Margo Price describes new single “Lydia” as “a cacophony of things.” The song features visions of methadone clinics and used needles blurred with the bleak strums of the singer-songwriter’s acoustic guitar.
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“I wrote ‘Lydia’ in one sitting in a tiny hotel room after walking around the city of Vancouver one day,” Price said of the song in a statement. “I was jet lagged and feeling really depressed, hopeless, but instead of taking a nap, I picked up the guitar and the words just flowed out all in one quick moment.”
Hitting record on her phone to make a quick demo, she explained she “sort of blacked out or went into this meditative state, and boom – eight minutes later, I had this song. It’s one of the only songs I’ve ever written that doesn’t have any real melody or even rhyme, but somehow it still works. Songs like that are rare and don’t come often.”
A heavy-hearted, sobering stream-of-consciousness, the lyrics of “Lydia” are plagued by struggle, self-doubt, and desperation. “There was a women’s health clinic and a methadone clinic with a needle exchange right outside of our venue,” she recalled. “I was looking into the eyes of the people I passed and thinking about their stories and really being a conduit for pain.
“The song feels like a premonition now, with women’s rights being stripped and all the abortion bans happening. When I listen back, I hear what might go through a woman’s mind when she has a difficult decision to make about her body, her choices and her future.”
Listen to the stunning live performance of “Lydia,” below. Shot at Nashville’s Downtown Presbyterian Church, the video sees Price backed by a string quartet – Chauntee Ross, Nicole Neely, Kristin Weber and Larissa Maestro.
“Lydia” follows previously released singles “Been To The Mountain” and “Change of Heart,” all powerful showcases of what can be found on Strays, her fourth studio album, set for release January 13.
“I feel this urgency to keep moving, keep creating,” Price said of her upcoming album. “You get stuck in the same patterns of thinking, the same loops of addiction. But there comes a point where you just have to say, ‘I’m going to be here, I’m going to enjoy it, and I’m not going to put so much stock into checking the boxes for everyone else.’ I feel more mature in the way that I write now, I’m on more than just a search for large crowds and accolades. I’m trying to find what my soul needs.”
Never one to shy away from brutal honesty set to a tune, Price is using her newly released memoir, Maybe We’ll Make It, to bear her soul in an all new way. A handful of dates touring the memoir will precede the artist’s ‘Til The Wheels Fall Off Tour, kicking off later this month. Price will see support from Jessi Colter, Kam Franklin, Lola Kirke, Tre Burt and others along the way.
Upcoming Tour Dates
Nov. 16 – Nashville, TN – Parnassus Books^
Nov. 29 – Fayetteville, AR – George’s Majestic Lounge*
Nov. 30 – Baton Rouge, LA – Chelsea’s Live*
Dec. 2 – Lake Wales, FL – Orange Blossom Revue
Dec. 3 – Charleston, SC – Music Farm*
Dec. 5 – Charlotte, NC – Neighborhood Theatre*
Dec. 6 – Louisville, KY – Headliners Music Hall*
Jan. 30 – Asheville, NC – Orange Peel %
Jan. 31 – Atlanta, GA – Variety Playhouse %
Feb. 2 – Houston, TX – White Oak Music Hall &
Feb. 3 – Austin, TX – Scoot Inn &
Feb. 4 – Dallas, TX – Granada Theater &
Feb. 6 – Phoenix, AZ – Crescent Ballroom $
Feb. 7 – San Diego, CA – The Observatory North Park $
Feb. 9 – Los Angeles, CA – Fonda Theatre $
Feb. 10 – San Francisco, CA – The Fillmore $
Feb. 11 – Arcata, CA – Van Duzer Theatre $
Feb. 13 – Portland, OR – Crystal Ballroom $
Feb. 14 – Vancouver, BC – Commodore Ballroom $
Feb. 15 – Seattle, WA – The Showbox $
Feb. 17 – Bozeman, MT – The Elm $
Feb. 19 – Minneapolis, MN – First Avenue $
Feb. 20 – Madison, WI – Majestic Theatre $
Feb. 21 – Chicago, IL – Vic Theatre $
Feb. 22 – Indianapolis, IN – The Vogue $
Feb. 24 – Toronto, ON – The Phoenix Concert Theatre #
Feb. 25 – Detroit, MI – Majestic Theatre #
Feb. 27 – Burlington, VT – Higher Ground Ballroom #
Feb. 28 – Boston, MA – Paradise Rock Club #
Mar. 2 – Washington, DC – 9:30 Club #
Mar. 3 – Philadelphia, PA – Theatre of Living Arts #
Mar. 4 – New York, NY – Webster Hall #
Mar. 9 – Nashville, TN – Ryman Auditorium !
^ Maybe We’ll Make It Book Tour
* w/ Kam Franklin (of The Suffers)
% w/ The Deslondes
& w/ Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country
$ w/ Lola Kirke
# w/ Tre Burt
! w/ Jessi Colter
(Photo by Alysse Gafkjen // Courtesy of Shorefire)
