lolitslea doesn’t do subtle. Colourful, loud, electric and unapologetically neon, the pop-punk artist has built a world of blue and green, low-poly video game nostalgia and ridiculously catchy hooks – one that feels like it could have been pulled straight from a computer screen circa 2010.
Her sophomore album, RollerCoaster Tycoon, embraces all the chaos that comes with growing up, from burnout and dating to nostalgia, individuality and figuring out what you actually want. Inspired by the game Lea loved as a kid, the record turns life’s inevitable highs and lows – or, in her words, “the coasters burning down and the children throwing up” – into something playful, messy and entirely her own.
Behind all that fluorescent chaos, however, is an artist who has found purpose, confidence and a voice through making music. We caught up with Lea to talk about rediscovering the things that made her feel like herself, protecting her love of creating through burnout, embracing what she really wants, finding the confidence to be heard and creating a live space where everyone else can be themselves too. Read the Q&A below.
For anyone discovering lolitslea for the first time through this interview, how would you describe yourself as an artist and the fluorescent world you’ve created around your music?
“I would describe my art and music as colorful, extroverted, electric, loud, earwormy. Emphasis on the neon in neon pop punk. The world I built around my music has shades of blue and green and takes place in a video game from around 2010. Low-poly, colorful, and a catchy soundtrack.”
Your new album RollerCoaster Tycoon takes its name from an iconic 2000s game, but you’ve also described it as a “way of life”. What does that title say about where you are in your life right now?
“I can’t say it references where I’m at in life, but more so something that describes the general ebb and flow of my life as it is. Growing up playing RollerCoaster Tycoon on my computer as a kid and finding ways to relate it metaphorically to my adult life is ironic and fun. While you can claim “life is a rollercoaster”, I was comparing the coasters burning down and the children throwing up as the relatable part, lol.”
‘BURNOUT!! BURNOUT!!’ tackles the reality of balancing everyday work with trying to build a career in music. How do you protect your love for creating when the pressure to constantly work and keep up can become overwhelming?
“Life is generally overwhelming. I could very much make it easier by quitting the music thing, but considering it’s one of the few things that brings my life purpose, I fear that would only hurt me more than help. Getting to experience pure joy and bliss while on the stage or writing music or meeting fans and making new friends absolutely makes up for the moments that feel too hard. It’s important to remind yourself that balance is healthy. Asking for help is healthy. And it takes sacrifices to follow your dreams.”
‘Summer 09’ looks back at that wonderfully specific period between childhood and growing up. What is it about nostalgia – particularly the music, culture and memories of the 2000s – that you find yourself drawn back to creatively?
“I think part of it was discovering my own individuality and interests. For a long part of my teenage and young adult years, I spent that time following and liking music and styles because other people did. Following trends instead of diving deep into what I really loved. When I was in middle school, I was discovering a style of music and a community I loved and growing up made me lose sight of that a bit. I wanted to be reminded of that individuality and explore it further, so I picked up where I left off in the 2010s and dove right back into what excites me.”
On ‘Tragedy’, you’re looking for genuine connection in a dating culture that can often feel disposable. Do you think writing about what you actually want, rather than what’s considered normal or expected, has become easier as you’ve grown more confident in yourself?
“I think growing up and uhh, let’s say trial and error have helped me get back to the real purpose of what I’m looking for. I tried it, didn’t like it, and am now trying something new! Who knows, maybe I’ll feel differently in a year from now. I do think confidence comes with age. The older I get, the more idgaf.”
Your music embraces the sounds and aesthetics of the pop-punk era while very much creating its own world. How do you draw inspiration from something you grew up loving without simply recreating the past?
“Honestly, this is probably not the “right” answer, but I truly just copy what I love. I think taking inspiration from everything I loved listening to growing up and what I listen to now, along with my own individuality and experience, it comes off as fresh (hopefully). Like a little brewed up concoction, if I may.”
You’ve toured with Diva Bleach and performed everywhere from Emo Nite to shows alongside Taylor Acorn and Games We Play. What does the lolitslea world become when you take it onto the stage, and what do you want people to feel when they’re part of one of your shows?
“Growing up, I was always dismissed when trying to speak up. In class, in circles, in my friend groups. I blamed it on the pitch of my voice being lower. Getting to take this project and my music to the stage gave me a new chance to speak up and be heard. And all I wanted was to create a fun and exciting space to be whatever we all want to be in that moment together during a show. Creating my own music and getting to bring it to a stage gives me an opportunity to share that newfound confidence with everyone and be myself, which is all I can hope is felt around the room, too!”
Finally, RollerCoaster Tycoon seems to embrace all the chaos, highs, lows and contradictions of life. What do you hope people take away from the album once they’ve ridden the whole rollercoaster with you?
“Aww, ridden the whole rollercoaster is such a sweet way of saying that. I lowkey hope people get a little bit of whiplash. Like “omg that was a lot all at once” because I feel like that’s truly what it’s like being around me. But then, they remember how much fun they had in the moment and want to ride again. :)”
