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Lana Love
This is an iHeart podcast. Please welcome aboard the Johnson family.
Ryan Seacrest
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Buzz Knight
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Lana Love
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Buzz Knight
Walk welcome to Taking A Walk, the podcast where we explore the stories, passions and journeys of fascinating people one step at a time. I'm your host, Buzz Knight, inviting you to join me for an audio diary of insightful conversation and music history on foot. Today we're going to be talking with the truly dynamic artist Lana Love. Known for her genre blending sound, fearless creativity, and deeply personal songwriting, Lana has quickly become a standout voice. And in today's music scene, whether she's performing on stage or crafting songs that resonate with listeners around the world, Lana brings a sense of honesty and artistry that's impossible to ignore. On this episode, I'm going to dive into Lana's creative process, the stories behind her music, and the moments that have shaped her unique journey. So let's settle in right now and talk to Lana Love on Taking a Walk. Well, Lana, thanks for being on Taking a Walk. It's an honor to be with you.
Lana Love
Yeah, thanks for having me. Appreciate it.
Buzz Knight
So since we call this show Taking a Walk and even though we are virtual, I do want to ask you the opening question here, which is if you could take a walk with somebody, living or dead, doesn't have to be someone musical, but it's nice if it is. But it's your walk. Who would you take that walk with?
Lana Love
I'd take that walk with you.
Buzz Knight
Wow.
Lana Love
Yeah, we're here right now. I wish we could be in person.
Buzz Knight
Oh, that's so, so nice. I, I love an in person walk. I, I love a virtual meetup. But that would be so nice to take that walk. Where would we walk?
Lana Love
Well, I'd like to go to your hometown because I haven't spent much time in Boston. I think you could probably show me around and teach me a little bit about what goes around there.
Buzz Knight
All right. Well, there's a lot of great places to walk. It's a great walking city. And great walking cities are great places to just disappear and take in the history. So we'd have a great walk. So let's, let's do it sometime let's do that. And if not, we'll do it in New York.
Lana Love
Definitely come to New York.
Buzz Knight
We'll pick one of your favorite spots in New York City. So an amazing story that you have. You are one of the most fascinating people I have spoken to in terms of your diversity of styles and the work that you do. It's a fascinating story. Where we'll begin, I think, is that infamous moment that you knew that you were deeply connected with music. What was that moment?
Lana Love
You know, I think the first, I like to say, when I popped out of the womb, but the first memory that I have, I was 4 or 5 years old and we had a piano that was gifted to us, and it was in our living room. And I would always just go tinker on the piano as a child. So I think I was always drawn to music. And my mom used to play Phantom of the Opera and hold it up to her belly when she was pregnant with me. And when I was five, I ended up picking out Music of the Night on the piano by ear. So I think I was just always naturally drawn to melody and to specifically Phantom of the Opera when I was a kid, but just anything with a real melodic presence. I think I always wrap my head around that and wanted to explore that within my own work. But that was really the first moment that I knew that music was going to be a big part of my life, or it is my life, you know.
Buzz Knight
Did you have a plan B?
Lana Love
I tried. I tried so many times to have a plan B, but it just always knocks on my door.
Buzz Knight
What would the plan B have been, though? What would it have encompassed?
Lana Love
You know, I thought I was going to be a doctor for a while, and I wanted. I was very, you know, drawn to the body and how it works, but it just did not happen that way. I went originally to University of Florida for. I was going to go to med school or wanted to do that pre med. And then I got into the musical theater program there, and my life just took me totally different direction.
Buzz Knight
And who are the folks that had incredible influence on you that really shaped your desire and your passion for music?
Lana Love
You know, I have to say, it's funny, but John Legend really did as a young child. I was 12 years old when his song Ordinary People came out, which is one of the best written songs of all time, I'm convinced. And I learned how to play it, and I would just play it over and over and over and over again. And it's funny because years down the line, I ended up meeting him While I was serving champagne at an event in Harlem. And then a couple years after that, I ended up meeting him in person again, and he picked me to be on his team on the Voice. So I think he's been really instrumental in my progress and has inspired me many different ways.
