Multi-instrumentalist and producer Lola Bates unveils Girl’s Girl, the lead single from her debut album Love and Power.
Anchored by a hypnotic bass–drum groove and layered harmonies, the Girl’s Girl, establishes the project’s darker sonic palette. Written during the album’s early development, Girl’s Girl navigates loyalty, romantic complexity, and personal accountability.
Recorded between Bates’ Laurel Canyon studio and Studio C at EastWest Studios in Los Angeles, Love and Power was produced alongside Maxwell Joseph and engineered by Robert Carranza. The album will arrive via the newly launched label Gravel & Echo Recordings, distributed by Virgin Music Group.
In this FM PRO 10Q, Bates discusses the production behind Girl’s Girl, the influence of Laurel Canyon, and the experiences shaping her debut.
For years I’ve recorded as a vocalist and pianist on movies and TV shows such as John Wick: Chapter 4, CBS series Tracker, and original animated series Primal by Genndy Tartakovsky, adding dimension to ambient spaces.
Girl’s Girl opens Love and Power with a darker tone, why was it the right first move?
Girl’s Girl includes a little bit of everything that encompasses my debut album, Love and Power. I feel it’s a perfect introduction to my sound as an emerging artist, as I’m toying with alternative rock and pop, lush vocal harmonies, and vulnerability in my lyrics. Having co-produced the track with my co-producing partner Maxwell Joseph (of Grandson), we really showcased my multi-instrumental talents, constructed the sound in a timeless nature and captured a new dimension of my artistry I’ve only just unveiled, which really excites me.
The title plays with loyalty and morality, what tension sparked the story?
The lyrics to Girl’s Girl poured from a very vulnerable place, reflecting a romantic situation I found myself entangled in between two people. There was a lot of guilt I felt consequently that helped me look inward and question what it means to be a ‘girl’s girl.’ While we all have a deep need to be loved and wanted, I believe being a girl’s girl means first removing yourself from harmful situations that might hurt others, to look out for yourself, your body and your mind. Only then can we make a real effort to show up for our fellow sisters with the emotional support and care they may need. When you are strong enough to be equipped to give your love and support to others without risking your own wellbeing, this is what sets us up for being the best girl’s girls we can be.
The groove is foundational, how did it reshape your melody and phrasing?
The structure of the song helped guide the writing for Girl’s Girl. I was inspired by Robin Zander’s (of Cheap Trick) vocal swells and harmonies on their song Mandocello, which bring a dreamy, ethereal feel to a steady bass groove. The simple trip-hop style drum beat and driving bass chords leave loads of space for the vocals to fill the soundscape, so I really let myself crescendo and decrescendo, and weave through the tight groove. This is something I loved experimenting with for Girl’s Girl; naturally the lyrics evolved after the melody and base of the track formed.
Touring, scoring, session work, how has that shaped your confidence for this debut?
For years I’ve recorded as a vocalist and pianist on movies and TV shows such as John Wick: Chapter 4, CBS series Tracker, and original animated series Primal by Genndy Tartakovsky, adding dimension to ambient spaces. I love improvising and weaving ambient vocal melodies into score, which you can directly hear this type of cinematic approach in my own music. It’s one of the defining qualities of the sound for my debut songs and album. On the other hand I’ve done extensive international touring since 2022 as a keyboardist, bassist, and vocalist for bands like Jerry Cantrell (of Alice in Chains) and LA pop band, Sunday(1994). I’ve played to crowds as big as 80,000 and as small as 300, and feel super confident that I can command a stage under any circumstance, in any fashion. I’m so eager to get out there and play these new songs for fans!
Recording between Laurel Canyon and EastWest, how did those spaces shape the album’s mood?
Growing up in Laurel Canyon and now working out of my studio in the canyon has not only shaped the album’s mood, but has defined who I am as an artist! I’m always so inspired when I walk out the door and hike into the mountains with my journal, meditating to the sounds of birds and crickets, taking in the greenery of the native grasses and plants. I feel like the sentiment of the canyon is reflected in the soulfulness of my voice and helps shape the mood for my new music.
Visiting EastWest Studios is always an amazing experience. We recorded drums, piano and acoustic guitar in studio three, with engineer Robert Carranza, Maxwell Joseph and my friend Puma on drumkit. It was inspiring to watch Puma knock out song after song with such grace and ease; he really captured the foundation of the groove that ties the whole album together. And of course getting to record on Frank Sinatra’s piano is an insane privilege – one of the nights we were there I stayed behind for a couple hours just to play some classical tunes and enjoy the beauty of that piano. I’m so grateful I got to have this experience!
