“All I’m trying to do at any point, whether I’m admitting an embarrassing thing or I’m writing a broad breakup album, is connect with other people,” said Leanna Firestone, a 24-year-old singer-songwriter who converts tumultuous emotion into indie pop. “I’m trying to shout into a void and be like, ‘can anybody hear this, too?’”
Going into her 20s, a woman often experiences a set of frequently-overlooked issues– friendships changing, romantic turmoil and self-doubt– struggles held captive in the confines of diaries and Notes apps everywhere.
Firestone, on the other hand, is a testament to the power of expressing this side of the female experience. From Nashville, Tennessee, Firestone uses her singer-songwriter roots as a vessel for confronting big feelings and giving listeners a space to feel.
Firestone released her album “The Answer” on May 15, raising a cocktail glass on the cover as if to toast the listener. From the first look, she creates a sense of unrivaled camaraderie, furthering this sense with conversational-style storytelling.
The project comes six years after virality on TikTok in 2020 with her single “Strawberry Mentos,” when Firestone took the opportunity to pursue music. Days of writing fanfiction and songs in her bedroom turned into a career.
“So much of what I was writing about at the beginning of my career, especially ‘Strawberry Mentos’ and the beginning stuff, I was writing about these relationships and this love that I desired,” Firestone said. “My music has changed in real time from fantasy to real life.”
Now on tour across the US, it is clear that her personal ballads have garnered a fanbase thriving on raw honesty– the album cements Firestone as in-touch with a rollercoaster of emotions.
While previous releases have embraced an aesthetic of diary-entry-turned-pop-song, “The Answer” dives heavier into themes of friendship and romantic tension. Most of her older music has come from formative personal experiences, but when many of her friends broke up with their partners simultaneously, Firestone drew inspiration for the album from their heartbreak journeys. In this quest, Firestone exhibits growth as both a person and an artist.
“I was hearing about these stories of loss and grief over these relationships, and also experiencing newfound freedom alongside them, and was able to see how much joy could come with letting go,” Firestone said. “It really allowed me to, in my personal life, center my female friendships and be there for my community.”
The experience of finding oneself after heartbreak is evident in the first track, as the release starts with an explosion of confidence called “Victory Lap”– also the name of her current tour. It begins with a reflection on self-deprecation after heartbreak, but the tone soon shifts with a quickening beat to birth a Firestone who asserts confidence over shame.
“I think there’s a lot to relate to on big feelings, which is why there’s a million-billion breakup albums,” Firestone said. “There’s a base level of relatability when you talk about something like a breakup. I think some of the stuff I find more interesting, at least in my work, is when I’m admitting something a little embarrassing or TMI.”
The most-streamed song off the album, “Town Ain’t Big Enough,” is a sing-along anthem that addresses Firestone’s call for self-love post-breakup.
“There’s so much freedom that comes with sadness. There’s so much fun that comes with letting go,” Firestone said. “I swear to the people who are listening who are not at that stage yet.”
However, her music is not simply a statement of confidence amidst pain. Rather, she explores the full spectrum of self-discovery. With a quiet tenderness evoking a similar energy to her idol Taylor Swift’s “Folklore,” “Not Yet” acknowledges lingering love, while “Renaissance” picks up the pace to explore fears of inadequacy.
“There will be moments where you stop and you’re like, ‘did I do the right thing? Did I make the right decision?’ And that sadness, that grief will creep in,” Firestone said. “ I wanted to make sure that I was showing both sides of the coin because I was watching both sides of the coin with my friends.”
In classic Firestone fashion, she confronts touchy subjects. In “Best Friend’s New Boyfriends Union,” she describes the feeling of being replaced in a friendship at the onset of the friend’s new romantic relationship, while establishing a community of women with similar experiences. Now moved on from the issue with said friend, Firestone reflects on it with gratitude.
“It is so awesome to be able to watch your friends really bloom into themselves again, after being in relationships that didn’t suit them for so long. And even though I can admit that I was mad at her for not hanging out with me, I’m also so proud of her for being able to move on and move forward,” Firestone said. “I think that’s also a testament to how strong that friendship is.”
The title track, “The Answer,” rounds out the album. As Firestone describes it, it is the thesis, revolving around the feeling of knowing something is off about a relationship from the beginning, but still trying to make it work.
“I think it’s very noble to desire a different life for yourself, and try to fit yourself and that person into the life you would like to have, but doing so at a sacrifice of who you are, what’s good about you and things you love is not going to be rewarding.”
While many artists dwell on the aftermath of heartbreak, Firestone confronts initial reservations.
“Denying the truth only prolongs the pain. So I really wanted to, on top of including what happens after the breakup, talk about what happens before. I wanted to give the people that are experiencing the before a place to look,” Firestone said.
Her appeal lies not only in her witty personality or sing-along-ability, but in lyricism that confronts feelings in a deeply human way.
Firestone will be on her “Victory Lap” US tour until June 20. Visit her website here.
This story was written by Jane Patterson. She can be reached at [email protected].
