A Chat with Stella Lain (03.02.26)
The pink-loving, rhinestone-wearing Country Barbie, singer-songwriter Stella Lain is ready to paint the town pink with her fun-loving, hard-hitting country melodies. With songs ranging from heartfelt and catchy to honest and vulnerable, the UK-based musician is turning heads internationally with her intriguing sound. We speak with Stella Lain about her new single, ‘Out Of My Hair’, what music means to her, the Barbie movie, and much more.
OSR: You’ve mentioned that you have been writing music since you were a kid in your garage. How did you know becoming a musician was the path for you, and it wasn’t just a fad or fun trend?
Lain: I’ve been singing and performing my whole life since the age of 2 years old. I knew I wanted to do something with music since then; I could always feel the music and would connect with it. I first realised “wow, I can really do this!” when I first performed one of my songs to my parents. It was their reaction that just ignited that musical spark in me. I remember they said, “I’ve never heard of that Taylor Swift song before”, and “it’s really good,” and that was when I told them I wrote it, and my parents were shocked. It gave me this huge boost in confidence, and I just knew I had to share my music with the world. Writing songs for me is my form of self-expression. I wasn’t treated too kindly at school, so I would always turn to music. I would sing the things I couldn’t say out loud, and it became like my diary.
OSR: You recently released your single, ‘Out Of My Hair’. What can you tell us about it? Is there a backstory or a theme, and did you find the composition and production challenging – or was it all smooth sailing?
Lain: So, I wrote this song a few years back about a situation-ship that I was stuck in. This boy had been leading me on for years, back and forth. He would give me just enough attention to get my hopes up, just so he could feed his own ego. Well, it got boring, and I knew I was worth more than to be someone waiting in the wings for him to commit, and I was done. I remember exactly the moment I got the tune. He was telling me the same old sweet talk, and I was getting frustrated with it. I was just like “uh, get out of my hair” That line stuck firmly in my head, and I started singing it to a tune. So, I picked up my guitar and started to strum along in a progression that fit, and all of a sudden, the chorus was born. I built this song on frustration and in present, so the song was just flowing out of me with ease. I love it when a song is so easy to write, it just all makes sense. I think because it was how I was feeling and what I was experiencing in the moment, it was so smooth to write.
OSR: What do you hope people take from the single, and what do you take from it?
Lain: I hope it reminds people that self-worth is important. I hope this song gives people a confidence boost when they listen to it, and for those stuck in a similar situation, I hope it gives them the courage to finally get that no-good charmer out of their hair. For me, it was a realisation of what I deserved out of love and reminded me to never allow myself to be treated second best.
OSR: What does music mean to you?
Lain: Music has literally been there for when people haven’t. So music really means a lot. It’s helped me express myself and understand the world around me. Music also makes me feel better and more connected. I think there is a kind of magic in that. It’s been a big part of my life. I love how music makes you feel, and lyrics help you learn.
OSR: You described yourself as a “pink-loving Country Barbie”. How does ‘Out Of My Hair’ contribute to this persona – do you feel Barbie would sing a fun song like this? If so, why?
Lain: Absolutely! I mean, it’s such a pink-coded song (if that’s even a thing). Plus Barbie represents strength in femininity, I mean the iconic doll has been everything from an astronaut, doctor, fashion designer and pop star, she represents confidence, girl power and of course, style. My listeners, supporters and other people also describe me as Barbie, which is such a great compliment to me, so yeah, I do think Barbie would be playing this song in her baby pink Barbie car after taking the Mojo Dojo casa house from Ken and making it her dream house again.
OSR: Keeping with the Barbie theme. Did you watch the 2023 film Barbie, and if you did, what did you think of it?
Lain: It is one of my favourite movies! Margot Robbie as Stereotypical Barbie was perfect, and Ryan Gosling as Ken was hilarious; he was so good. The part that always gets me is when he shouts ‘Sublime’ when Barbie agrees to go on a date with him. Also, the ‘I’m just Ken’ sequence, that is gold. What I love about this movie is that it shows what Barbie really represents, what she is capable of and what she means to people.
People put Barbie in a box, and I can relate to that sometimes. But Barbie is so much more than just a fashion doll; she is a feminine icon who has mastered 250 different careers and continues to be a positive role model to young girls, just like she was for me. I love how Margot’s Barbie defies all odds and decides she does want to feel things, love and experience life. Overall, it’s such a fun movie, the costumes are amazing, the sets are amazing, and I just love it! It’s a comfort movie for me and makes me feel good.
OSR: If you could speak to that 10-year-old Stella, what advice would you give her?
Lain: To never give up and be true to yourself. There have been times I didn’t feel like I was enough, and when you are young, you are still figuring things out. I think it’s important to never hide away your true self for others’ approval. I’m a pink-loving Country Barbie, and I shouldn’t have to hide that just to be seen as cool.
OSR: If you were to introduce your music to a new listener, which song from your discography would you recommend?
Lain: I think it would have to be ‘Out of My Hair’ or even ‘Country Girl’, I think those songs highlight my music the most and represent my sound the best.
OSR: What can we expect from you in the future?
Lain: A lot more songs! I have so many waiting to be recorded and so many new ones because I just keep on writing. As well as that, lots of live performances. I can’t wait!!!
OSR: Do you have a message for our readers?
Lain: If you want to paint the town pink, follow me, Stella Lain, on socials and go stream my music today, available on all streaming platforms and for digital download. For every person who takes time to listen to my music, thank you. You are truly amazing and keep on being fabulous.
Many thanks to Stella Lain for speaking with us. Find out more about Stella Lain on her Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Soundcloud and Spotify.
This artist was sent to us by Liberty PR.
