Up-and-coming indie artist LO LA is gearing up to release her first single, “PCH”, soon! This song is an evocative, summery ode to all things Y2K pop music and beyond. “PCH” does wonders for capturing the idyllic facade of Los Angeles – an image typically reserved for films such as La La Land, Clueless, or Fast Times at Ridgemont High. The song’s lyrics play on the somber side of developing a deep fascination with another person that the narrator can’t help but elevate to a larger-than-life being. However, it’s the upbeat, almost hyper-pop production the lyrics are paired with that gives this song a Bling Ring quality that seems very unique to LO LA as an artist.
For any fan of musicians like Chappell Rose, HAIM, or Harry Styles – LO LA is the newest artist to watch.
I had the wonderful opportunity to chat with LO LA about her upcoming project! Take a look at our interview here:
“PCH” evokes such strong, cinematic imagery from the jump. What were some of your influences when writing this song?
Harry Styles was definitely the biggest influence when writing the song. I was listening to a lot of his music one day and it just made me so inspired to write. A lot of Harry’s music & concert videos influenced the imagery of the song too.
Can you walk us through your process for creating “PCH”?
I started off writing the song on piano and then sang & played it for my producer Dariush (@darshmadebeats) who created the production around it. Then I recorded final vocals over the production and that was it! 🙂
You make very specific references to locations in the song. What significance do these spaces hold for you? Additionally, what was your goal in connecting these places to this song?
I grew up in Los Angeles and a lot of the places I referenced in the song like PCH and the beach are places I grew up around and make me nostalgic every time I’m around them. The song is about dreaming of doing fun things with someone you love, and I’ve always thought of the beach as such a fun romantic place. So I thought I’d write a song about that! One of the other locations I wrote about in the song is Beachwood cafe. It’s a restaurant that I really like, and happens to be one of Harry Styles’ favorite restaurants too!
One of my favorite things about this song is how successfully you capture the feeling of being so in awe of another person that they tend to take up a long-lasting space in your mind. Was your intention for this to be reflective of that almost universal experience?
At first it wasn’t the intention. I was just kinda writing about being so in awe of someone from my own perspective. Although as I continued to write the song, I realized that a lot of people could probably relate to the song in one way or another! I feel like everyone has that one person they fantasize about doing fun things with, but they’re too shy to talk to them or tell them how they feel.
Previously, you’ve stated that the song is dedicated to Harry Styles. Do you feel that this dedication is more of a thank you for the inspiration taken from his work or is there another meaning behind the dedication?
Honestly it’s both dedicated to, and inspired by Harry Styles. It’s like an ode to Harry, but also can just be a song anyone relates to. Some Harry fans might also catch that I referenced some of Harry’s songs and locations he sings about in “PCH.” At the same time, people who listen to the song who have never even heard of Harry wouldn’t catch that the song is like an ode to Harry at all and definitely wouldn’t notice anything out of the ordinary.
The pleading, almost somber tone of your lyrics are heavily juxtaposed by the upbeat nature of the production. Can you tell us about your reasoning for passing this message through such an upbeat vessel?
I really wanted the song to come off like you were listening to a daydream. I have this thing called aphantasia where I actually can’t see images in my head, so through my music and lyrics, I like to be able to make people really feel an idea (in this case a daydream) if that makes sense!
In your opinion, how does “PCH” compare to your cover of “Queen of Disaster” or “Dirty Clothes”? And how does it compare to the work you plan on releasing in the near future?
All three songs are similar in that they revolve around a person that has an extreme effect on the singer. I know for my songs, “PCH” and “Dirty Clothes,” even though the melodies and concepts are different, they are both about a person that I love and can’t stop thinking about. I think it’s safe to say that Lana Del Rey’s “Queen of Disaster” is the same in that way! In terms of the work I’m releasing in the future, I would say that some of it definitely relates to “PCH” in terms of the dreamy concepts and production!
“PCH” will be available August 26th wherever you listen to music!
