INTERVIEW: Lanie Gardner talks 'Faded Polaroids'

Emerging as a versatile force in modern music, Lanie Gardner seamlessly bridges the gap between country storytelling, classic rock grit, and soulful pop. From going viral with her powerhouse covers to collaborating with rock legends like Slash and touring alongside country icons, Gardner’s journey is defined by authenticity and genre-defying passion. In this interview with us, she opens up about fan-selected singles, the final chapter of her Faded Polaroids era, her pre-show rituals, and what it truly takes to tap into a pure creative mindset. Thank you Lanie Gardner for your time and we hope that you enjoy the conversation we had. Lanie Gardner will release the deluxe edition of Faded Polaroids on the 4th of September, including the most recent single You Ain’t My Daddy.

Strife Magazine: How are you doing?

Lanie Gardner: I’m good! I’m so busy, and I feel blessed to be busy, but I’m really excited for the holidays and having time to spend with friends and family.

Strife Magazine: I can imagine. Are you talking about the holidays at the end of the year, or is that already what you’re looking forward to?

Lanie Gardner: Yes! That’s an American thing, I guess—just looking forward to Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Strife Magazine: That’s fair. Up until then, you’re on and off the road, basically?

Lanie Gardner: Yes! Festivals and touring with Luke Bryan and Tim Myers for the rest of the year, so that’ll be fun.

Strife Magazine: That sounds great. Obviously, you have some new music coming up, and you released a track a few weeks ago. How was playing that song live before anyone knew it?

Lanie Gardner: Playing it live was interesting! We actually bounced it off the fans because we wanted them to choose which song we would take as a single. I teased two tracks to see which one they connected with most. Everyone has been on this journey with me, so I thought, why not let them choose? They picked “Lord ‘N Have Mercy,” so that’s the one!

Strife Magazine: Are you releasing another single before the Deluxe album comes out? You’ve been teasing another track for a bit now.

Lanie Gardner: We’re actually going to release both new songs—the one that didn’t get picked and a brand-new track that no one has heard yet. We’re releasing those two on September 4th.

Strife Magazine: So there isn’t another release coming before the actual album drops?

Lanie Gardner: We’re just going to throw it all at y’all!

Strife Magazine: Well, that’s fair! It’s interesting because our origins are in rock and metal, but a few years ago we started enjoying more country-esque artists. I have to ask about the track that combined those worlds: what was it like collaborating with Dorothy and Slash?

Lanie Gardner: That was so cool! Dorothy—and I’m a huge Dorothy fan—had me join in on a song she and Slash had already done. I connected so much with it. I love classic rock and I’m a huge rock fan, so it was really easy to step into that persona. I’ve always been a fan of Dorothy and Slash, so it was amazing!

Strife Magazine: Do you think there will be more of those “worlds colliding” collaborations? Would you be open to that?

Lanie Gardner: I hope so! That would be sick. My tastes are so across the board in everything I listen to, sing, and write, so I consider myself a multi-genre artist. I love when worlds collide—it’s the coolest thing ever.

Strife Magazine: I definitely agree. Especially in recent years, traditional genres feel less rigid, and artists are just making what they want. Growing up, who were the artists you listened to the most? I’m guessing Fleetwood Mac is among them.

Lanie Gardner: Definitely Fleetwood Mac. I’m a huge AC/DC fan, Jimmy Buffett, Miranda Lambert for country, Rihanna… I really love Aurora right now too—I think she’s so cool. I’ve been listening to her a lot, as well as Imogen Heap. It’s pretty broad. I just love music.

Strife Magazine: Aurora is great—she even featured on a Bring Me The Horizon track, collaborating across genres. Speaking of music creation: when you’re in the zone writing or thinking about new music, what usually comes first—the music or the lyrics?

Lanie Gardner: It switches up, but really the inspiration comes first—whether that’s a guitar melody, an idea that pops into my mind, or a story I see unraveling when I look outside. Most of the time, instruments speak to me very much. That’s what I love about rock music; the instruments carry so much emotion and tell their own story without words. So an instrumental melody usually comes first, and then I dive into that.

