Leilani Kilgore spent years cutting her teeth as a blues guitarist, but she was never really a “traditional” blues artist. The Nashville-based singer-songwriter launched her solo career (which very much includes her entire band, even if it’s under her name) a handful of years ago, starting by dripping out 2-3 singles per year from 2021 through last year.
And with each successive song, Kilgore’s audience for her rock-tinged blues continued to grow along with her reputation as an electrifying live performer. But now, following a split with her management company and some changes in her personal life, the fully independent artist is ready to move to a higher level by embracing her rock and roll heart and breaking down barriers — using DIY-focused platforms like BandLab and ReverbNation to grow her music and career opportunities.
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SPIN caught up with Kilgore to talk about her rocking new single, upcoming album, and much more.
SPIN: What would you want people to know about your new single, “HIGH/LOW”?
Leilani Kilgore: “HIGH/LOW” is the first single off of my first full-length record, and it’s the first song on the track listing as well. It’s the most energetic and rock ‘n’ roll song I’ve ever done, and it’s a new direction as far as where I’m going as an artist. It’s a little bit introspective, in that I originally thought I was writing about this person that my ex was seeing, but after a couple of weeks of listening to it and performing it, I realized it might be a little bit more about myself at my lowest point. I’m really happy with the success that it’s had and how well it’s been received, considering it’s ushering in a new sound for me as an artist. That’s been really positive to get so much supportive feedback.
How has that musical evolution of going from a bluesy guitarist to a full-blown rocker affected you and your career over the last couple of years?
It’s definitely been an evolution in a few ways. Per the advice of the management team from the first few years of my solo career, I was just releasing one single at a time. I was told doing an album was a waste of money and effort, so I should just stick with singles. That’s a hard thing to hear when you’re trying to build a music career from the ground up and attract fans organically through live performances. The first thing you get asked at a show is “Where can I buy your album?” So if you don’t have one, it’s a bit of a letdown. When I split with my management team, the first thing I did after I picked myself up was get these demos together and reach out to my band to say “Hey, I think it’s time that we do a full-length record.” At first, my biggest concern was that I spent so much of my career marketing myself as a blues artist and trying really hard to stay in that vein and honor that. This album touches on that — and there’s always going to be undertones of my roots in that genre — but it’s not a blues record. I was afraid that it may be a big turnoff, but I accepted what this album is, and “HIGH/LOW” is a great example. It’s a more confident and authentic expression of myself as an artist and my music on a broader spectrum than whatever boxes I was previously putting myself in.
What was the experience like putting a full album together instead of just focusing on one song at a time?
Well, I’m fully independent, and it’s hard being an independent artist nowadays. I was under management for a little bit, but financing and everything was always independent, which means you don’t have that backing or assistance with structuring and things like that. So when we did this album, we went in with enough budget to barely cover three days of studio time. We cut 12 songs top-to-bottom for the record in three days — overdubs, solos, harmonies, vocal tracks, everything. It was frantic, and I don’t think I slept for those 72 hours. I was out of my mind by the end of it, and I think the last day ended up being a 12-hour session. The dedication on my band’s end for taking responsibility in their own roles and trusting my creative vision as I was self-producing it made it feel very creatively safe and uplifting. There’s this feeling that you get when you listen to a mix from what you just did, and just watching everybody fall into the space of that song for that moment is so encouraging. I don’t recommend anybody doing a full record in three days, but you have to do what you have to do. As a result, I think everybody involved is immensely proud of the project, including myself. It was a good learning lesson, and I’m just excited to have a collection of songs that is cohesive and intentional versus single after single.
How has it felt to bring your new music to both new and existing audiences this year?
This year is honestly just me actively trying to pick myself back up and service my band and music and career intentionally, versus last year when I really didn’t have the mental or emotional reserves to deal with it. This year is coming back into things under this new umbrella of sound, so even in revisiting a lot of places and festivals that we’ve been to before, we’re approaching it with a bit of trepidation to see how it’s received. A great example would be that back in March, we did Joe Bonamassa’s Blues Cruise shortly after we’d finished the album. It was kind of a testing ground, because we were the unknown act on the cruise and we’re not really a blues band at this point. We played the first three nights, and by the third night, we had people coming back to see our show hours before set time and people that couldn’t even get into the venue because it was so packed. That made it feel like we were doing the right thing and making the right choices as an artist. It’s a great relief to know that I can straddle rock, blues and Americana comfortably and rope people into what we’re doing in a way that makes them feel like it’s not totally out of place.
For someone who’s totally unfamiliar with your music, how would you explain yourself and your band?
I think the best service I can provide for new audience members and longtime fans alike is to stay authentic to what I’m doing. I’m a very rock and roll person, even when I was in the blues world — the tattoos, the SGs, the throwing myself around on stage, the leather jackets, it’s not really traditional blues. I’ve never really been focused on a specific bracket of sound, but about the individual expression that I’m trying to communicate. That’s all I can offer to a new audience. My music is an extension of myself, and I’m a very emotional person. I process things through my music, so there’s a lot of aggression and joy and heaviness and gratefulness. Every note that I play on my guitar during a solo is unplanned and supposed to convey something. If you like authenticity from somebody who’s experiencing and trying to convey every aspect of the human experience through very guitar-driven music while being edgy and true to themselves and not feel pressured to conform to certain societal standards — especially as a female — then my music is probably for you. I still firmly believe the best way to market myself is through my live shows. I’m an aggressive performer and I’m proving a point in a kill-or-be-killed situation. As an independent emerging artist, you have to win your audience over to solidify your spot in the industry. So on-stage, I’m mean, I’m tough, I have thick skin and I’m not afraid to call people out if they’re being disrespectful. But when I’m off stage, I try to be really pleasant and I’m in therapy for being a people pleaser. I think anyone who hasn’t heard of me before should take a chance and treat it like a first date. Have a glass of wine, go check out some of my music, and if you don’t like one aspect of it, there are so many other versions of myself as a writer that may appeal to you. Give it a little chance, settle into it, and more than anything, come see us on the road.
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