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When Lennon Stella was 10-years-old, she began posting YouTube videos of her covering songs with her little sister Maisy. A few years later, they began acting together as country music stars on the hit television show,  Nashville. Now 19, Stella is beginning her journey as an indie-pop solo artist. It seems she is currently experiencing a major breakout, catching the attention of artists like John Mayer, Liam Payne and, and The Chainsmokers.

Currently, Stella is headlining her first tour around North America. The Love, Me tour is in support of her first EP, which was released at the end of 2018. Most of her show dates sold out in minutes after tickets went on sale. Oozing with grace and confidence, there is no doubt Stella will surprise audiences with new music and wow sold-out venues with her soul-rattling vocals.

We caught up with Lennon Stella as she traveled to Toronto for her first show of the Love, Me tour.

OTW: You started your career when you were really young on YouTube and on the hit television show Nashville –  how were you able to transition from TV to a full time musician?

It's honestly very different; it's a totally different world. I think that being on a show really taught me discipline like it's way more of a strict routine filming. You can't show up tired, like you have to always be really prepared. I think that I've brought that over into the music world which is totally a different thing, it's not that same structured lifestyle. I feel like I've learned how to be really on time and prepared, and I think it has helped me because I learned so young. But they are completely different ways of living.

OTW: Do you ever think you will get back into acting?

Oh yeah totally. At some point, I imagine after putting out my album and touring. I would probably not do another tv show but probably movies or shorter series.

OTW: Your Love, Me  EP is full of amazing tracks, do you have a favorite?

It kind of changes depending on how I'm feeling, but right now I think "Fortress" is my favorite. But it honestly changes all the time. "Fortress" is my favorite right now because it's my favorite to perform live because it has the most positive message and hearing people scream that back to me is a feeling I honestly can't even describe.

OTW: Let's talk about "BITCH;" it's pretty bold and extremely empowering but what was your inspiration behind the song?

Erin McCarley who I wrote it with, she actually came up with this idea of "it takes a bitch to know a bitch," and we went off that idea. I had never written about a story that wasn't actually something that's happened to me before, and we went off this idea of this girl's boyfriend calling her a "bitch," and she stands up for herself and says "it takes a bitch to know a bitch," and that's kind of the idea of the song, kind of a standing up for yourself moment. It was really fun to write because we started it in LA and finished it in Nashville, it was a fun one.

OTW: You've collaborated a lot, your most notable was with Liam Payne and Jonas Blue on "Polaroid," but who would be your dream collaboration?

Oh gosh, there's so many. My dream-dream collaboration would be with Stevie Nicks, like my all time dream.

OTW: You travel a lot; is there anywhere you would love to travel to whether on tour or vacation?

I really want to go to Australia, I've never been and I want to go to Australia so bad.

OTW: You embark on your first headlining tour today – is there anything you're looking forward to the most?

Honestly I'm just so excited to perform, like a lot of these songs I'm performing I literally just wrote like they're so fresh to me they're still so fun and new to me and some of the other ones I've had for so long they're like not as exciting to sing live, so the ones that are new it's going to be so fun, like they're still so new to me. But also like meeting everyone – I think it's one thing reading messages online and seeing comments but meeting people in real life and to feel that energy – it's a cool thing when you're able to meet in real life, and there's no way that that could be through the internet. So I'm just excited to meet and hang out with people in real life.

OTW: You always tease snippets of new music on your Instagram; can fans expect news of a full length album soon?

Yeah, that's what I'm working on and I've been writing towards a full length album. It's for sure the next thing that's going to happen.  

OTW:  You just announced that you're joining 5 Seconds Of Summer and The Chainsmokers on tour later this year, what was your reaction when you heard?

Oh my gosh, my manager literally told me when I was on a plane, and I could not wrap my brain around, and I still can't wrap my brain around it. It's so crazy to me that I've never been on tour before and in the same year I'm doing my first tour alone, and a tour with them and it's so out of this world for me to grasp. Yeah, I'm still comprehending it,   it won't feel real until it's happening. I think it's so cool that they're trusting me to do this; I don't have very much music out right now so it's pretty sick that they chose me to do it with only those like six songs I have out in the world right now.

OTW: Anything you are most excited or nervous about?

I think it's going to be a different experience performing as an opener; I don't know what that's going to be like. That's something that I just don't know what that energy is going to be; obviously it's going to be different than when everyone's there for me, but I think it's going to be cool. Like even the show in Nashville is at Bridgestone and to me, it's so crazy that I'm playing there – that's where I've seen everyone since I've moved to Nashville. That's where I've seen all my favorite shows, that's where I saw Fleetwood Mac and the fact that I'm going to be playing there is so wild to me so that alone. I can't even comprehend.

OTW:  Who are your Ones To Watch?

There are so many, but you know who I really like right now? Maro. She is from Portugal, and I just saw her on tour with Jacob Collier and she would be my Ones To Watch, she is so amazing.

Fall in love with Lennon Stella live as she headlines her own tour this spring and later this fall as she supports 5 Seconds of Summer and The Chainsmokers. Get tickets here.