Strife Magazine: Does that usually happen at home, in the studio, or do you write a lot on the road?

Lanie Gardner: I do well in moving vehicles! I write a lot while I’m driving—responsibly, of course! I’ll hit voice memo on my phone and record little melodies that come to my head. But I also write a lot at home. My first album, A Songwriter’s Diary, was written in North Carolina while driving through the mountains. That’s probably where I feel the most inspiration.

Strife Magazine: Nature and scenery can be so inspirational. Looking ahead, what can we expect after this era concludes with the Deluxe edition?

Lanie Gardner: I’m already so excited for the next era! It’s definitely going to take a turn, and I’m really excited about this new journey. I feel like I’m coming into an environment where I can be creative, authentic, try new things, and not listen so much to all the outside noise. Next year is going to be a big switch-up.

Strife Magazine: That’s a great tease! You’ve been on the road with some incredible artists. Whose live show inspired you the most, or what have you taken from their performances to implement into your own?

Lanie Gardner: I’ve been on the road mostly with men, so their shows are very traditional country—that’s their bread and butter. As a woman and someone who isn’t strictly country, the most inspiring thing I’ve taken from them is their stage banter. Seeing how much fun they have connecting with the audience was really inspirational, and it made me want to do that more!

Strife Magazine: Do you still get nervous before going on stage, or is it second nature at this point?

Lanie Gardner: Because I care so much about the fans’ experience, I put a lot of pressure on myself, which makes me nervous. But once I’m out there singing, and people are singing back, dancing, and having a good time, all that pressure just melts away.

Strife Magazine: That’s when the stage banter comes in! Going back to Faded Polaroids, did you write these three new Deluxe songs as part of the original album session, or were they written afterward?

Lanie Gardner: These three songs were written after the album. I felt like Faded Polaroids needed a final chapter. The original album was written during a time when I was growing a lot as a girl in her 20s. These three songs represent the other side of that—less about figuring out who I am, and more about finally trusting who I am, being stronger, and stepping into my own. It’s the conclusion to that era of growth.

Strife Magazine: That makes total sense—it’s an extension of that journey. Before we wrap up, we ask every artist to leave a question for our next guest. Tilian Pearson asked: “What does it take for you to get into a purely creative state?”

Lanie Gardner: That’s funny because that’s the question I was going to ask! To get into a pure creative state, I have to step off social media for a while, clear my head, go outside, sit in the sun, and meditate. It’s about stopping the noise, reconnecting with why I started singing, and being completely present in the moment.

Strife Magazine: Following up on that—why did you start singing originally?

Lanie Gardner: I’ve sung for as long as I can remember! It was just a natural thing I did as a kid. Around the time my grandfather passed away—he was a musician who always dreamed of making it big—I started singing seriously. It felt like a torch being passed down. Later, after singing the national anthem at local sports games and getting great feedback, I started posting covers on YouTube, and the journey just blew up from there.

Strife Magazine: What a journey! What question would you like to ask our next guest?

Lanie Gardner: What do they do right before going on stage? What’s their pre-show ritual while waiting for the music to start?

Strife Magazine: Great question! What do you do before stepping on stage?

Lanie Gardner: We huddle up and say a prayer, then I do jumping jacks to get my body warm so I don’t go out there cold. I also do vocal warm-ups while standing there, and I make funny faces at my bandmates!

Strife Magazine: Gotta warm everything up! How is your neck feeling, by the way?

Lanie Gardner: It’s getting better, though my range of motion to the right is still coming back! I woke up one day with the worst crick in my neck, but after a few days, it’s finally letting go.

Strife Magazine: Glad to hear it’s recovering. Thank you so much for taking the time to chat with us, Lanie!

Lanie Gardner: Thank you so much for having me—this was fun!

Strife Magazine: See you at C2C!

Lanie Gardner: See you at C2C! Bye!

Stream Faded Polaroids right below!