Feature: Lana Karlay Decodes “Don't Let Me Go”
Punk Head: You recorded with a live band in L.A. and a string quartet at EastWest Studios. What was it like hearing your song come alive in rooms with that kind of history?
Lana Karlay: Going into Gold Diggers and recording with a live band honestly felt unreal. I had an idea of what I wanted my music to sound like, but hearing it come to life like that was next-level magical. Then recording the string quartet at EastWest Studios, knowing all the legendary artists who’d been in that room, like Billie Eilish, it literally didn’t even feel real. As a string player myself, hearing Liam Wallace’s arrangement played by an actual quartet was one of those moments that hit me so hard, it’s something I will cherish forever.
Punk Head: “Don’t Let Me Go” is about holding on to someone who’s slipping away. Is it drawn from one specific relationship, or more of a composite feeling?
Lana Karlay: It’s definitely more of a mix. I’ve never had one huge heartbreak, but I’ve had little moments and feelings that stuck with me. Definitely the fear of losing someone, or caring more than they do. I feel like most people have experienced that at some point, so I kind of pulled from different emotions and moments in my life and turned them into one story.
Punk Head: Was there a particular line or moment in the song that felt too vulnerable at first — something you almost didn’t keep in?
Lana Karlay: I think the whole song felt very vulnerable to write because of its meaning, but particularly the line, “but I’d walk through hell if I knew you’d be there.” It felt very raw and almost dramatic so I didn’t really know if I wanted to keep it in. Eventually after I played the songs to my family and friends, I kept getting the same feedback that it was their favourite line, so I finally decided to keep it.
Punk Head: You’re a multi-instrumentalist — when you write, do you usually start with lyrics, chords, or a melody that won’t leave you alone?
Lana Karlay: Honestly, every song that I write starts differently. Normally, on all instruments I start with a motif or chords that resonate with me. One thing about me is that I’m definitely a perfectionist so if I don’t like the melody or the chords, I won’t write the song. Other times I could have a melodic line stuck in my head which I will transfer onto the piano but it really just depends on the song.
Punk Head: Growing up in Melbourne but recording in Los Angeles gives you two very different worlds. How have those places shaped you as an artist so far?
Lana Karlay: Melbourne’s music scene is amazing, but LA was just another universe. LA feels like there are no limits, nearly everyone’s creating and there’s just an amazing energy. Melbourne gave me my start and shaped me, but LA opened my eyes to how far I could actually take this. Both places have really shaped me, but in different ways.
