in LA when we were recording. And so I was like, “Hey, want to come hang out in the studio?” And we're in the middle of
recording “Rot” and he's asking me what this song's about…and I'm trying to explain all that. And he's like, “So, it's like
somebody feels enslaved and somebody's trying to point out all the beauty of it.” And I was like, “Yeah, ‘cause there is beauty
in it. There's this passionate tension and you can be addicted to that drama. And it feels beautiful and tense.”
Rei: It's romanticized, so much.
Lacey: Yeah. That's what I wanted him to show…the poetic nature. He says, “It's like cocoa butter mixed with sand paper. This
is love. The gritty, gory.” She's just trying to say, “But isn't love kind? Isn't it patient? Isn't it free?” That back and forth. I
wanted it to feel familiar to those who are in it, so that person can be justified in the way they think--but then the person can
still choose to get out of it.
Rei: Absolutely. That's what resonated with me the most during the first listen of your album--when “Rot” came on, it brought
me to tears.
Lacey: [LOOKS CONCERNED]
Rei: In a good way! In a good, healing, cathartic way.
Lacey: First time I heard it, I cried too…when it was recorded.
Rei: It's so emotional, and you can feel like your soul being bared in front of everybody right there. It's so powerful and it just
means so much to so many people. I know, because I’ve felt it--I've been through it. And those are the things that I wanted to
say, but I couldn't say.
Lacey: That's what I hope you can do. You know, my cousin was beaten to death by a stepfather when he was three years old,
right? And so my aunt, she was in this abusive relationship. She had gotten her nose broken and her ribs broken, and all these
things. But I didn't ever see that side of him--I just saw that they loved each other, you know?
Rei: Right.
Lacey: And then to know why's she in the hospital and then to find out that what happened to my cousin, and realizing that
tension of how you feel so committed--like you can't get out of it. And just I wanted to validate that person because some
people, they're like, “How could you do that? It doesn't make any sense.” But I just understand…when you're committed,
and you love…you're just trying to work it out any way, no matter what. But there's times when obviously you need to stand up
and say, “My heart is worth valuing. My life is worth valuing. I'm worth loving.” And to know your own worth and to be able to
stand up for yourself and make boundaries. You can't cross this boundary of calling me worthless or of treating me like I'm
worthless. You can't cross that boundary because I'm protecting my own heart. It's like what I want to give people the courage
to do.
Rei: Absolutely. And you can feel that in every song. My band RAIMEE opened for you at your first solo show back in 2014 at
THE BLIND TIGER in Greensboro, NC, and we talked afterwards for about an hour. I was so impressed and in awe of how you
were able to emotionally open yourself up to us. I mean, we're strangers who came up, and you were like, “I really connected
with this and I got to hear some of your set.” And you are a huge figure--that doesn't really happen! You're one of my influences
and I don't just say that--you were one of the reasons why I felt like it was okay to be a girl rocker! It's okay to scream in songs!
I saw you when I was in high school and I was like, “she is so badass, I just want to be her friend.” You made it okay for an
entire generation of girls to feel like they could be themselves.
Lacey: Good. [LAUGH] We have stuff to say! I mean, we have to scream out too. [LAUGH]
Rei: Exactly, exactly! And still I feel like there's no one who is parallel to your screams. They are unique, very much so. And I'm
so glad to see you back here, creating beautiful, beautiful art. How has the book “The Reason: How I Discovered a Life Worth
Living” been different from shows? I mean you're here--Carolina Rebellion--one of the biggest festivals in the country. How is
that different than promoting the book?