Photos / Abi Polinsky
CD + Styling / Phil Gomez
MUA / Rory Alvarez
Hair / Isaac Davidson
Photo assistant / Aj Kyser
The Ever Evolving Paul Klein
In conversation with Phil Gomez
Paul Klein, the creative force behind LANY, has always poured his heart into his music. But after a near-death experience and a period of intense self-reflection, Paul’s artistic vision has evolved. In this exclusive conversation, he opens up about the transformative power of vulnerability, the inspiration behind his nostalgic sound, and the exciting new ventures that lie ahead.
Phil: I just found out that you had to evacuate because of the LA fires, what were some of the items you took with you?
Paul: Um, yeah, the only two things I thought to grab were this guitar that John Mayer gave me, and a small safe that I bought about five years ago. I just put little things that mean something to me in it, and those are the only two things I grabbed.
Phil: I can’t even think what I would grab, in that instant if I was in that situation.
Paul: I went upstairs and looked at my closet for like 10 seconds. I was like, what am I supposed to do? Pick my favorite pair of jeans? It was ridiculous. And it was so sudden, too; we weren’t prepared. I think some people who were closer to the fires had started to prepare and think about what they’d grab if they had to, but to be honest, we couldn’t have been further away. I really think someone definitely started the fire where we were.
Phil: You mentioned we had a couple of brief encounters, and one of them was your accident. Did your perspective on life shift after that?
Paul: Yeah, I mean, I think in like a thousand different ways, probably, and some that I still haven’t fully discovered yet, but um, my first feeling, waking up in the ambulance, was honestly, like ‘God loves me.’ Like, uh, like I’m supposed to still be here. I felt very thankful. I don’t know how else to say it. The guy asked me to move my fingers and toes, and I could. When I realized that, I was like, ‘Thank you, God,’ honestly. Um, and I think that’s given me a certain sense of confidence, actually. I feel more confident in who I am and what role I play here on earth, and um, it’s given me, like, an even greater sense of purpose.
Phil: I love that. Has your creative process changed? Is there more intention in your storytelling?
Paul: I think so. I don’t even know if I can take credit for it. I’ve just noticed that I’m a better artist and person, but I don’t want to take credit for it. I feel like it’s something that’s been gifted to me. The songs that I was writing after the wreck are better than the ones that I was writing before, and I don’t know why.
Phil: I mean, especially with your music, whether it’s with LANY or everything you’ve put out before, it’s just so nostalgic. It takes me back to high school, in my room, crushing or heartbroken over my “greatest love.” I’m curious to see how your music evolves. Since most of your music captures that moment of nostalgia and feels very youthful, and given that Paul Klein in 2025 feels more grounded and mature, I’m wondering if those themes of heartbreak, love, loss, and lust are still going to be part of it?
Paul: I think so. Writing about love is the coolest thing you could ever do. I don’t know, I never get sick of exploring it. I mean, every single one of us is born with this desire to be loved and to love. It consumes us. We’re all obsessed with it. If you say you aren’t… well. I’m not sure how mature that is, or even what it means to be mature in songwriting, but the music that I write is a snapshot of where I’m at currently in my life. And as I continue on my journey, hopefully the songs travel with me.
Phil: I love that. Yeah, your songwriting and lyrics are very personal. Is there ever a line that you won’t cross? Do you ever feel like something is too personal to share, or are you just an open book?
Paul: I think I’m an open book. I don’t have anything I’m super ashamed of or embarrassed about. We all have a lot more in common than we realize, so I find that being vulnerable allows us to connect way easier and better than faking it.
Phil: True. Um, is there a lyric that you’ve written that still resonates with you or a lyric that you, like, it is kind of like a mantra for you?
Paul: We have this song called “Alonica” on our last album. Alonica is a made-up place—we define it as a place within yourself, where being you and having you is enough. When I was younger, I would look outside of myself for validation instead of inside. Alonica is that place where I’m alone and happy, not sad. It’s a place of paradise, not pain. The second verse says, “Darling, I have finally settled in.” I’m kind of writing to myself in the song. “The water’s perfect for a midnight swim. It’s paradise. The stars and I are catching up like old friends. My heart is learning how to love again.” I went through an experience in my life where I felt betrayed by some people I really trusted. I felt like I needed to tighten my circle and take care of myself a little bit. That verse explores the idea of finding healing by yourself versus trying to find it in somebody or something else. I think that’s a big moment that we all eventually get to in life, where we learn to be a little self-sufficient in that area.
