Musician Jennie Lawless released a playful new single, “Emily’s Favorite Song” earlier this week and is set to play a free show at the Love Song Bar in downtown Los Angeles.

An ode to two of Lawless’s friends and fellow musicians, the tune is a dreamy and well recited platonic love letter with a buoyant melody and catchy lyrics. The actual construction of the song is as subliminally inspired as one would expect from its sound, but it also came from an unlikely source. 

“When I moved to LA this spring, I had a voice memo of an old rehearsal with Mike and my bassist Cooper that I referenced to teach my new band members how to perform the songs. In the recording, Cooper and I made up a little ditty called “Emily’s Favorite Song” to introduce the next tune in the set,” Lawless said. “I kept hearing that one-line ditty over and over while getting my new band together and I knew I needed to do something with it.”

With just a handful of released songs, Lawless makes quite a statement with her sparse Spotify selection. Her music is as experimental as it is precise, making it in many ways a beautiful contradiction of surprises and familiar words. Sometimes it has a harder edge, other times it’s a film saturated in pink, but no matter what mood it creates, it always comes equipped with a peculiar hook or clever phrase.

Stream Jennie Lawless’ new single “Emily’s Favorite Song:

Lawless, now Los Angeles-based, originally lived in Chicago before relocating. She explores and distills her personality into her music, displaying the delicate balance of her character, which is often juxtaposed by her soft and hard traits. With an imaginative mind and sharp witted talents, Lawless and her band create a sound unique to the individuals playing it. 

Catch Jennie Lawless at the Love Song Bar on Oct. 27 with Brent Penny. Keep up with Jennie Lawless via her Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.