Buzz Knight
Was it instilling confidence? Was it certain words of encouragement? Can you identify particularly what that aura of John Legend really did for you?
Lana Love
You know, I think he's a really solid and grounded guy, and he showed me that there's a way to do this business without going crazy and by staying really just present. He was really present with me both times I met him, and he showed me that there is another way to do this, that you can just be really good at your craft and love the craft and not get into the hoopla of, like, press and the debauchery of the entertainment industry, which I think takes so many people down. So I really wanted someone to show me that there was another way, and he certainly did.
Buzz Knight
And the influence that your. Your parents had as well, I have to think had some meaning and purpose.
Lana Love
Yeah, my parents. My parents were not in the industry, and I was. I'm kind of like black sheep of the family in a sense, because not that they're not supportive, but they will never fully understand what I'm doing because they went. Took totally different paths and that's, you know, fine. But I really had to find it on my own. And I think actually the fact that they weren't, like, holding my hand through it made me fight even more. So in a way, it was influential for me to go my own direction and just be very strong willed and independent in my thought process.
Buzz Knight
But what's so fascinating about your story, it ranges from your musical path, and then it also is your advocacy on behalf of artists as well, which is pretty crucial and important. Talk about your work on copyright boards and what that has meant in terms of your passion for your craft and your fellow artists.
Lana Love
Yeah. Thank you for saying that. And it's something that I'm very passionate about. And to your point, with my parents, because they weren't in the industry, I really had to find my own way. And I didn't have anyone telling me, hey, don't go this direction, or, hey, maybe you need to get a lawyer here. Hey, maybe you need to learn about this specific part of the industry. And I just didn't have anyone doing that. So I fell on my face a lot. And one of those things I fell on my face with, and we'll call it A failure, but it's just really a stepping stone because it happens with everyone. But I had a major copyright issue that would have changed my life financially come up that I did not understand as a young 20 year old. And I had written something that ended up taking off and I had my name nowhere on it. And so I think a lot of artists get into copyright after it's too late. And I didn't want another artist to go through what I went through. So I took it upon myself to learn as much as I could and to each one teach one, so that other young people, you know, had an easier go of it.
Buzz Knight
And how long did it take you to sort of learn that part of the business?
Lana Love
I'm still learning. I think I'm always learning. And the structures are changing all the time, which is great. But at the same respect, I feel like we're always playing catch up. So I would say I took a solid two years to learn as much as I could, and I would just do an hour a day on YouTube and educate myself.
Buzz Knight
2021 was a big year for you. That was the moment where you broke out with the song American Love. Can you talk about that song, the creation of it? Take us sort of behind the curtain on how that came to be such an important step in your career.
Lana Love
Yeah. Thank you. I love that song still to this day. And I think it was my favorite off of my first ep. So that one I wanted all live instruments on, and I was very adamant about that. I actually recorded it in analog, so I just really wanted it to feel Americana and real and from the grassroots that I came up in. As I mentioned to you before off this call, I'm from Hotlanta, Georgia, so, you know, we are. We love real music and we love to play. And the folk element, and I think there is like a hard rock, like folk element to that song. And I really wanted that to be present. And I actually put a big kind of Phantom of the Opera choir at the end, so there's a lot of melody involved with that. And I wanted to meld these different genres that I grew up in and that I love all into this one song. And I was. I think I was able to do that and have live strings and real keys, real guitars, like just everything real. Because what I was experiencing in my personal life was so not real. It was not what I thought it would be. I'd kind of quote, unquote, like, made it in a certain way, and it just wasn't what I thought it would be. And So I wanted my music to be real when what I was living felt really fake.
Buzz Knight
And you ended up headlining a one hour solo live PBS special before the audience there at the Redlands Bowl Amphitheater. And it was a tribute to somebody. I want you to talk about your late mentor, Frank Fetta.
Lana Love
Yeah, Maestro Frank Feta. He. He was really the first person I ever truly loved, and I knew that I loved him. When he passed, it was the first time someone in my life really close to me passed, and his last wish was to put me on. And so Redland Spohl did a full hour on pbs and I got to sing every genre from opera to rock to original music to jazz, everything. And it was just such a wonderful experience and I think will always be my. One of my favorites. He's real special.
