Lyla DiPaul is an extremely talented young singer-songwriter and musician with a penchant for writing beautiful folk songs, as displayed in her latest EP, Sleepless Nights. I recently had the opportunity to check the EP out and loved it, so make sure you check it out if you haven’t heard it yet!

By Jane Howkins

You released an EP recently that we reviewed, titled Sleepless Nights. What can you tell us about the EP?

Thematically, Sleepless Nights is a love story. The songs appear in the order in which I wrote them. Starting with the feeling of opening up again after being hurt, then the thrill of being with someone new, the pain of losing them and finally trying to move on. The EP was a really long time in the making, and it survived many changes of plans regarding recording location and production. Around the fall of 2020 I began to feel as though my collection of songs was in a good enough place to actually focus on creating a project rather than another single. It was right around then that I picked the track list for the record, but we didn’t get to record anything for another year. At the time, that was really frustrating, and as an artist it often feels competitive and like your moment is fleeting. Ultimately, I am really grateful for the longer process of bringing these songs to life, because in the course of that year my band really came together in a way it hadn’t before. As a result, we got to live with the songs and fully form them as a live band before getting into the studio.

Where can the EP be purchased?

The best way to purchase the EP is through my Bandcamp page)! There I have the record for physical sale as well as digital download. Each purchase will come with a free PDF of the Recording Diary/Zine which just gives more insight on the songs and the time in the studio.

Did you release any singles from the EP and do you have anymore planned?

The single for the EP was track 2, Is This A Dream?, and it seems to still be a lot of people’s favourites. We made a music video for it that came out in April and it was the coolest experience ever. We shot the entire thing in my guitar players house and got to have a fake party and have all our friends be a part of it. It turned out so cool, and I’m so proud of everyone involved in the recording and the video. My next single will likely be out in late fall of this year. Still finishing some recordings, but there will be even more new music in the new year as well.

Are there any plans to release another album or EP anytime soon or is it too early?

Haha, no plans for an album release or second EP quite yet. Right now I am more focused on playing live shows, getting our name out there and building up our funding again after having just been on tour and released an EP. An album is definitely a huge goal for me though.

Did the pandemic hinder your work much?

The earlier days of the pandemic around April of 2020 were actually some of my more creative days. All the songs on the EP were written over the course of 2020. I think I really needed some time to reflect on my first 2 years of college, the ways I had changed and the different people I had met who have impacted my life. Since then I have learned that journaling and time for reflection is a huge part of my songwriting process.

Your music is very folky. What/who are you influenced by and what have you been listening to recently?

My lifelong influence as a songwriter has always been Taylor Swift. I think I was about 8 years old when her second album came out, and it definitely is a part of the reason I started playing guitar. I think she’s a really incredible songwriter. More recently, I started listening to Lizzy McAlpine. I think I’m a little bit late to the game with her, but she’s incredible. Definitely very inspiring to me because she has the type of songs I wish I had written myself.

You’re based in New Orleans. What is the local music scene like there at the moment?

New Orleans is an amazing place filled with so so so many amazing musicians, songwriters, bandleaders and creative forces in general. A lot of the venues and musicians had a hard time during the pandemic, but at the moment there seems to be no shortage of gigs which is amazing. The music scene in New Orleans is a fantastic place to meet people and to learn how to make your own music better.

Do you have any UK tour dates planned?

I wish I had UK tour dates planned, but at the moment that is a goal that seems very out of reach. My main focus at the moment is making sure my band members get paid for their work, but one day I’d love to be able to support us all the way across the pond.

What can people expect from one of your shows and why do you think people should come and see you perform?

From my shows people can expect laughter, friendship and a few intimate/emotional moments. Being on stage and singing about my own life can be a bit vulnerable, but I love to share the context of the songs as we play them so the audience can relate. A bonus to seeing us live is getting to hear all the unreleased music as it’s forming. I also get to show off my incredible band, who all bring so much energy and joy to the stage. Plus we love to dance, drink, embarrass ourselves and just have a good and relaxed time while we play. I always hope that feeling transfers over to the crowd.

Any last words for the fans?

My final words are thank you. Thank you for listening, for reading, and I hope we get to meet someday soon!