Bethany Joy Lenz's 'Playful' New Single 'Strawberries' Taps Into Female Insecurities and 'Coming Out on Top' (Exclusive)
The 'One Tree Hill' alum and singer-songwriter opens up to PEOPLE about her new music
When Bethany Joy Lenz moved to Nashville last summer, the actress and singer-songwriter felt inspired to write her first new single, “Strawberries.”
Lenz, 42, wrote the lively track, in which she ponders her insecurities and the unpredictability of life and love, in just two hours. The One Tree Hill alum was staying with a friend when she found herself making physical comparisons.
“I think that's why I love the song, because I feel like it's relatable,” she explains. “As women, I feel like we often sit in this place of comparison, and I wanted to play with the juxtaposition of the jealousy and comparison that we feel, but also how we find our sense of confidence if we don't compare, if we can all just enjoy each other. The song felt like just a fun, playful way to address those insecurities, but also come out on top with some confidence and laughter about it.”
“Strawberries” is the first in a new set of songs Lenz plans to release in the coming months. While her acting career took off in 2003 when she was cast in One Tree Hill as kindhearted Haley James Scott, whom she played for nine seasons, Lenz has always juggled acting with her passion for music, forming the folk band Everly (which split in 2012) and releasing several albums and singles.
Lenz also performed on One Tree Hill and went on a concert tour with guest star Tyler Hilton and Gavin DeGraw, who sang the show’s theme. “Back then I was trying to write pop, write for the show and figure out what my sound was,” she recalls. “Now I just feel so connected to my own voice as a musician.”
Moving to Nashville a year ago was a deliberate move on her part because “I felt like I had been through enough in my life,” Lenz adds. “I was ready to really put music at the front and center.”
Related: Bethany Joy Lenz Would 'Certainly' Join a 'One Tree Hill' Reboot
The musician plans to perform some of her new music in Nashville over the next few months, including a sold-out show on Aug. 12 at the Bluebird, a beloved local institution where some of the city’s best singer-songwriters perform. The café earned international recognition through its depiction on the CMT drama Nashville.
“We have so many incredibly talented people here,” Lenz acknowledges. “You really have to be with yourself if people are going to spend their money and come see you instead of any number of other brilliant, talented artists that night in Nashville. But I'm up for the challenge and I'm really looking forward to just getting out there and having fun."
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“Strawberries” is available to stream on Aug. 18.
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