Buzz Knight
How special? How special? Thank you for sharing that.
Jennifer Lopez
Thanks.
Buzz Knight
So tell me about what you've been up to lately and what you're working on and putting out and that you're excited about.
Lana Love
Well, I just had a song come out with Ghostface Killa a couple days ago, so that was really exciting. It's called Lost Boys with a Z. And I met him a couple years ago, and I was just playing keys at a bar and he, quote, unquote, found me, so to speak. And from there we developed a friendship, and he's a dear mentor to me. So we have this song that just came out, and I have an EP coming out on August 22nd called Sorry I'm Human. I'm really, really excited for y' all to hear that.
Buzz Knight
Oh, that's great. I heard the Atlanta in you too, there.
Lana Love
It came out.
Buzz Knight
It came out. Now, how long does a project felt like that from start to finish, take to come together?
Lana Love
Well, in all honesty, I'll say two solid years for sure. I had started writing some of the songs many, many years prior, but they just saw the light of day now. So in totality, probably about five years from top to bottom.
Buzz Knight
And there's obviously trial and error in terms of some of the writing, some of the way you'd sort of view it in terms of, you know, orchestration and everything. So I'm assuming there's a fair amount of experimentation that is going on in that process.
Lana Love
For sure. It takes a long time to find a cohesive sound without everything sounding the same. So I certainly sat in the studio for, you know, sometimes three hours for one sound. So it's. It's. Yeah, it's a laborious process, but it's fun. And when you find It. It's like you just get so excited because it. The whole thing kind of just comes together, and I always start writing on the keys. That's where I start all of my songs. And if it doesn't work on the keys, it's not going to work in production because you can add a bunch of fancy stuff. But if the song isn't there, then what do you really have? So everything that I on this record really translates to keys and is key based.
Buzz Knight
Those hands look very powerful there.
Lana Love
I'm like, where are you from?
Buzz Knight
They really do. They're delicate, too.
Lana Love
They are, for sure.
Buzz Knight
Yeah.
Ryan Seacrest
We'll be right back with more of the Taking a Walk podcast.
Jennifer Lopez
Okay, ladies.
Lana Love
When I said we came to play.
Buzz Knight
Didn'T I mean it?
Lana Love
This Disney cruise got the me feeling like a queen. We can get massages at Sense's spa, have a meet and greet with Black Panther. Ooh, I love him.
Jennifer Lopez
And I can't wait to sunbathe on the private island.
Lana Love
And the kids will be fine. Girl, they're good. Exactly. While they hang in the kids club.
Jennifer Lopez
With Mickey Mouse, we can do our.
Lana Love
Thing and do it well all day.
Jennifer Lopez
Disney Cruise line is where we came to play.
Ryan Seacrest
Welcome back to the Taking a Walk podcast.
Buzz Knight
I love in. In a world where we frequently talk about, you know, busting genres, I love in terms of your, you know, genre breaking, you're. You're classically trained. You've got roots in opera, jazz, and theater and piano. And you've got a pop side, you've got a rock side. It's so diverse. Where did this curiosity and diversity come from?
Lana Love
I think, again, it kind of stems from your first question of, like, what was the moment that you fell in love with music? And I love so many different genres. And I think because I was in musical theater for a long time, I had to play so many different roles in different styles. Like, one, you know, one month I'd be doing a rock show, and then the next I'd be doing an opera show. So I had to constantly bounce back and forth between all these different genres, and they sit in a different place in your voice when you sing. So I had explored all of these, I'll say, different vibrational places within my facility. And at one point, I had kind of lost my true voice because I was putting on all these characters. And so it's been a really great development to undevelop that and to kind of pull away from the I'm X genre and just mix them all into who I am now. So I I think it all kind of ties in at the very end.
Buzz Knight
How do you approach vulnerability in your lyrics and your performances?
