Nighteen-year-old Angeleno Lena Fayre seems wise beyond her years. Her EP Is There Only One? is a 5-track collection that has the gravitas of a woman beyond her years. (It was inspired, she says, by being in Critics have compared Fayre to acts such as Warpaint and Lana del Rey, but her millions of YouTube views and Spotify streams and multiple songwriting awards speak for themselves. Her songs, which she calls “deconstructed pop,” give off an earnest and surreal vibe, and her sincerity comes through no matter what. “I want to know you,” she says to her listeners. 

Hometown: I grew up in LA!

Homebase: Currently living in Echo Park

Who did you grow up listening to?  

I grew up listening to Elvis and The Cure, and moved from that to Thrice (laughs). I have always loved pop music too. Beyonce is a queen.

Who are your inspirations aside from music?

Vladamir Nabokov is one of my favorite authors and I am starting to read Murakami.

Did you have some kind of epiphany when you realized you wanted to be a musician?

It wasn't much of an epiphany. Music has been part of my life for as long as I  can remember. I grew into it as I got older.

Your videos “This World” and “Everybody's In” have a very cinematic/DIY feel — how much input do you have in their creation?

I really enjoy the production of music videos, being on set is really fun and working collaboratively excites me. Typically, I work with a close group of friends and together we come up with ideas, wardrobe, and direction for the videos.

You've had a lot of success very young, and yet your music is also very sincere. How do you keep your sense of self intact surrounded by industry glitz and glamour?

I don’t think I participate in the glamorous industry crowd too often — thanks for acknowledging the sincerity, that is something that's very important to me. I try to be honest with myself and I think that translates into my music.

What's your songwriting process like?

I have a specific way of writing and making music...a lot of it happens outside the studio---experiences I have and things I observe in the world around me. When it comes to the actual songwriting and producing the music, I like to be in a studio setting with people I trust.

Why is new EP called Is There Only One? 

I was in an "open relationship" and I got dumped for the other girl...Is There Only One is also a riff off an advertisement for Dr. Phil which reads, "There is Only One"! (Laughs.)

Who would you love to collaborate with?

Arca or DJ Khaled.

What's the strangest thing a fan has ever done for you?

They had their father sing to one of my songs shirtless...

What do you do for fun?

I go for hikes at a park near my apartment, eat with friends (this is huge), make an effort to go to the museums and galleries in LA — and I do love to shop.

What are your big summer plans this year?

Playing house parties in Echo Park, playing some shows in New York, staying out of the heat!