As producer and visual co-director, how do you keep sound and image aligned?
My music is always the impetus for the visual imagery that follows. The best practice I’ve found that helps me brainstorm visuals for photoshoots and videos is to hop in my car and take a drive through the mountains with a song or songs on repeat. Eventually I start to pick up images from metaphors in the lyrics, or dark colors from sultry, shadowy moods in the chord changes, similarly brighter colors from more passionate, dynamic moments in the music.
Then I’ll bring these pieced-together ideas to friends I like to collaborate with, like photographer Caroline Brodt (who shot the single and album covers for Girl’s Girl and my upcoming debut album, Love and Power), music video director Zev Deans, or stylist Dawn Ritz and start piecing together mood boards and story boards. I then oversee shoots as a producer from start to finish, having full creative control over the visual product, while still inviting an open collaboration between myself and the creatives who come together to make the visuals. I love to see the talent others bring to expanding the world around my music; it’s always an exciting and magical process.
As Gravel & Echo’s first signing, what does launching alongside a new label mean?
I’m so excited to be working with Gravel and Echo! I’ve worked together my entire music career with Tyler Bates and Robert Carranza, the founders of the label. While Tyler is my dad, I have also toured with him as bandmates in bands such as Jerry Cantrell’s (from Alice In Chains) solo project, I have collaborated with him on many film and television scores as a pianist and vocalist since age 12, we have produced original music together, and he’s helped me develop a strong foundation in the industry at a young age. Robert has also been an awesome supporter of mine since I started writing songs in 2016, sitting in as engineer on live sessions and mixing tracks of mine, and ultimately working very closely with me as mixing engineer on ‘Girl’s Girl,’ and the subsequent tracks on my upcoming debut album, Love and Power.
I really align with their mission statement: ‘Gravel and Echo Recordings empowers emerging and established artists to pursue their craft with authenticity and without compromise,’ and I know they have my best interest at heart. We are working very close together (literally) every day to move the campaign along, making decisions we all align with, and working with amazing folks (like WMA Digital Agency, Virgin Music Group and Wixen Music Publishing) we feel will help the label grow to its full potential. I feel it’s going to be an amazing ongoing professional and familial relationship as we release my upcoming album and music for years to come.
How did you build the bass–drum groove to hold tension while harmonies breathe?
The arrangement for Girl’s Girl is all about space. In order to let the vocal melody and harmonies breathe, I chose to keep the bass line and drum groove fairly simple. If you listen closely, there are little musical earworms in the track that keep the sound unique, like the placement of the crashes in the drum groove or the percussion in the verses, but I wanted to make sure that nothing would over-crowd the main vocal, since the lyrics are telling a very vulnerable story. While I’m a composer at heart and love to come up with complicated musical arrangements, I always try to keep in mind that the main vocal is the most important vehicle for delivering the message of my songs.
At EastWest Studio 3, which production choices most defined the final sound?
While recording at EastWest studios, the flow of communication between Robert, Maxwell, Puma and myself was super crucial. Robert is an expert at capturing a specific sound using microphones, which I had relayed to him in musical references (albums and songs I felt inspired my music), Maxwell and I were really clear when giving directions to Puma as we recorded sections of songs, and we also brought in my friend Ross from Drum doctors, who helped provide a unique drum kit for Puma to wham on. The kit was foundational to defining the groove that really ties the whole album together, so I’m glad we were able to take the time to perfect it. As I experimented with the grand piano in studio 3, new ideas formed and we created lots of layers of piano in the songs – some you can’t necessarily hear, but rather feel. After years of working together, Robert and I have our own way of communicating in the studio which helps the process move fast and smoothly. It was such a pleasure recording with these talented, supportive dudes.
When Love and Power ends, what should linger most?
After listening through the album completely, I hope listeners get a sense of who I am as an artist overall; that I’ve poured all my skill, energy and artistry into this body of work. From the conception of the melodies, to playing almost every instrument on the album (besides drums, strings and horns), collaborating with amazing creatives who helped it come alive, to the very final details in the mixes, Love and Power is a true, honest reflection of myself. I hope the songs lyrically spark listeners’ imaginations and beliefs about love, relationships and power; that it might inspire women and folks alike to look inward and process hard emotions, and to find their own inner power.
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