Phil: Right. I mean, RuPaul says it best, “If you can’t love yourself, how in the hell are you going to love somebody else?”
Paul: I’ve always said that as well. Yeah, RuPaul is a prophet.
Phil: No. I mean, it’s true. How are you able to give love, comfort, and peace when you don’t have that in yourself?
Paul: Yeah. A lot of people will look for it in somebody else, and they just won’t be able to find it, you know?
Phil: So, I know you journal. What was your last journal entry about?
Paul: Ooh, um, very good. The idea would be to do it every morning, but sometimes I don’t have the time. So, uh, yeah, I just uh, sit in my backyard and I journal, and oftentimes there will be certain things that I know I wanna write about that I’ll preliminarily explore in the journal first to see if there’s enough meat on the bone, if you will, on that idea to see if I can go and write a song about it.
Phil: I guess your songs are a way of publishing your journal, but would you ever consider letting your actual journal be part of your visuals?
Paul: Potentially, if there’s nothing in there that’s too damaging.
Phil: Do you ever think about releasing any solo songs?
Paul: No, because I just feel like, um, I don’t know if I care too much about being a solo artist. I’m not sure if I’m interested in that. I feel so connected to LANY and the role I play in that space. Um, we’ve built something really special, honestly. Like, every day it’s brick by brick, and I don’t want to—I want to be a good steward of that. I don’t care to, like, pull a Brandon Flowers, even though Brandon Flowers is awesome, but I just don’t care.
Phil: I mean, sometimes when you have that synergy with someone, the art just brings you so much more depth, and you’re able to bounce back and forth.
Paul: Yeah, definitely. I’m really lucky and happy to be in LANY and not just Paul Klein, I guess.
Phil: What’s something that you feel the people who have grown with you and followed you, um, and the band, still don’t know about you?
Paul: Mm. I’m sure there’s a lot they don’t know about me. I’d like to think that I’m an ever-evolving, complex individual, and, um, yeah, there’s something cool about not telling everybody everything. I don’t know if everyone needs to know everything about me. I’ve got to bring a little mystery back.
Phil: Is there something about yourself—as a persona, creative, or artist—that you feel you’re transparent about, but that you don’t think people see?
Paul: I don’t know. I mean, not really. I think it’s interesting that we’ve sold over a million tickets around the world and we’ve never been nominated for anything, like ever. I think it’s kind of interesting how we’re like the biggest band that you’ve never heard of. Maybe one day we’ll get our flowers, but it also doesn’t matter, you know?
Phil: Right, sometimes—especially with this oversaturated culture we’re in—it’s nice to be a little under the radar and just do your own thing. I mean, you’re not a secret; people know the music and the story. But sometimes it feels more significant, more special and genuine when it’s only the people who really get it that appreciate it. At the same time, we put ourselves out there—not just for recognition, but because it’s part of the art form. And it is nice to be validated.
Paul: Yeah, it is. But yeah, I guess that’s one thing that after the wreck, I have completely let go of — the things that I cannot control. I think I used to hold on tightly to some stuff… and not to get too corny, but my dad has ridden motorcycles his whole life and he just always told me people get really hurt when they brace for impact, when they hold on to stuff. And so I just remember squeezing a break, but then also remembering at the last second to fully let go, and I think that probably helped me.
Phil: I love that, it gives me chills.
Paul: Yeah, so I’ve definitely let go of the things I can’t control—like someone’s opinion of me, or whether they think our music is worthy of an award. I don’t fucking care.
Phil: And that’s when it all comes together.
Paul: Yeah
Phil: You talk a lot about—and we kind of touched on it a little bit—love and heartbreak. Love is a big muse of yours. Do you believe in soulmates?
Paul: I definitely think going through life with someone is better than going through it alone. I think it’s the biggest, most important decision you make on earth—where you decide to spend your life. Everyone should be super picky with that decision and not rush to make it, and make it for yourself and nobody else.
I believe in love, but I don’t think there’s only one person for everybody. That method would just fall apart immediately—the domino effect would be total chaos. But I think there’s someone out there for everybody, of course.
I think you can make it work with anybody, honestly. And some people do. Some people make it work with the wrong person, but they just make it work.
Phil: With all of your music and storytelling so far, and everything you’ve been through—and you have a lot of music coming ahead—what’s on the bucket list? What else do you want to explore or experiment with? Are there any projects that we haven’t seen you do before?
