Some songs don’t chase attention. They arrive quietly, built on restraint, reflection, and the kind of emotional honesty that only comes from sitting with something long enough. These tracks often mark a shift, not just sonically, but personally, signaling an artist stepping into a new phase where intention matters more than immediacy.

That’s the space Lana Carlson enters with REDEMPTION, her debut album and first full release as a songwriter and performer. Known in Austin for her work as a curator and cultural connector within the international art world, she has spent years shaping creative experiences for others before turning inward. Classically trained and shaped by life between Russia, Europe, and the U.S., she approaches music through poetry, structure, and emotional control; all written in English, her third language. 

The album unfolds across nine interconnected tracks, beginning with “Perfect Breakup Line,” the first full song she wrote in English and the emotional anchor for the project. Recorded at Arlyn Studios in Austin, REDEMPTION traces heartbreak, self-reckoning, and recovery with cinematic softness and a clear sense of purpose.

We spoke with her about writing in a foreign language, emotional restraint, and what this creative shift has meant for her life and work.

You started as a poet before you ever wrote songs. How does that poetic instinct still shape your lyrics today?

It’s a big part of my writing. Actually, some of the songs were so incredibly long and verbose like poems that I had to trim them, take some parts out, and figure out how to make them feel more song-like. Rhyme is very important to me. 

I cannot sound like Bukowski. My rhymes are a little bit more obvious, which I don’t mind. At the same time, I always strive to sound more elevated. Even if I want to say something like “F**k you all,” I will search for more refined ways to express it. I believe that the anger or trendy words don’t become classics because they don’t teach us fundamentally important things, such as morals and wisdom.

Writing in English, your third language, is central to your story. When did it start to feel natural?“Perfect Breakup Line” was the first full song you wrote in English, and it opens the album. Why did it feel like the right place to start REDEMPTION?

Well, I put it first because the songs on the album are pretty much in the order that I wrote them. I wanted to stay authentic to my emotional journey. 

You’ve said you rewrote parts of the song for nearly a year. What were you trying to get right emotionally or linguistically? 

I guess it was that difficult to write the first song… You have ideas and thoughts and melodies, but it is so hard to bring them to a logical shape of composition… So yes, all aspects of it, expression of emotions, and the flow of words were hard to bring to the level I wanted them to be. By the time I got to the end of the album,  I was able to write one song in just an hour. 

“Perfect Breakup Line” feels intimate, yet “Freedom Isn’t Free” feels more confrontational. How do those two songs speak to each other within REDEMPTION? 

It’s a constant conflict of my emotions, my personalities, conflict between what I know and what I feel. I would say they both have elements of intimacy and confrontation, like almost all my songs. In “Freedom Isn’t Free” you can definitely hear the change of tone. I am becoming bolder and caring less about the feelings of others and even my own. There is a shift in personality where everything becomes a game and materialistic satisfaction confirms to be a more important part of life over romance and love. 

REDEMPTION is deeply personal. Was there a moment during writing or recording when you realised this album was marking a real shift in your life?

Not until it was recorded. When I’ve listened to the final product a few times, I realized that I’m on the other side of that torment, that suffering, and not only do I feel better, I also channeled that into this beautiful piece. I felt like I put something into the world that may speak to others and maybe they’ll enjoy my message and melodies. 

Many of the songs build slowly before swelling emotionally. How intentional were you about pacing and restraint across the album?

I guess it’s more of a natural thing for me. I think it’s my personality. I am shy until I’m not…  I need some time to open up and tell how I really feel. I had difficulties with speech and expressing myself for a long time as a young person, and I guess there is a little bit of that present in my style of writing. 

You’ve described making REDEMPTION as a healing process. Did completing the album change how you relate to the experiences that inspired it?

Yes, as I mentioned before, I’m on the other side of it. I almost can’t believe how different I feel. I’m so fascinated, I’m out of the woods. It was so dark, and I thought I would never recover. I didn’t see the light at the end of it, but here I am.

“Austin” feels like a love letter to the city, without glossing over the hard parts. What did you want listeners to feel when they hear it? 

I want them to feel as much love as I feel for Austin. I hope they can go for a walk on a trail or sit on a terrace of the cafe or watch a sunset somewhere on a roof and listen to it.. and I hope they’ll understand what I’m saying!

Looking ahead, what do you hope listeners take from “Perfect Breakup Line” and REDEMPTION as a whole, and where do you want your music to lead you next?

I hope they will want to listen to it a couple of times and find a favorite song that may speak to them and have it in their library forever 🙂 

As for my music, I’m recording new songs and shooting new videos. There are more ideas coming my way and I can’t wait to start performing.