Laguna Beach based artist Lola Kristine releases the next chapter of music with her EP chapter three: into the woods, out today. 

chapter three: into the woods is the third installment of Kristine’s larger project, CHAPTERS. Taking inspiration from her personal life, Kristine’s unique approach to separating the releases allows her to control the narrative of the story she seeks to tell. 

“I thought this was going to be basically just a big love song compilation album, basically all the love songs I’ve written for the past ten years in one album,” Kristine explains in an interview with Culture Cabinet. “But then, as I worked with other people, kind of bouncing off ideas, and got reflections from friends, the idea of telling a story with the songs came through instead of it just being a bunch of random love songs all together. And so the story element kind of got more and more clear.” 

chapter three: into the woods features two songs, “Find Me in the Wilderness,” and “Living For Myself,” which Kristine cites as two of her favorite songs she’s ever written. Coupled with her previously released “chapters,” chapter one: rose colored glass, and chapter two: when things fall apart, the songs represent a journey of personal growth. 

Kristine describes chapter one: rose colored glasses as an era of “dreamy fantasy, magic, love, roses, daisies and butterflies.” A cheery and optimistic take on life and love, giving tones of acoustic country à la Kacey Musgraves. chapter two: when things fall apart represents a darker era, of the breaking down of relationships and the emergence of self doubt. chapter three: into the woods explores the aftermath of that break down. “What I was going through emotionally felt like going into kind of that dark, scary, unknown, messy place in myself. You’re going alone into these heavily wooded areas within your own soul. And so it felt like it captured the meaning for me of what is going on in this chapter, that we have to go into the woods into the thick of it in our own selves before we can really come out on the other side,” Kristine muses. 

In listening to the music, Kristine presents herself as a unique artist in more ways than one. The first being her powerhouse of a voice, that somehow seems to handle deep, belting power ballads with as much ease as lighter songs with a higher vocal range. Having been a singer since she was nine years old, Kristine’s vocal mastership is unmissable, rivaling a fair few mainstream artists in terms of vocal finesse. 

Furthermore, Kristine showcases a deft ability to swing from genre to genre within her own album. Refusing to stay within one solitary box, Kristine offers a wide sampling of genres that can range from country and country rock to Americana and even R&B. The tracks mirror clear influences from some of the artists Kristine cites as inspiration, like Brandi Carlile and Aretha Franklin. 

“This album is very multi dimensional with genre,” she elaborates. “I purposefully didn’t try to stick to any one because I am so multifaceted, and I think everybody is. And we’re told that you need to be put it in this box and stay in your lane and all of that, which I understand from a marketing perspective. But, I think what people really need is artists to be as true to themselves as they can possibly be. And so that’s what I wanted to do on this album. And even if it’s something from gospel, retro fusion pop, versus singer songwriter America. Like, they can all coexist on the same album together.

Kristine says that she draws inspiration for songwriting from real life experiences. “I’m going through something and I’m trying to process the the emotions of it, and then I go to my piano, and I just sit down and start usually like noodling around with the piano. And then lyrics will just come in. I press record on my little voice memo. And a lot of times, I’ll just keep flowing with piano and improv lyrics, until I hit a wall. And then I’ll listen back to my recording, write down the things I really liked. And then, it starts getting more clear, like what the song is about. But a lot of times, I don’t know what the song is about, when I start writing it, it’s just like, emerging from my emotional experience and that processing.” 

I point out that the vulnerability in which she approaches her artistry that makes her music resonate with the listener. She tells me that she hopes to convey a message of hope to those listening. 

“One of the messages that I hope this album conveys is that everything is temporary. And life is always changing in that it’s cyclical. And so whatever you’re in right now is not forever. So if it’s really painful, there is going to be a light at the end of the tunnel, and it’s all going to make you stronger, at the end of the day. And that’s what to me life is all about, is going through those hills and valleys,” she says. 

With her unique approach to songwriting and creating, coupled with her emotional vulnerability that spans experiences of listeners everywhere, it’s safe to say that Lola Kristine is certainly one to watch. But for now, I would encourage you to simply meet her in the woods. 

You can stream chapter three: into the woods below: