Exclusive: Lakelin Lemmings talks her first record deal and 'American Dreamin'
Kristin Barlowe, Stone Country Records
The Tennessee native talks about her debut single and more
Lakelin Lemmings may still be a country music newcomer, but the 19-year-old Tennessee native began performing in talent shows and local festivals at the age of six and was writing and recording her own music in Nashville by the time she turned 12. Lakelin signed her first Music City publishing deal at just 17 and amassed more than 100,000 followers on TikTok before signing an artist deal with Stone Country Records last month.
In “American Dreamin’,” her debut track on the label, Lakelin spells out all the things that shaped her: small towns, a supportive family, a dedication to faith, and, of course, country music. But while her lyric, co-written with Neal Coty (Mark Chesnutt’s country standard “She Was”) and Ash Bowers (Matt Stell’s No. 1 smash “Prayed for You”) – honors Lakelin's small-town roots, it also warns, “Look out world, here I come.”
Born and raised in a musical family — her dad is a touring country guitarist — Lakelin grew up listening to icons like Dolly Parton, Reba McEntire, Loretta Lynn and Lee Ann Womack, along with today’s stars Miranda Lambert and Carrie Underwood, and heavy helping of Nineties pop.
The Music Universe had the chance to chat with Lakelin about “American Dreamin’,” and that conversation can be read below.
THE MUSIC UNIVERSE: What part of Tennessee are you from? And what was it like traveling to Nashville at 12, signing your publishing deal at 17 and then a record contract at 19?
LAKELIN LEMMINGS: I'm from a little town in West Tennessee, and it's about two hours and 15 minutes from Nashville. I'm one of five, and my mom homeschooled all of us. So, it gave me the opportunity to be able to travel not only to Nashville, but all over the United States, and get to do school while also chasing my music dream.
I started coming to Nashville when I was 12 years old with my parents, and we kind of started knocking down doors and just asking anybody and everybody to write with me, and to help me record. And then when I turned 16, I started working with [songwriter,producer, publisher and label executive] Ash Bowers, and he started booking me some writes in Nashville with some amazing co-writers. And then at 17, he decided to sign me [as a writer] to give me a little extra money to pay for the gas to drive here all the time!
TMU: And now, only two years later, you’ve signed a record deal as well.
LEMMINGS: Yes. So, Ash has played a big part in my whole career and he’s just been heaven-sent. And when he started working here at the label [Stone Country Records], he got me a meeting with [label partners] Benny [Brown], Jason [Sellers] and Paul [Brown]. I sat down, I sang, and I was planning to sing three songs, but at the end of the second song, Benny was like, “I think I've heard all I need to hear.” So, all that at 19 was kind of crazy, and for a while it was hard to wrap my mind around it, but now that it's kind of settled down, I'm like, “Wow, this is still crazy, but I'm very thankful.”
TMU: I know people who've been trying for success in Nashville for many years. How did you get noticed and make it happen, especially while not living in town?
LEMMINGS: My parents instilled a hard work ethic in me, and I knew at age six that this was what I wanted to do with my life, but also my dad [touring country guitarist Phillip Lemmings] taught me that it's a hard career, and not everybody makes it, and in order to be able to stand out and make a difference, you have to work hard. So, ever since I started coming to Nashville at 12, I was like, “I'm going to do anything and everything I can to make this happen. So, that's what I did.”
TMU: How did having a publishing deal so young affect you?
LEMMINGS: I would say it's affected me in the best way. I think it's given me an even bigger work ethic. And I mean, just getting to wake up every day and go to Music City – a place that I love – and getting to write songs with some of my favorite people. I'm very blessed and very fortunate to do that, because I know a lot of my friends, if they work nine to fives, they tell me all about being in the workforce, and I'm like, “I love my job. It’s great!”
TMU: You recently released “Baby Daddy (Acoustic)” in honor of your dad. How has he mentored you?
LEMMINGS: He kind of steered me in the right direction and told me when things were a scam or when it was the right thing to do. And some of my first songs that I actually wrote were with him. So, he taught me a lot about writing as well and just finding inspiration in everyday life. And until last year, really, he was coming to Nashville with me still and making sure that I was safe and with the right people, and still helping me chase my dream even now that I've achieved some big milestones.
TMU: How did your dad react the first time he heard “Baby Daddy”?
LEMMINGS: I actually got it on camera! So, I sang a couple of lines for him and told him I wrote a song about him, but the first time he actually heard it, it was in the car, and I filmed it. And that's what went viral – the video I posted.
TMU: “American Dreamin’” marks your official debut with Stone Country Records. Tell us about the inspiration for the track.
LEMMINGS: So, like “Baby Daddy,” this song is also the story of my life. These first two songs are kind of just an introduction to me and letting the listener know who I am and where I come from. I wrote “American Dreamin’” with Ash Bowers and Neal Coty, and I just started talking about my life and just chasing this dream but also sticking true to my roots and where I come from and not losing sight of that. And we put it all to an amazing country summer-banger track, and it became the song it is today!
TMU: “American Dreamin’” talks about your small-town roots but also your big-city dreams. You’re still very young, but what do you think is the secret to living the American dream?
LEMMINGS: You know, I think I'm still figuring that out, but I think that just waking up every day and doing your best at whatever it is that you love, and working hard, and then at the end of the day just saying a prayer and hoping that you did enough and did it right. That's kind of the American dream – doing the best you can, but also just being who you are, and not changing to fit this world.
TMU: During CMA Fest week in Nashville, you got to play “American Dreamin’” live on stage as part of your shows at Chief’s on Broadway. What do you remember most about those shows?
LEMMINGS: CMA Fest week was actually the first time I’d ever played a show with a full band, so that was awesome in itself. And just getting to be up there and have other people on stage with me while entertaining the crowd and singing my songs was amazing. “American Dreamin’” started out the show, so it's kind of one of those songs that gets the crowd hyped, and introduces me on stage, and sets the scene for the show. It just felt really good to be up there, singing that song.
TMU: You’ve visited 40 of the 50 U.S. states. Of the states that you haven’t yet been to, which one would you like to visit first?
LEMMINGS: I don’t know if this will be the one that I visit first, but Hawaii is my dream state to go to. My grandpa is a big Elvis fan, and so I kind of grew up watching those movies and always wanted to go to Hawaii. And I’m a beach girl at heart, so Hawaii is the dream destination.
TMU: Elvis did a TV concert, Aloha from Hawaii. Maybe you could do one of your own.
LEMMINGS: Yeah, for sure. I love Elvis's style, especially the jumpsuits and stuff. So, maybe that's something I'll draw some inspiration from for when we go big time and start playing stadiums. You know, the big goals!