Lana Love
You know, I don't even think I really think about vulnerability. I always try to get to the truth of what I'm feeling and write from a place that I've already had the answer to the question that I'm asking, so I think it just comes out naturally. I'm a pretty passionate person in general, and I always speak from my heart, no matter what, and I always try to cut straight to the truth, so I think I'm just always searching for that.
Buzz Knight
What are the themes or messages that you hope listeners take away from your newest work?
Lana Love
I like to talk about Sorry, I'm human as like, a thorn in your side that you just left there. And you keep bumping up against things, but you never took the thorn out, so you never really took a look at what's inside. And I like to think of this album as taking that arrow out and looking at it so that it can actually heal and not shaming it, but really looking at the dark parts and being okay with them or at least saying hello to them and, you know, wishing them well so that you can heal, because that's what makes us human. And for a long time, I just masked the parts of myself that I didn't think people would like. And now I'm like, here's a bright, shiny light. Here are all the parts that I'm not cool with because I gotta get cool with them so that I can heal.
Buzz Knight
It's an outlet to sanity.
Lana Love
Totally. It's like therapy, you know, music is. It's like therapy for me, so.
Buzz Knight
Well, it is for us, too. Right. Think of all that it does for us. For an artist standpoint, it's therapeutic. And for us as an audience, it is as well.
Lana Love
Yeah. It's like we connect through shared experiences and. And hurts and. And also joys and. And I really. I think deep inside, I just want to connect with people.
Buzz Knight
Do you worry sometimes in the chaotic pace of today that people lose some of that joy as. At least not from the artist standpoint, but as fans sometimes.
Lana Love
You know, I just think as people, we do. It just goes so fast that it's hard to stay present. It's really hard. I mean, I think we're all overstimulated, and again, it. We're all searching for the same things, which is love and truth and resonance and connection, and music has a way of bringing us all in the same room.
Buzz Knight
You've had some great collaborations I want you to talk about them. Obviously, your new work is a collaboration that you spoke about, but who are some of the other collaborations that you would like to talk about that you've been part of, and what do you look for in a creative partner?
Lana Love
That's a great question. Well, I collaborated with Ray Scabo on this piece, Sorry, I'm Human, and he and I spent a lot of time together, and it was really cool the way it developed. He is Ghostface Killa's head engineer and producer, and I met him through Ghost, and Ghost said, hey, I like one of your songs, Lost Boys. When he heard the keys, just my key and vocal, and he said, would you like to produce this out? I said, yeah, I would love to. And so from there, he put me in touch with Ray, and then Rhea and I hit it off and made this piece. So I think in terms of what I look for, it kind of finds me wherever I'm at and whatever I need in the moment. I think that we find each other as collaborators, you know, it just happens. Yeah, it really does.
Buzz Knight
It's all organic, serendipity.
Lana Love
Totally.
Buzz Knight
Who are some of the folks you haven't collaborated with that you can dream about and think? Man, wouldn't that be awesome?
Lana Love
Well, aside from taking a walk in the park with you.
Buzz Knight
Oh.
Lana Love
Which I would love to do. And whenever you're in New York, let me know, we'll do that. But I'm a huge, huge, huge Lady Gaga fan, and I would just love to have a coffee with her.
Buzz Knight
I mean, you've been. It's been described when they talk about you, they say, think Lady Gaga meets Phantom of the Opera.
Lana Love
I think Moya came up with that. That's a good one.
Buzz Knight
It's good, but it's. But, you know, I. I envision this. This meeting with. With you and Miss lady probably happening quicker than you even think.
Lana Love
I would be honored. I would be so honored. She's, you know, she's also musical theater, so she's a storyteller. She loves these wild concepts and just bringing you into her world visually and sonically. And I'm a huge proponent of that, and I try to carry that within my own work, too.
Buzz Knight
Well, it occurs to me, too, one of her talents, among her musical talents and beyond is. Is obviously, you know, she's been successful at acting as well. Would I ever see a world with Liana? Love taking, you know, a crack at acting.
Lana Love
Yeah, I've actually been in a couple. A couple of things. I played Gwen Stefani on a TV show once.
Buzz Knight
You did.
