Laila Smith

Laila Smith crafts haunted indie folk music that crackles at the edges of memory – intimate sonic worlds that are at once deeply personal and culturally revealing. From jazz singer (Kennedy Center, Tokyo Blue Note) to Harvard undergrad and labor organizer, to experimental artist recognized by the NYT, Smith has now released three singles under her own name, all with accompanying experimental art pieces, among them an exhibit in LA, a video game, and a live, physical payphone for callers to confess to. Her upcoming EP "Something Dreadful's Going To Happen" will be released first on a site made by the artist, which pairs each song with its own uncanny minigame, transforming personal narrative into collective ritual. Her songs blur the line between folk confession and noise exploration, with echoes of St. Vincent, Fiona Apple, Cat Power, and early Sufjan Stevens ripped apart and recorded to tape.