Q&A: The National Parks Embrace Nature and Connection at Lollapalooza
CELEBRATING THE BEAUTY OF THE EARTH — Indie-rock band The National Parks made waves at Lollapalooza, not only with their captivating music but also with their deep connection to nature and their fans. Known for their lush, nature-inspired soundscapes and heartfelt lyrics, The National Parks have kicked off their headlining world tour at Lollapalooza.
The National Parks have released their recent single, "Scenic Route," that encapsulates their ethos. The song speaks to the importance of slowing down amidst life's chaos and taking time to appreciate the beauty around us and the people we love. It's a reminder that, no matter how tough things get, there's always a way through, and sometimes it's more rewarding to take the longer, more scenic path.
Ahead of their Lollapalooza performance, The National Parks are gearing up for what promises to be an unforgettable headlining world tour. In an exclusive interview with Luna, the band shares their preparations for the festival and the atmosphere they strive to create for their listeners.
As the band took the stage at Lollapalooza, fans experienced a performance that not only showcases their musical talent but also their genuine love for nature and the human experience. Through songs like "Scenic Route," The National Parks continue to inspire listeners to take a moment to appreciate the world around them and the people they hold dear.
Photography Credit: Abra Richardson
LUNA: Thank you for sitting down and talking to Luna. Our readers would love to get to know you and your music more. For any readers who aren’t familiar yet, what kind of atmosphere or emotional space do you aim to create for your listeners?
CAM: As a band, we've always tried to bring positive energy that’s uplifting. When we play, we hope that energy is good and that people feel good and happy. Overall, it’s uplifting and positive.
SYDNEY: Especially with our last album and our name being The National Parks, I hope we inspire people to make memories with the people that they love and for them to be inspired by nature.
BRADY: I think something that always helps ground us when we're feeling overwhelmed or in our heads too much is just getting outside, and I hope that our music can be a soundtrack to people's adventures and can help them feel inspired in some way.
LUNA: You just released your single “Scenic Route” just a few weeks ago and this is your first release since your 8th Wonder album. I would love to hear anything you would like to share about the song’s inspirations and how it came to be.
BRADY: It's a song about slowing down the chaos of our lives and taking a step back to appreciate the beauty around you and the people you love. Also really knowing that no matter how hard things get, you can get through anything and sometimes it's prettier to take the longer way.
LUNA: Did you take any creative risks or explore new directions on “Scenic Route” compared to your 8th Wonder record? If so, what were they and how did they come about, or are you planning on continuing on from your previously established sound?
MEGAN: With this new album, we definitely have taken it back to just our roots of our individual instruments making it more folk-inspired again. It's fun to be able to go back to our roots and be more folk.
CAM: With Scenic Route specifically, it’s more pop heavy in the beginning and then it flips and gets more folk and it comes back. That’s a risk that was fun experimenting with.
LUNA: Obviously your music is rooted and inspired by nature and the world around us. What are some of your favorite locations or natural environments that inspire you the most during your creative processes?
SYDNEY: I love Southern Utah and the Red Rocks. I go to Lake Powell with my family.
BRADY: I feel like being a band from Utah. we're really lucky to be surrounded by such natural beauty. We have the mountains in our backyard. We love being outside in the winter. We love skiing and snowboarding. In the summer, we like going out on road trips into Southern Utah and going to Zion National Park. It's just hard not to be inspired by our surroundings when we live in such a beautiful place.
LUNA: Do you have any favorite songs to play live? Which ones are they and why do you enjoy performing them?
CAM: This one is unreleased but we are playing it today and I want to play it more. It’s called “Caves.” We just started playing it, so this is going to be one of our first times playing it.
LUNA: How do you create a setlist for a festival performance? Do you have any specific strategies or considerations?
BRADY: I think when it's a festival and you have a shorter amount of time than a headline set and there's going to be thousands of people, you really want to play the bangers and put your best foot forward and play the high energy songs that you think can connect with people. The strategy is just to go out there and play our biggest songs and have a lot of fun.
LUNA: How do you stay connected with your fans during large events like Lollapalooza?
CAM: In the middle of our set, a lot of times we'll unplug and do an acoustic set around one mic. It's a good way to get a little more intimate. I think that helps connect when you try to get the crowd singing with us and do collaborative songs.
LUNA: How are you feeling in this current era of your career and what does the rest of the year look like for you that you would like to share with Luna?
BRADY: We're feeling really excited. We have an album coming out on August 23 and Lollapalooza kicks off our world tour, so we're here at Lolla and then for a couple of weeks we go to Europe to start the European run and then come back to the states and do a full state run. We've got a big year ahead of us and it’s going to get really busy really soon. We're excited.
