[Cover photo credit to Joanna Grace Babb]

Shannon Lay has recently released her new album, Past The Veil, via her own label All The Best. She’s also shared new single “The Calling”, which reflects on a “journey of self-discovery and the conflicts we often fight within ourselves.”

Lay explains about the new track:

The Calling urges you to remember who you are. I think that’s all life is to a certain extent, it’s a great remembering. It can feel like your downfalls define you, but they’re really just there to teach you valuable information about yourself. Every day is an opportunity to center your love and curiosity. We see each other before we see ourselves in those moments sometimes, and I love to remind people to recognize their light. We are capable of so much more than we give ourselves credit for.

With her new studio album, Past the Veil, Lay focuses on the “care and understanding” typical of her work, but takes on new sounds, too. Beginning in 2024, Lay teamed up with Los Angeles recording engineer and producer Rob Shelton of Altamira Sound in Alhambra, and began writing songs on the spot, with various local musicians joining them to flesh out the tracks. One song led to a whole record.

Over the next year, Lay allowed Shelton to help move her out of her usual minimalist frequency, and write a collection of songs that incorporated everything from drum machines to string arrangements and pedal steel guitar. Lay also began singing at full range.

Past the Veil is also the first release from Lay’s new artist-run label, All The Best, where she’ll issue her own music as well as some of her friends’ music.

Tour Dates:

8/5/26 – Santa Cruz, CA – Crepe Place
8/6/26 – San Francisco, CA – The Chapel
8/7/26 – Caspar, CA – Caspar Wine 
8/8/26 – Nevada City, CA – Center For The Arts
8/11/26 – Ojai, CA – Ojai Deer Lodge 
8/12/26 – San Diego, CA – Soda Bar
8/13/26 – Pioneertown, CA – Pappy and Harriets
8/14/26 – Los Angeles, CA – Lodge Room
8/15/26 – Morro Bay – The Siren