Paul: Yeah. I really like clothes. I’ve always been obsessed with them. I’ve always had a shoe problem—way too many shoes. Growing up in Tulsa, Oklahoma, especially back then, fashion wasn’t exactly a main export, but I was obsessed with it. I’d love to start my own line, and I’m working towards it right now. We have a great little merch business, with LANY and I’ve always designed the merch that we put out. It’s just been fun for me. In the past, we were kind of forced to print on whatever stock Gildan or Comfort Colors has available. I’ve always been a little bit frustrated about putting our designs on those types of blanks. So, for the last three years, I’ve been working on making my own blank company, and we’re now printing on those blanks that I’ve made. I’ve chosen the patterns, the cuts, the silhouettes. I just would love to provide artists, companies, and people around the world with an alternative, yet affordable, option to Gildan or Comfort Colors or anything like that.
Phil: That’s super cool. What would your collection look like?
Paul: Right now, we have a zip hoodie, a hoodie, and a crew neck that we just finalized last week. We also finalized the T-shirt. Eventually, we’ll get to long sleeves, and I think it would be great to provide people with nice colors to print on, or just a great washed black or pure black. It’s all about the fit and feel of those blanks.
Phil: What would that brand be called?
Paul: It’s called EMPT. We’ve just started rolling these out and were able to do it in Australia on tour. We’re about to do a Valentine’s Day merch drop and we printed all of it on EMPT.
Phil …where fashion has always been effortless for you; you’ve always had this cool kind of style, so I can see how that can lead to you doing more than fashion.
Phil: What was the last thing you purchased?
Paul: Great question. I’m really into 424 right now. Guillermo is the creative director, and it’s one of the first brands I’ve seen in a while where I’d walk in the store and want to buy half of what’s on the rack, which is awesome. I did just buy my first runway piece from Celine: just this black leather jacket. Obviously, I love vintage, of course, but when it comes to newer things, 424 is my favorite right now.
Phil: What was the last vintage item you purchased?
Paul: It would’ve been an Oakland Raiders cheerleader T-shirt that feels like tissue—that’s how soft it is. Or next, I’ve got a couple spots in LA that I’ve actually refused to tell anybody about because I just don’t want anyone competing with my pull there. I refuse to tell anybody; we’ve gotta bring back gatekeeping.
Phil: I respect that! So, if you had to describe your sound with a scent, what scent would that be?
Paul: I love that question. Let’s go with something like Palo Santo. I feel like it’s not necessarily seasonal, so it works year-round. It’s also a beautiful scent; when I walk into a place and smell it, I feel like someone has put a lot of thought into it.
Phil: I usually have Palo Santo in my kit. It’s a great scent. We referenced RuPaul earlier, and this is a question I always take from her: If you could go back to your childhood self, what would you tell him?
Paul: I’d just say to him, “Just wait.” I felt really overlooked my whole life, very overlooked. And um yeah, like I think a lot of people who I grew up with are probably pretty surprised at how it’s turned out for me. I didn’t have anyone really in my corner, to be honest with you. So there were a lot of times where I felt pretty isolated and unsure, you know, kind of doubted myself, but I’d tell him, “Just wait and see.”
Phil: All right, that’s great advice, especially nowadays when we’re just oversaturated with everything. We want that instant gratification but sometimes you just have to let life… life…
Paul: Exactly.
Phil: And that takes patience and time.
Paul: I’m one of the most impatient people in the world, and it’s something I’m trying to get better at. Yeah, I’m so impatient, but that’s another thing I’m learning post wreck—just learning to be patient. There’s so much in life you can’t control, so you just have to let stuff happen and wait.
Phil: Paul Klein is happiest when?
Paul: In the studio. Writing music.
Phil: Paul Klein feels the sexiest when?
Paul: He has been going to the gym consistently and weighs less than 180.
Phil: Paul Klein is at peace, mostly when?
Paul: Sitting on his couch, smoking a joint. (laughs)
Phil: Period. Is there anything that we missed that you would like to tell LADYGUNN and your fans?
Paul: Just wanted to say thank you for having me. Um, great shoot, great team. And, uh, yeah, love you all.
Full look, MELKE. Gloves, Stylist own.
Full look, Untitled&Co.
Tank, Levi Campello. Boxers, Untitled&Co. Socks, Uniqlo.
Full look, Untitled&Co.
Full look, Untitled&Co. Socks, Bombas, Shoes, Ugg.