Lana Love
It's funny because I ended up meeting her later in life and that was cool. So, yeah, I love it all, and I'm open to all of the above. I'm very curious to see where my life's going to lead me because I feel like I have my hands in so many different honey pots, and I'm so curious about different parts of the entertainment world, and I really do love it all.
Buzz Knight
And if you're curious, then that opens doors.
Lana Love
It does. I feel like I'm no longer in a narrow stream. I feel like I'm in the ocean.
Buzz Knight
Wow. Outstanding. I take me back to singing for tips at Cold Stone Creamery.
Lana Love
You know, I've always been singing for tips. That is not the first time I've sung for tips. Yeah, that was my first job and I gained £25 because it was. I love Reese's Cups so much. No, but it was. It was a great job. It was really fun. And I have. I've had so many different, like, catering jobs, and, you know, I've done it all in that sense.
Buzz Knight
Well, but you're instantly connecting with the audience, too, which obviously you. You have mastered how to do that, you know.
Lana Love
Well, thank you. I think there's always further to go there. But I did enjoy just meeting people and singing to them whenever they would hear me. Some people didn't want to. I'd do it anyway.
Buzz Knight
Oh, I don't think they. I doubt that. Seriously. They would want to hear you and they would grow to love you quickly for your work and your. Your style and your personality, you know.
Lana Love
Oh, thank you.
Buzz Knight
And your talent so. Well, I want to close with this. You mentioned continuous learning and your curiosity and how this has sort of brought you to where you are today with the new work and everything. But when you envision what else you'd like to learn that would shape you as a person and an artist, what. What do you think that is?
Lana Love
It's a really great question. You know, when we think about the future, we can only see so far. And, you know, and I try to visualize what I want to experience in my life every morning when I wake up, every night before I go to bed. And for the first time in my life, I can't see what's next. And it's kind of a cool place to be in because I know I've got this project coming out. I know that I love music more than my life itself, and I truly don't know what's next. And I'm okay with it. So I think I'm just staying open in that ocean of possibility to what comes in and I'm staying positive and staying on the growth path and just an expansive path of wanting to connect with people and connect with myself more. So if anything, I would say that it's kind of like a broad, general way to look at it, but I'm just trying not to give myself an X marks to spot anymore and just let life take me down the current that I'm supposed to be on and.
Buzz Knight
Trust that I also take from this. You do all this with an incredible sense of gratitude.
Lana Love
I do. I have been through a lot for a person of my age and I see that it was all for something and it's making sense. And I think for many years it's I questioned what was happening and now I'm just kind of like, stop questioning. Appreciate where you're at. Appreciate what you've been given. I've been given so much and I have so much love to give back. And so I'm really in the receptive mode right now and very grateful for this conversation and for, you know, my team and what I've been able to develop and who I am now.
Buzz Knight
Lena, love, it's so wonderful to be with you. I just can't wait till the next time the in person or the virtual or both. This has really been a joy and congratulations on the new work and I know we'll be continuing to hear great things from from you and your future.
Lana Love
Thanks, Buzz. I appreciate it.
Buzz Knight
Thanks for listening to this episode of the Taking a Walk podcast.
Ryan Seacrest
Share this and other episodes with your.
Buzz Knight
Friends and follow us so you never miss an episode. Taking a Walk is available on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts.
Lana Love
Please welcome aboard the Johnson family.
Ryan Seacrest
The whole fam's here for the Disney cruise. So you know we came to play and listen. The adults are gonna have a ball first. First we're chilling in the infinity pool, onto massages at Sense's spa, then gliding into Star wars hyperspace lounge for a toast. We're even gonna kick back with Mickey on Disney's private island. That's how we get down. Cause Disney cruise line is where we came to play.
Buzz Knight
Hey, it's me, Earhart. Mind if I pick the next song?
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Buzz Knight
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Lana Love
This is an I Heart Podcast.
