For Stella Lefty, playing Lollapalooza wasn't just another festival appearance. It was the realization of a dream years in the making.
The Chicago native took the stage Sunday night, earning a later set time than originally scheduled, and embraced the opportunity to perform for one of the festival's biggest crowds. Speaking with Variance backstage before her performance, Lefty reflected on what it meant to return home for a festival she's attended as a fan since she was 15.
"I've been such a fan of this festival for so many years," she said. "To be playing it is just surreal."
The performance came as Lefty's breakout single "Boston" hit a new peak at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, all coming just weeks before the release of her debut album, Long Way Home, arriving Aug. 21, which she announced at the end of her set at Lolla before performing "Boston" live.
Lefty said she's eager for listeners to experience the project as a complete body of work: "I've been sitting with these songs for quite a while," she said. "I'm just excited for them to be out in the world. I hope people see the bigger picture behind the songs they've already heard."
Ahead of the album, Lefty is also releasing the new single "Lean In, Kiss Me," which is out today (Aug. 7). It's a song she debuted live during her Lollapalooza set.
Looking ahead, Lefty's schedule is already filling up with a headlining tour this November and more touring planned beyond that. As for dream collaborations, she didn't hesitate.
"I'm such a fan of Noah Kahan. I love his music," she said, adding: "I'm a huge Swiftie. So if Taylor [Swift] ever wanted to hit me up, I would love it!"
Despite checking Lollapalooza off her bucket list, Lefty still has another Chicago milestone in mind.
"I hope to play Wrigley Field one day," she said. "Anything where I get to come back home."
See the full interview with Stella Lefty below.
Stella Lefty's tour dates:
Sept 27 – Louisville, KY – Bourbon & Beyond
Oct 3 – Decatur, AL – Rock the South
Oct 4 – Austin, TX – Austin City Limits
Oct 10 – Ballarat Central, AU – Strummingbird Festival
Oct 11 – Melbourne, AU – Prince Bandroom
Oct 15 – Sydney, AU – Metro Theatre
Oct 17 – Newcastle East, AU – Strummingbird Festival
Oct 18 – Birtinya, AU – Strummingbird Festival
Oct 30 – San Francisco, CA – Bimbo’s 365 Club
Nov 1 – Los Angeles, CA – Troubador
Nov 2 – Los Angeles, CA – Fonda Theatre
Nov 3 – Phoenix, AZ – Crescent Ballroom
Nov 6 – Dallas, TX – House of Blues Dallas (Cambridge Room)
Nov 7 – Houston, TX – House of Blues Houston (Bronze Peacock Room)
Nov 10 – Atlanta, GA – The Masquerade
Nov 12 – Toronto, ON – The Opera House
Nov 15 – New York, NY – Webster Hall
Nov 16 – New York, NY – Bowery Ballroom
Nov 17 – Boston, MA – Royale
Nov 19 – Washington, D.C. – The Atlantis
Nov 21 – Nashville, TN – The Truth
Nov 23 – Chicago, IL – Lincoln Hall
