Young love can be a dream or a nightmare and Lana Chalfoun offers both perspectives in her music. Her new single “Cut Off” (coming out Feb. 12th) is a break-up song just in time for Valentine’s Day, which to be honest, is the perfect day to let yourself mourn lost love and move on by February 15th. A fount of youthful sound and energy, Lana’s been dropping music through the pandemic (check out her other singles “Be OK” and “Get Mad”), all of which share the twists and turns of love, anxiety, and coming of age. In our interview with Lana we talk about her music and her chosen charity of choice The Red Glasses Movement. Keep reading to fall more in love with Lana in our exclusive interview below.

Where are you based?
I currently live in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Would love to move out to a larger city, but I've been working from here for the time being!

When did you first discover your love for music?
I’ve always loved music, but I think I really knew that this is the career I wanted when I was about ten years old. That's when everything started to come together, and I found my love for songwriting specifically.

You recorded your first EP “In the Making” at age of eleven. What did you learn from this experience?
I learned so much. Every time I enter the studio I improve and/or learn something new. With that being my first EP, I think my biggest take away was how much work is really put into the production of a song. It's incredible, honestly.

Your singing and songwriting talent has been compared to Taylor Swift and Halsey. How do you describe your music and what do you think makes you unique as an artist? Who have been your musical inspirations?
Well, my biggest music inspiration growing up has definitely been Adele. I've always loved how powerful her voice was and how meaningful her lyrics were. She was really the reason I started singing. I would describe my music as ballad-pop, yet I honestly just write whatever's on my mind and see what melody fits best. I've noticed that I like to write songs with meaning though, and give a story more than just a song.

In 2018 your song “Bring Them Home” won the grand prize for the nationwide U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Campaign contest ‘Creating on the Margins.’ “Bring Us Home” contains a powerful and personal message about refugees and migrants. Can you walk us through your creative process in writing this song?
Yes, so for this song specifically, I really wanted to capture an experience and emotion that would draw people not only into the song but into the topic since it is so important. I wrote from the heart, but also tried to use others' experiences to make the song as real as possible.

What inspired you to write it?
My dad is a refugee actually from Lebanon. He fled war there when he was a kid, so having him share his experience was the largest influence for the song.

Last year you released your debut album “Aware.” The album has a palpable theme of young love. Can you tell us a little bit about this album and what you hope your fans get from it?
This album was my first time releasing music where I felt that I could seriously commit to music as a career. I wrote it over the course of a year, and every song had a different story and meaning.

Your song ‘Ruby’ takes a very honest approach to friendship, especially the complicated relationship between a friend and an ex. The song has a pop-ballad sound and the lyrics resonate with raw emotion, “If anyone hurt you and made you feel this way, I wouldn’t just laugh it off and say that it’s okay”. This is certainly a different side of heartbreak than is typically portrayed in pop-songs. What was the process like in writing a song that portrays the layered complexities of friendship?
This song is definitely one of the most meaningful to me because at the age I wrote it the heartbreak of a friend betraying you was much worse than a “boyfriend.” After breaking up with someone, you need your friends to rely on, so when even they aren't there for you, it hurts that much more.

How did Ruby respond to your song? A lot of songs talk about lover breakups. Do you feel people don’t appreciate how powerful the love in friendships can be?
I think the love in friendships is extremely important. Ruby is a code name for the girl in my life that I had this experience with, but we had luckily worked out all our issues before the song was released.

You have a new trio of singles that are all about the unique experience of anxiety in young performers. The first single of the trio, “Be OK,” just released on October 23rd and we would love to get your perspective on what this song means to you.
This song was written about the anxiety of growing up and having so many expectations and feeling as though you may never reach them.

What challenges have you faced as a young artist?
Being in high school, fitting in is important to everyone, so I think the biggest challenge is just being seen as different or getting negative criticism from certain people.

You shot a music video for “Be OK” in NYC. What was your creative vision for the music video? Did you like the experience of giving your song a visual component?
Well going into it, I wanted the video to be simplistic yet emotional. I loved filming it! It was super cool to have a visual to one of my songs for the first time.

What can we expect from your single “Cut Off”?
You can expect a very emotional yet powerful breakup song. The song is supposed to be from a girl's point of view who has officially gotten rid of her ex that screwed things up for the relationship multiple times. It’s also the first time where a male voice has been in a song of mine – not as a singer, but speaking one of the parts.

Releasing your singles during the pandemic must be an interesting experience. How has COVID affected you and this experience?
It's been kinda hard since I haven't been able to perform, but it's also increased people's use of social media which has been good in some ways.

Jejune loves your work with the Red Glasses Movement, an organization aimed at spreading kindness and inspiring others. How did you get involved with the organization and why is it important to you?
I got involved with the movement because the girl who unfortunately passed away, Audrey, went to my school along with her siblings. I was saddened yet moved by the movement and wanted to see if I could add or help in any way. I later sat down with her brother and sister and wrote a song about their vision of Audrey. It’s so important to me because I think using music for things greater than ourselves is necessary when being a musician.

How have you been able to use your music to support the Red Glasses Movement?
At my last album release concert, Audrey’s older sister Sam came on stage with me and we sang the song together in front of a whole theatre. We also gave out glasses at the front of the theatre.

How have you been able to stay inspired and positive during COVID-19 and shelter-in-place?
One way I've been able to say positive is just keeping busy, and making sure I fit self-care into my day. It's so important to take time to yourself, especially during this pandemic.

What is your life motto?
I think one thing I try to live by is just to ‘live in the moment.’ As an artist, it's very easy to get caught up with what your future will look like. Although it's important to work towards the future, you have to always appreciate what you have in the present moment, otherwise, you will never be fully satisfied in life.

To learn more about Lana Chalfoun please follow her via the below platforms:
Spotify: Lana Chalfoun
Apple Music: Lana Chalfoun
YouTube: Lana Chalfoun
Instagram: @lanachalfoun
Facebook: @LanaChalfoun

Fall in Love with Teen Singer-Songwriter Lana Chalfoun