Sydney-sider Abbey Lane has been making waves on the local scene for the last year or two with her upbeat yet confessional songwriting. When you hear a tune from Abbey, it feels as though it’s from a close friend sharing their intimate feelings with you. She has a knack for nailing a sentiment, with a rocking melody and a groove you can dance to.
She has just released “Baby Steps”, a celebratory take on the need to celebrate the little wins as we navigate the challenges with mental health. Abbey shares: “It can be hard to motivate yourself to do things to better yourself, so this track is all about making small changes to feeling better and acknowledging that you’re making progress one small step at a time.”
It’s been a busy time of late for Abbey. She has hit the festival circuit, including Old Bar Beach Festival, Rockhampton River Festival and Never Had So Much. She’s also supported the likes of Diesel, Hollie Col, Little Quirks, Little Green, as well as collaborating with Yung Bleu and Tenille Arts. Abbey also picked up the Best Folk Song of The Year award at the ASA Awards for “Darling”.
We caught up with Abbey to discuss her songwriting, “Baby Steps”, her songwriting and so much more. Read on.
Hi Abbey. Looking back on 13 years of making music, what’s something you understand about songwriting now that you didn’t when you first started?
Not everything you write has to be good. Just write for the sake of writing and because you enjoy it – it’s more important to grow in your writing than to get writers block over making a song perfect.
The dreamy, atmospheric quality of your music is so distinct. Does that sound reflect something about your personality or the way you see the world?
I think that quality in my music has come from all my life and musical experiences. My interests and influences in music has changed so much over the years, but I definitely am always attracted to the dreamy atmospheric sounds which has inevitably slipped into my music, so
maybe that’s a reflection of me!
With your 2024 debut EP receiving so much praise, how did that experience shape your approach to writing and recording new music this year?
I’ve definitely decided to try new things with the tracks I’m working on this year. This new EP in the making is aimed at being more raw, stripped back and vulnerable, and I’ve really gotten to explore that through more DIY production and working with new people. I love the energy on my debut EP, and I think I’ve been able to take the elements that formed my sound and reinvent them in new ways to create a release that’s still staple Abbey Lane, but refreshing and different at the same time.
“Baby Steps” is all about celebrating small victories. What sparked the idea for this song, and why was this message important for you to share?
I wanted to write a song focused on mental health wellbeing and wanted to focus on the positive, keeping the themes around hope, growth and perseverance. I think it’s important to acknowledge if you’re doing better than you were last week, even if it’s just making a healthy dinner, or going for a walk. It’s all small steps to feeling on track.
Mental health and self-care play a big role in “Baby Steps.” How do those themes influence your songwriting process?
Sometimes songwriting can be incredibly therapeutic and the songwriting process is self-care in itself. But also sometimes songwriting is the last thing I feel like doing and forcing myself to write can feel so draining. It’s all about listening to my body and not putting pressure on myself to write something perfect, anything at all, or be scared to say what I want to say.
Many of your lyrics carry deep emotional weight. Do you ever feel vulnerable sharing such personal thoughts with the world, or is songwriting more of a catharsis for you?
Songwriting is definitely a catharsis for me, and I’ve always found putting words into lyrics much easier than saying them – but that doesn’t make it any less scary to share with the world!
Working with artists like Yung Bleu and Tenille Arts must have been a unique experience. How did those collaborations challenge or expand your artistry?
Co-writing is such a different exercise than I’m used to, having written solo all my life. Luckily all the artists I’ve co-written with have been super encouraging and welcoming, and I’ve always learnt so much from the experience. I’ve found collaborating is such a great key to gaining new insight into how to approach a song and for exploring ideas I would have never thought of which I now incorporate into my music.
As an indie artist, finding the balance between creative freedom and industry expectations can be tricky. How do you navigate that?
It’s always tempting to change my styles to keep up with industry trends and expectations, however when I strip back my songs to just an acoustic, they’re always authentically me. I’m lucky to work with some amazing producers who bring out the authenticity in my music and help me to think creatively and uniquely to me.
Performing at festivals like Old Bar Beach Festival and Rockhampton River Festival must have been incredible. Do you adjust your approach depending on the venue or audience?
Although I always keep my sets and performances authentic, I definitely adjust my approach depending on the show. While I keep a variation of my style throughout all my sets, I’ll still cater my show to the crowd. If it’s a festival, all I want to do is dance with the crowd and if it’s an
intimate acoustic show where people are really listening to my lyrics, I want to share more insight and storytelling to my songs.
With upcoming shows at The Vicar and Pepe’s on The Beach, what goes into crafting a live setlist? Do you aim for a specific emotional journey?
Deciding the setlist is a fine art that no one in the audience probably notices haha I’m always conscious of the set journey, and try to make sure the songs flow from one another, thematically make sense, and try to predict when the crowd are going to want to dance.
Music is always evolving. Are there any new sounds or styles you’re excited to explore in future projects?
I’m getting a little bit more experimental with my song the more I learn about production. Nothing too crazy, but I’m loving creating songs with more space, and manipulating instruments to create interesting soundscapes.
If you could go back and give advice to yourself as a new artist just starting out, what would it be?
Don’t be convinced by people who think they know better. No one really knows what they’re doing; music is so subjective! Just do what you love, listen to your gut, and speak up for yourself and your opinions.
Looking ahead to 2025, what’s next for you? Any dream collaborations or projects on the horizon?
I’m currently in the works of my second EP which I’m so excited about. I’ll be dropping singles throughout the year and can’t wait to see how they’re received, as they’re all very dear to my heart. Also hoping to get some more interstate shows happening!
You can give Abbey Lane a follow on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube
