Lola Scott Talks "the Eviction Song" [Q+A]

AN INTERVIEW WITH LOLA SCOTT ON HER NEW SINGLE, “THE EVICTION SONG.” 

Lola Scott’s “The Eviction Song” serves as a reminder that you don’t need to be perfect to be happy. The song talks about change in the most non cliche way possible, detailing the artist’s eviction from her apartment this past year. The track is the first single off the session musician turned songwriter’s debut EP, 1/4 Life Crisis. I got the chance to ask Scott a few questions about the track via email, and you can read our Q+A below. 

WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO MAKE THE TRANSITION FROM BEING A SESSION MUSICIAN TO AN ARTIST?

I was always an artist first and have been writing songs since I picked up the guitar when I was eight. I played in a bunch of different bands, but didn’t take the plunge to going solo until I started this project. There was a little bit of crossover when I was still working as a session musician in other bands, but I got pretty time poor. I made the decision to put everything into my solo project.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE PART ABOUT GETIING TO PUT OUT YOUR OWN MUSIC?

I love that I get to decide what I want my next tracks to sound like and that I have the creative freedom to experiment and figure out what feels most genuine to me at the time. I’ve also really loved getting more into the production side of things and collaborating with a bunch of people who have become some of my best friends. 

HOW DID YOU GET THE IDEA FOR THIS TRACK? DO YOU REMEMBER WHERE YOU WERE/WHAT WAS GOING ON IN YOUR LIFE AT THE TIME OF WRITING “THE EVICTION SONG?”

As you would expect from the name, the idea came about when my roommates and I were getting evicted late last year. I’d also had some conversations with a close friend about how a lot of people can feel inclined to please everyone and how exhausting that could be. At first, we were all upset because we loved our house & friends we’d made in it, but then we all saw it as an opportunity for a positive change to move somewhere else. I was feeling nostalgic reflecting back on our time in the house & thinking how we had some great parties. Other than a couple noise complaints, we were pretty good tenants. But there’s no point trying to please everyone, so just enjoy your life and be nice.

WHERE DO YOU TYPICALLY WRITE MUSIC? WHAT WAS THE WRITING PROCESS LIKE FOR THIS SONG?

I wrote this song in a studio in Coogee with my friend Oscar Sharah. We wrote a lot of the 1/4 Life Crisis EP either at that studio, at my house or at Oscar’s house. It’s been really cool having the ability to track songs as we are writing them, even though I’m the type of writer that will almost always want to finish the song with just a guitar in hand and not touch the computer until it sounds good acousticly. “The Eviction Song” started out as a chorus melody over a riff. Somewhere in the session we ditched that riff and then decided to bring it back without lyrics. A lot of what you hear in the finished track are things we recorded on the day we wrote it.

DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE LYRIC?

“I’m a failure most of the time, but at least I enjoy my life.” I know it’s some corny shit but it still sums up the feeling of,  “Oh I messed up, but it’s all good. Everything is going to be fine. Just have a good time and take light of whatever comes your way.” Laughing through your failures with your friends can get you through some dark times. Geeeez...when did I get so soppy!

WHAT DO YOU HOPE PEOPLE TAKE AWAY FROM LISTENING?

That you can’t please everyone. Make sure your friends know you love them.

WHERE WOULD BE THE IDEAL PLACE TO LISTEN TO THIS TRACK 

You can check it out on Spotify! Big love if you want to add in to your playlist. I’ve also made a feelsy af music video, directed by my pal Lewis Clarke, featuring a bunch of my old housemates and friends being cute.

YOU CAN FIND LOLA SCOTT’S “THE EVICTION SONG” ON STREAMING SERVICES LIKE SPOTIFY AND APPLE MUSIC. GO STREAM IT AND  MAKE SURE TO SUBSCRIBE TO TWENTY MINUTES LATER FOR MORE INTERVIEWS LIKE THIS ONE.