Lonely on New Years is out now on all streaming platforms. I held onto the title for over a decade. It was never the right time, or maybe my heart just wasn’t ready to tell this particular story. I haven’t romantically loved many people. It takes a lot for me to fall in love. And the truth is, a part of me never really let go of my first love.
I didn’t realize how tightly I held this person in my heart until my co-writer, Kenny Foster, asked me to explain the motive behind the title a little more. I burst into tears, and cried the entire session. Poor Kenny…we were new friends and this was the first song we’d written together. Every word is true. This is my actual story. I left my vocals untuned because I didn’t want to lose an ounce of emotion.
I feel so grateful to my co-producer Ben Epand for being such a great collaborator. I didn’t have to fight for my ideas, and that’s a rare thing in our industry. Ben is the kind of producer you can really trust, and he adds so much texture and depth to everything he works on.
I’m so lucky to have stepped back into the studio with Mason Ingram, my longtime friend and drummer. He stuck with me as we tried all the ideas I had in my head. There’s nothing I love more than drums/percussion, so it was a dream day spending a few hours working through the possibilities. We landed on something classic but emotional.
Making this song reminded me who I am. Im an Artist, a Producer, a Writer in all senses of the word. I’m someone who loves you forever when I choose to love you, even if life keeps us apart or our chapter ends.
I left being an Artist behind in 2019. But you don’t stop being an Artist, even when you step away from the relentless pursuit. I’m a new kind of Artist now. I’m doing it for me, and I’m doing it for the person sitting at home wondering if anyone else feels the way they feel.
Co-produced with Ben Epand
Mixed by Ben Epand
Mastered by Rob Kleiner
Written with Kenny Foster
Drums/Percussion: Mason Ingram
Guitar/Vocals: Ariel Lask
Bass, piano, additional guitar work: Ben Epand
📸: Gabe Starner & Morgan Karr
Some more releases from the past few weeks:
1) In The Silence - written with Joel Sundkvist. A song about needing to say the good, bad and ugly out loud because silence kills relationships.
2) Won’t Last Forever - written with Shawn Tillman, Briana McCrae Carr, and Fabio Campedelli. This song was written as part of a CreatiVets writing camp, working with Veterans to help them tell their stories through song.
3) Christmas Morning - written with Aaron Kellim. A holiday song embodying the feeling of how a person can change everything, and make every day feel like Christmas morning.
4) Around the Tree - written with Aaron Kellim & Brittany Bookout. A nostalgic song about the memories we hold dear to us, and how magical holidays are with the ones we love.
I haven’t been great about posting but here are some releases that have come out over the last month or so. It never gets old hearing these songs in their fullness and I’m forever grateful to every artist who trusts me to write on their projects.
1) Deep Rest - written with Tayler Buono & John Samuel. This was such a special day, and it’s such a special song. Mental health is a journey, and like we say in the song, it would be an injustice to only talk about the good days.
2) Breakfast - written with Olivia Knox & James Colla. I’ve been dreaming of this song coming out since the day we wrote it. It’s hard to acknowledge when a relationships gone toxic. This song is about getting honest with yourself when you’re with the wrong person.
3) Before Ever After - written with Olivia Knox & James Colla. This was the first song we ever wrote together as a trio. It’s another song that always stuck with me. I remember thinking, “I really hope this one finds its way out of the Dropbox.” Luckily it did. We are all waiting for that Happily ever after moment, but there’s a whole lot of good that comes before it ♥️♥️
This song means a lot to me. It’s not every day you find a friend like @morgxnofficial , and it’s not every day you get to show up for someone you love when there’s a tremendous loss. It’s been a profound honor to walk the good chapters and the bad over the last 11 years. I’m so glad we got to write this song together, and through it I met one of my favorite humans and cowriters @brucewiegner who has one of the truest hearts. Together we got something magical. I love getting to make music with people I love.
I’m honored to join the @RecordingAcademy ’s 2025 New Member Class—an inspiring global community of creators and professionals who are shaping the future of music. #IAmTheAcademy
Huge thank you to @alexritchiemusic and @morgxnofficial for my nominations. And thank you to all the amazing Artists and Writers who make it possible for me to live out my dreams every day.
Celebrating one week of our song “You Fight Dirty” being out in the world. I’m so grateful to all the radio stations in Canada who added it to their rotation. @kalseykulyk and @erikdinardo are two of my dearest friends and absolute favorite cowriters. We’ve made a lot of magic together over the years and I’m so over the moon that some of that magic is out in the world now. The cherry on top of the cake is that another dear friend, @bradhillmusic produced it. I’ll always get to say my first North American radio single was with people who are family to me, and that’s irreplaceable.
9 years ago we sat down and wrote this song. You just never know the journey a song will take. Big thank you to Universal Canada for loving it as much as we do. And thanks for loving our girl Kalsey, she’s a powerful, deeply loving human being who deserves the world and we can’t wait to see what you all do together!
Today marks 5 years in LA. I came to this city a completely broken person and little by little I somehow put myself back together. I never thought in a million years that a place like LA could heal a heart, but it most definitely healed mine. So grateful to all the friends I’ve made along the way and all the songs I’ve gotten to write.
I don’t often post to my grid, but todays an extra special day because it marks 10 years of friendship with @morgxnofficial
The truth is I was pretending to chop vegetables at a house party because I didn’t know anyone and felt so awkward I wanted to cry. But then Morgan walked in, and asked if he could pretend with me. And then we had a pool party at his mom’s house and it was the first exhale I took in months.
Some friends are a season, but you are a lifetime and I couldn’t have walked these last few chapters without you. We’ve seen it all, love had/love lost, death, rebirth. Thanks for choosing me, and loving me unconditionally.
Cheers to all the memories that were too special to stop and snap a picture, and to all the adventures ahead. Love you to the moon ♥️🥹
Sometimes I wonder why I got so lucky in life. Every city I move to, I somehow find family in friends. The first time @aaronkellim and I wrote we talked for hours. The song took about 45 minutes top to bottom. (I met @bbookoutmusic and @jaydenton that day too.) Felt like fate. You never know who you’re going to write great songs with. Just because you put two/three/four great writers in a room, doesn’t always mean you’re getting a great song. Chemistry is everything and I feel blessed to have found a writing room that always has magic in it.
Aaron, Jay and I wrote “stories that I tell myself” in our first session as the three of us. It poured out, and it felt so very authentic. I’ll always be thankful for writing music with these humans.
Aaron, you are a force, a friend and family. Cheers to you, to the beautiful body of work you created, and to many more years writing magical songs together. Love ya bud!
Last night was filled with a lot of joy. I rang in the new year with people I love deeply. I was reflecting on what I want this year and what I want is Presence. This past year was all about healing and I feel ready to let my past rest. I want to walk fully present into my current life. I’ve always been a planner, but I think I need to try and let the future be a big mystery. So this year, I want to take in my surroundings more, notice the small things, be intentional with my time, my body, my heart. I want to think about and focus on the day I’m actually living. What’s your word for 2024? Name it here if you feel called to! Big love to everyone ♥️♥️ May this year bring true peace and liberation in the world.
This year wasn’t what I imagined but it was filled with so much love, collaboration, friendship, adventures, milestones, and healing. There are SO many people that should be in this video, but I don’t take nearly enough photos. I love you all and thank you for sharing this year with me ♥️
