Q+A with singer/songwriter Lyndsey Smith on coming back to Pittsburgh, performing in New Orleans, and her rebrand
Singer-songwriter Lyndsey Smith is back in Pittsburgh! She spent the past seven years performing in New Orleans, showcasing her powerful vocals five nights a week. Smith is happy to be home, where she’s previously headlined Light Up Night, sang the national anthem for the Penguins game, and recently played a solo gig at Heinz Hall. Smith has exciting plans for a full rebrand of her music.
Over a phone interview, I talked with Lyndsey about coming back to Pittsburgh, performing in New Orleans, and her rebrand.
Performing in New Orleans
Josh: What was it like performing in New Orleans?
Lyndsey: So, New Orleans is a different kind of excitement. Very artistic, very beautiful. I typically worked 5 days a week, sometimes 5-6 hours at a time. So you gotta have stamina. It was a lot of fun. In Pittsburgh we have a little bit more autonomy to be creative. Our professionalism in Pittsburgh is second to none in my opinion.
Coming Back to Pittsburgh
J: What made you want to come back to Pittsburgh?
L: Pittsburgh has always kind of been the place that my heart felt the most seen. New Orleans doesn’t really give a lot of space for creativity and branding. I knew that I wanted to go through a rebrand. I knew that my goal has ultimately always been to be on national and international stages and to get a Grammy. In order to do that, I knew that I had to probably change my environment. And there was no place that I wanted to bring that Grammy back home to than Pittsburgh.
Live Show Experiences
J: I saw you perform at the Women Who Rock concert with Sheila E. in 2019 at Stage AE. What have you learned throughout your years of playing shows?
L: I think the thing that I’ve learned the most, which was one of the lessons that I took from women like Sheila E., is that I don’t have to sit within a certain archetype in order to still be valid. I really noticed towards the beginning of my career that I was being kind of pigeonholed into this R&B typical sound and image. And I knew that wasn’t authentically who I was. I have this big old powerful voice, and you know, I’m kind of an anarchist in a lot of ways.
J: In good ways (laughs).
L: (Laughs) In good ways. I learned throughout performing, and especially from the women and men that did it before me, as a black woman, it’s ok to be unapologetic about whatever it is that my soul is connected to authentically. That’s rock music. That’s soul music, that’s being big and loud, and I didn’t have to be quiet. I didn’t have to be well behaved or fit within a certain mold. I can make this whatever I wanted it to be. I’m honing in on that style and that imagery and it’s taken off.
J: You just played Heinz Hall.
L: I did. It was incredible. I’ve played Heinz Hall before but never solo.
J: That must have been impactful.
L: I think the only performance that I’ve ever done that has really impacted me more was when I did the national anthem for the Penguins game.
J: Like when it’s totally silent and you hear your voice soaring through PPG Arena?
L: Oh baby, it’s incredible. It’s a space where there’s nothing happening and they feel it. There’s nothing like it.
J: What was it like playing “First Night” on NYE?
L: Doing “First Night” was so incredible. The crowd was electric, the energy was there, the fireworks going off, everyone putting their lights in the air like fireflies. For sure, the best experience.
Live Set and Influences
J: Your cover of “Dirty Diana” is incredible to hear live.
L: So, “Dirty Diana” is the song that everybody requests, no matter what. And En Vogue “Don’t Let Go.” Those two songs are probably the most impactful songs that I have.
J: Was Michael Jackson an influence growing up?
L: Oh no, I loved Michael though. I would probably say Etta James, Whitney Houston, Dolly Parton. I loved Etta James because she just didn’t care. I’ve always marched to the beat of my own drum.
J: Your song “Rhapsodize Me” has a good groove.
L: Oh thank you. Some of the songs we’re actually rearranging to fit more of the style that we’re moving into with this rebrand that’s coming up.
Rebranding
J: What’s Next?
L: I’m in the middle of a complete and total overhaul rebrand. Lyndsey Smith & Soul Distribution was about the band and me being this powerful front woman of this incredible band. But moving forward it’ll be about Lyndsey Smith and how the instrumentation accentuates me as an artist. So it’ll be more of that rock forward, very heavy vocal, angst, tension, and musical rebellion, so to speak. You can just be an artist, and it’s so important. I did a show at Blue Nile in New Orleans. This woman pulled me to the side after the show. She was crying, and I’m like, ‘Oh my God, why are you crying?’ And she’s like, ‘I just need you to know that for the first time in decades I actually feel sexy and I feel like that because of you.’ I took that with me. You feel seen through my performances, you feel seen through my vocal, seen through just me living and existing. And that’s what I want people to take away.
J: Pittsburgh’s excited to have you back.
L: Thank you. I’m so happy to be back.
For the latest news on Lyndsey’s music, follow her on Facebook and Instagram. You can find her music on streaming platforms.
Check out last month’s artist of the month here!
This content was provided by a local, independent contributor to Made in PGH, a lifestyle blog.