Podcast Summary: takin' a walk - "Lana Love: Heartbeats, Harmonies and the Journey Within"
Release Date: July 11, 2025
In this inspiring episode of "takin' a walk", host Buzz Knight engages in a heartfelt conversation with the multifaceted artist Lana Love. Known for her genre-blending sound and deeply personal songwriting, Lana offers listeners an intimate look into her musical journey, creative processes, and advocacy within the music industry.
Buzz Knight opens the discussion by exploring the pivotal moment Lana realized her deep connection to music.
From a young age, Lana was immersed in music, with fond memories of tinkering on a family piano and being influenced by her mother's love for Phantom of the Opera. This early exposure cemented her passion for melody and storytelling through music.
Lana credits several key figures who have shaped her artistic path, most notably John Legend.
Meeting John Legend twice—once while working at an event in Harlem and later when he invited her to be part of his team on The Voice—provided Lana with invaluable mentorship. Legend's grounded approach to the music industry taught Lana the importance of staying present and focusing on craft over the chaos often associated with fame.
Additionally, Lana discusses the role of her parents in her journey:
Despite not having industry insiders at home, the independence fostered by her family dynamics strengthened her resolve and self-reliance in pursuing her music career.
Lana's personal experiences with copyright issues propelled her into advocacy:
Facing a significant copyright challenge early in her career, Lana realized the common pitfalls many artists encounter. Determined to prevent others from facing similar struggles, she dedicated herself to educating fellow musicians about copyright laws and protections, emphasizing the importance of understanding the business side of music.
2021 marked a turning point for Lana with the release of her song "American Love".
"American Love" showcases Lana's commitment to authenticity, featuring live instruments recorded in analog to capture a genuine, grassroots sound. The song blends elements of folk and hard rock, embodying the diverse musical influences from her upbringing in Atlanta, Georgia.
Lana had the honor of headlining a one-hour solo live PBS special at the Redlands Bowl Amphitheater, paying tribute to her late mentor, Frank Feta.
This tribute allowed Lana to honor Feta's legacy by performing a diverse range of genres, from opera to rock, highlighting the profound impact he had on her life and career.
Lana continues to push creative boundaries with recent collaborations and upcoming releases:
Her collaboration with Ghostface Killah on the track "Lost Boys with a Z" stands out as a significant milestone, showcasing her ability to blend different styles and work organically with other artists.
Lana's versatility across genres stems from her extensive background in musical theater, where she honed her ability to navigate various musical styles.
This diverse foundation allows Lana to infuse her music with elements from opera, jazz, pop, and rock, creating a unique and dynamic sound that's distinctly her own.
Vulnerability is a cornerstone of Lana's songwriting and performances, as she strives to connect deeply with her audience.
Her latest EP, Sorry I'm Human, delves into themes of healing and self-acceptance, using music as a therapeutic outlet both for herself and her listeners.
Looking ahead, Lana embraces continuous learning and openness to new experiences, whether in music or other creative fields.
Her willingness to explore acting and other facets of the entertainment industry reflects her broad creative interests and desire for personal and professional growth.
The episode concludes with Lana expressing profound gratitude for her journey and the support she's received.
Buzz Knight wraps up the conversation by congratulating Lana on her achievements and expressing excitement for her future endeavors, leaving listeners inspired by her resilience, passion, and unwavering dedication to her craft.
Lana Love [07:54]:
"John Legend really did as a young child... he's been really instrumental in my progress and has inspired me in many different ways."
Lana Love [11:08]:
"I had a major copyright issue that would have changed my life financially... I took it upon myself to learn as much as I could and to teach one."
Lana Love [21:54]:
"I'm just trying to connect with people."
Lana Love [29:55]:
"I'm just staying open in that ocean of possibility to what comes in and I'm staying positive and staying on the growth path."
This episode of "takin' a walk" offers a comprehensive glimpse into Lana Love's artistic journey, underscored by her commitment to authenticity, continuous growth, and advocacy for fellow artists. Through her music and personal stories, Lana exemplifies the profound impact of staying true to oneself while navigating the complexities of the music industry.
For those who haven't listened to the episode, this summary encapsulates the essence of Lana Love's discussions with Buzz Knight, highlighting her achievements, challenges, and the heartfelt narratives that define her as an artist.