Willin’: Lauren Lovelle Brings a Breath of Fresh Air to Country Music
- Josh Kitchen
- 2 hours ago
- 5 min read
By: Josh Kitchen / September 8, 2025
"I been warped by the rain, driven by the snow / I'm drunk and dirty, don't you know, but I'm still willin’," Linda Ronstadt sings on her classic cover of Little Feat’s Willin’. It’s a timeless song about survival and resilience in the face of a world hell-bent on beating you down, made even more prescient with Ronstadt’s powerhouse voice. "And you show me a sign / And I'll be willin’," she continues.
A sign is what 24-year-old singer-songwriter Lauren Lovelle needed after taking a long break from playing music. Lovelle grew up singing country music—at just four years old performing Hank Williams’ “Your Cheatin’ Heart” alongside her dad’s honky-tonk band. She would continue to sing and perform until she and a friend were sexually assaulted in high school, leading to a painful court battle.
Knocked down low, Lovelle eventually heard her sign to get back up: Ronstadt’s version of “Willin’.” She decided that day to keep making music. “At that time where the PTSD was really rough, I could not hear hardly any song, even the most shallow song, without crying,” she says. “The most joyful song would still move me to tears. It was kind of a spiritual awakening about what music means to me.”
Lovelle is set to release her fantastic debut EP, Other Dreams, this week after the tongue-in-cheek single, "Anxiously Attached," and last month's sweet and smooth, "Won't Tell You Goodbye." Other Dreams is a set of four songs that showcase Lovelle's impressive voice and explore every side of being human: getting knocked down, finding the strength to rise again, and being willin’ to keep moving. I spoke with Lovelle about the new EP, paying her dues in the Kansas City music scene, and the question on everyone’s mind: what’s the best Kansas City BBQ joint?
Your debut EP, Other Dreams, is coming out next month with four songs that really showcase different sides of you. Listening to it—and reading about your musical upbringing—it feels authentic, like music truly runs through your veins. You’ve been paying your dues in the Kansas City music scene these past few years. Talk to me about getting your feet wet and what you want people to take away from this debut.
My songs are all pretty different from each other, so they kind of say different things between the four tracks. But I just hope it comes across as genuine and relatable—and that it means something valuable to somebody. I dropped out of college and was just looking for anything to get by. I thought it’d be really awesome if I could make a little bit of money through music. So I went on Craigslist in 2021, right when live music was starting back up again. Actually, I got hired by a band off Craigslist right before COVID shut things down.
We practiced, but didn’t get to gig until later—about eight months after, when outdoor gigs were possible. We played biker bars, casinos, all kinds of strange things. I was young, underage, and getting exposed to a lot that was advanced for my age. For a cover band, it felt like way too much for just AC/DC and Lady Gaga covers. I made enough money to scrape by and got used to playing live again, so it did what it needed to. But I realized the money wasn’t worth it, and I needed to explore something else. Once I felt connected enough to the musicians I’d met in town, I thought, okay, maybe I’ll start my own project now.
That shows a lot of self-awareness on your part.
Yeah, the dangers I was exposed to weren’t balanced by the benefits. It wasn’t like I was building a loyal audience or getting to play the music I wanted. People just wanted to hear songs they knew, and they were usually really drunk. At one biker bar gig, someone was stabbed in the parking lot—I think they survived. My mom told me I had to stop.
You’ve been open about going through a really dark and painful chapter before finding your way back to music. I read that a Linda Ronstadt song was part of what helped lift you up. Which song was it, if you don’t mind sharing?
It was technically a Little Feat song, but her version of “Willin’.” Her version is the one that really gets me. I heard it when a friend was in the shower singing along, and I thought, oh my god, I forgot about this song. This is the type of music I want to sing. The lyrics—being warped by the rain, drunk and dirty, beaten down, but still on your feet and willing—that’s what I needed in that moment. It felt like a sign to keep going.
I love that. I think it comes across in these songs—you can hear that feeling of survival. I hear someone who got to the other side of something so traumatic and sees the rest of their career in front of them.
Yeah. There’s rawness in what I was going through that comes through in my voice. In the past, I didn’t always harness that. My performances are better when I let it flow.
You just played some big fests—you played Currents Fest and Liberty Hall with Hembree. Talk to me about how that must have been.
I love the Raccoon Motel and Davenport in general—they treat artists so well. They pay well, feed us, connect us with the community. The culture there shows up for bands they’ve never heard of, which is amazing. Playing alternating currents there felt like home. We don’t travel much yet, so it was nice to see we work well together as a band on the road. Liberty Hall was gorgeous, magical acoustics, but stressful too—my dog was in the ER vet that night. Thankfully he’s okay, but I was torn between missing the show or leaving him. My sister helped, so I got to play. It was beautiful energy, especially with reunion vibes from Cowboy Indian Bear and Hembree.
You also opened for Zella Day and Jesse Woods' country outfit, Chaparelle in September.
That one landed in my lap last minute. My dad joined me for a little road trip, which made it special. The venue—the Blue Canoe—was really cute. Their soundcheck blew me away, but their audience showed up early and listened, which was crazy to me.
Some of my favorite bands are ones I first saw as openers. Now you’re going to have people opening for you, which is exciting.
Yeah, I don’t know if I’m ready for longer sets and later times. I’m kind of a granny—I like playing early.
Hit me with your favorite Kansas City BBQ spot.
I like Slap’s and Gates—two very different places. Gates is more dry rub, vinegary, acidic. Slap’s is sticky and sweet, classic KC barbecue. They both have their place.
Who's inspiring you right now?
I love Ken Pomeroy. Another artist is Agalisiga, who covers Hank Williams in Cherokee and writes his own songs in Cherokee too. It moves me to tears. He’s younger than me and incredible. I also love Esther Rose, and a lot of artists from the Gar Hole Records group in New Orleans like The Lostines.
Are you reading anything right now?
The Serviceberry by Robin Wall Kimmerer, who also wrote Braiding Sweetgrass. It’s a small collection of essays about reciprocity—how the earth gives to us and how we give back, outside of capitalism’s lens. It’s beautiful and includes art too.
What song on this EP are you most excited about?
I’m excited about “Very Last Time.” It’s fun, and I have a lot of visual ideas for it, maybe even a video. It’s going to rip live.
Listen to the first two singles from Other Dreams below, and follow Lauren Lovelle here!
