And I love people, and good conversations, and all that. But I’m definitely recharged by being alone, and I can be alone for a very, very long time without ever needing anyone.
RMR: What has been your best collaboration up until this point? Has there been one that has had a huge impact on your career?
Lennon: I think the biggest one has been Takeaway with The Chainsmokers because just with the tour and playing it with them every night, it just really put me in a whole new set of people’s eyes, and it’s just people that maybe wouldn’t have heard of my music before. And it’s just definitely launched me in a different direction, in a cool way though, because I’m just touching my feet in this world, which isn’t really necessarily where my music sits. But it’s cool to have a bit in this kind of pop land.
RMR: What has been the highlight for you throughout 2019 as it’s coming to a close?
Lennon: I think probably my first headlining tour. I mean, my first ever tour, literally ever touring, ever playing my own songs, was the beginning of this year. So it’s kind of crazy to think at the end of this year I’m playing arenas. It’s just so weird because the first venue was literally 500 people. And that was the beginning of this year. And it was my first ever show. So I think the highlight is just the amount of growth I’ve had in just confidence in performing and learning how to kind of navigate that, and just thinking how much it’s kind of grown and evolved in just the year.
RMR: What is something you would tell the younger you, now?
Lennon: Probably just to trust yourself. Trust instincts and intuition and your gut, and don’t doubt yourself. I think that’s something that I did early on where I was just, oh well if everyone around me likes this song, even though I don’t, maybe I should do it, or whatever it is, stuff like that. Whereas I think looking back now, I’m like, your gut and your initial response is always the right one. So yeah.
Rikki: What is your prediction for yourself in 2020?
Lennon Stella: Well, album is the big thing for me. That’s the center of my brain right now. Album and then touring. And hopefully the album just does everything I want it to, and kind of puts me in the lane that I want to be in. And I think the album is just really going to define a lot of 2020 for me because it’s just going to be all that I’m performing when I’m doing the live shows, which will be a substantial part of the year as well.
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