In the minutes leading up to a call from her home in Los Angeles, Jenny Lewis hurriedly penned down about 30 song titles, grappling with the decision of what to include as the final set list for the “Joy’All Ball” tour, which arrives in Santa Ana on Wednesday.
“There’s so many different records and tracks at this point so I was trying to get it all down,” Lewis said. “It’s the little things like jotting what songs I’m thinking of playing that make me feel most at ease. But you know, at this point of where I’m at, I have to play what feels most comfortable.”
This belief echoes a running theme that’s enveloped her life: finding joy in the mundane, “even if it’s as simple as learning how to make dinner for yourself, cleaning the house or learning how to use a power drill. It’s the simple things.”
Fluent in the language of simplicity is something Lewis learned quite well, allowing it to permeate her newest fifth solo record “Joy’All.”
The artist, whose indie-twang and soulful sound have evolved from the early days of her charming early-2000s indie-rock project Rilo Kiley or as a member of The Postal Service, no longer weaves tales of being young, dumb and finding love in all the wrong or right places. Now, her narrative has shifted to one of growth, a poignant journey that pays homage to the past while refusing to look back.
It mirrors the wisdom also gained in navigating middle age, introduced in Lewis’s lyrics “My forties are kicking my ass, and handing ’em to me in a margarita glass,” from the standout track “Puppy and a Truck.” Despite Lewis’ notion that time is only an illusion, she candidly acknowledges the challenges since post-COVID, grappling with the profound loss she’s experienced with her mother in 2019, her godfather Gary Burden, and a separation from her partner of 12 years.
“When I look back, there’s been a lot of loss, a lot of loneliness and fear but I am a survivor like so many of us and I think in order to persevere one has to embrace joy,” Lewis said. “And there’s never a guarantee of happiness because joy is a different feeling I believe. I certainly had a spiritual shift during the pandemic and my priorities changed. I changed. Some people ran from it, which I think was a missed opportunity to take personal inventory. The world outside was crazy but it was about discovering the crazy stuff inside and the way you live with yourself and the things you do outside of work. I’ve been on the road for 25 years and I had to ask myself ‘who am I outside of my work’ and that wasn’t always pretty. I had a lot of work to do, but the payoff was better and I’m still on it now.”
Recorded in Nashville with the help of producer and friend Dave Cobb, known for his work with Chris Stapleton, Brandi Carlile and John Prine, came at a time when Lewis was looking to depart from her Angeleno roots for a fresh beginning, coinciding with her acquisition of a second home in Nashville in 2019. There’s also a few tracks that came from an impromptu writing session held by rock artist Beck, who gathered a few artists to sit down, relax and write without expectations, providing the creative juice that Lewis needed in order to create another full-length project.
Drawing from a diverse pocket of influences, from Tracy Chapman, Frank Ocean to Sade, Lewis used their sounds as guides. “It may not be obvious but in my mind, it’s all there. I’m just excited to give fans a taste of that on tour as well.”
For her short nine-show December tour, Lewis said she’s looking forward to places she considers home. Her choices were deliberate and selective when it came to the cities, venues, merchandise, openers and band members accompanying her onstage. For Lewis, it’s extremely personal.
“Usually I go everywhere but for this record, I was picky with it all,” she said. “With Orange County, that’s where Rilo Kiley took flight and Los Angeles is where I started it all with music. These are my people, these cities get me, were cut from the same cloth. I recognize fans in the crowd while being back in Southern California who have been coming to shows for the past 20 years. And every time without fail it gets me emotional.”
She made sure to recruit an all-female band she formed while living out in Nashville, too. “Touring with women has felt so different for me. Theres a sense of comfort, love and understanding. I’ve been longing for that.”
Lewis was on the road extensively the past few years, catching a big break while opening for Harry Styles’ “Love On” tour in 2021, arena shows with Phoenix and Beck, festival gigs, and of course, being a part of the 20th anniversary of the Postal Service album. Yet, for Lewis, this is different, new and exciting. And hopefully, she can bring that energy to fans, along with a little joy.
“Right now, I’m just trying to appreciate where I’m at while being present. All of our lives have changed dramatically, and if the tour can bring joy, then I’m all in.”
Jenny Lewis: ‘Joy’All Ball Tour
When: 7 p.m. Wednesday
Where: The Observatory, 3503 S Harbor Blvd, Santa Ana
Tickets: $40-$115
Online: livenation.com
Alvarado writes for the Southern California News Group.