Jenny Lewis talks “Psychos,” finding joy, and new album plans with XPN Morning Show’s Kristen Kurtis

XPN favorite Jenny Lewis is gearing up for a big year. After headlining XPoNential Music Festival in 2022 and returning to the stage on a run with Harry Styles in 2021, she announced today that her fifth studio album, Joy’all, is coming out June 9th.

Lewis called in to the XPN Morning Show today to share her latest single — the shimmering “Psychos,” out today and streamable below — and chat about the song, the album, life on the road and more. Lewis discusses her excitement at her new label home, the legendary Blue Note Records, as well as “the intense, amazing” experience of the Harry Styles tour, the surreal nature of growing up as an actor, and one of her favorite topics, her doggo Bobby Rhubarb.

Listen to the entire interview above, and read some highlights down below. Lewis returns to the area on July 20th when WXPN Welcomes her to The Met Philly with Cass McCombs and Hayden Pedigo; details on that concert can be found at WXPN’s Concerts and Events page. Scoll down for her full 2023 tour schedule.

…on getting the live favorite “Psychos” committed to an album recording.

“Sometimes songs come quickly, sometimes slowly, and a lot of times I work them out on the road before recording them and I subtly tweak the lyrics. This one has been around since I’ve been single, which has been for a couple years now, and it’s kind of an existential song about dating in modern times, I finally got it tweaked to my liking, and I recorded it with Dave Cobb.”

…on the themes of the new album Joy’all.

“On the surface it’s about relationships with others, but really it’s about my relationship with myself. And having gone through this global pandemic with everyone else, kind of coming out of it with a sense of gratitude, and just the pursuit of joy despite.”

…on prepping for a busy year of tour.

“This is kind of how it’s been with the music I make on my own, or with my band. When the first Postal Service record came out and I toured it in 2003, I then went right into a Rilo Kiley tour. There’s always kind of two things going on at once, and this is intense when I look at all the dates, but as long as I stay hydrated, I think I’ll be cool.”

Tour Dates
June 2 – Nashville, TN – Ascend Amphitheater ^
June 3 – Lexington, KY – Railbird Festival
June 17 – Manchester, TN – Bonnaroo
July 7 – Chicago, IL – The Salt Shed &
July 8 – Duluth, MN – Bayfront Festival Park #
July 12 – Detroit, MI – Majestic Theatre &
July 13 – Cleveland, OH – House of Blues &
July 15 – Boston, MA – Roadrunner @
July 16 – New Haven, CT – College Street Music Hall @
July 18 – New York, NY – The Rooftop at Pier 17 @
July 20 – Philadelphia, PA – The Met Philadelphia @
July 22 – Washington, DC – The Anthem @
August 1 – Seattle, WA – Climate Pledge Arena *
August 3 – Bend, OR – Hayden Homes Amphitheater *
August 5 – Concord, CA – Concord Pavilion *
August 7 – Los Angeles, CA – Kia Forum *

^ with Ruston Kelly
# with Trampled By Turtles
* with Beck, Phoenix
@ with Cass McCombs, Hayden Pedigo
& with Jenny O., Hayden Pedigo