Last week was a big week for Rachael Lampa as she released her EP Human, music that has been long awaited since her self titled 2004 album. Rachael first came onto the music scene in 2000, releasing 4 albums from 2000-2004 and then a Best of Album in 2006. Since becoming a fan in 2006, I have been anticipating what’s next and finally back with new music, I was thrilled to speak with Rachael about Human, her engagement, and more!

How did you come to title the EP Human?
“Human” was one of the first songs I wrote for the project and I didn’t know it at the time. Right after I left my label and decided to take a break, I decided to just write without following any certain formulas or rules and just write whatever came out. What’s better than writing a song about being imperfect, kind of lost and confused but being human, accepting and being real? That’s where I was at and I was stripping down everything I thought I knew and starting over. “Human” got me writing again and thinking of writing another record.

How did you decide how many songs would be on the EP and why an EP instead of a full length album?
That’s a great question. We wanted to do 5 songs, half of a record but we kept writing songs and just thought, “That has to go on there!” The best part is that I am not with a label and there aren’t rules, I am on my own. I can do as many songs as I want to do but the reason for the EP is…I want to put something out 2-3 times a year. It’s hard to put out a 10-11 song record every few months. People want something new and I know that I get tired of records pretty quickly so fans…in another 4-6 months, I’ll have another EP. Right now, this EP is about love and heartbreak. I’m about to get married so it’s cool to be in this moment and have this record out instead of taking 6 months to record and then by the time the music comes out, I’d be in a totally different state. So I like the idea of taking a snapshot of my life every few months.

Can we expect possibly a live EP?
Oh yeah, I would love to do that. We do a lot of live stuff. I love doing live shows, I feel like that is when I am at my best. The energy of people is amazing.

My favorite is “All the Way Down” so can you talk about that song?
This is the one song that I didn’t write. Actually my producers and a couple of friends wrote it for me. They played it for me and wanted me to demo it but I loved it so much that I kept it for myself. It was cool because that song came about right when I was getting engaged so it was that much more meaningful to me.

“Loving You” is quite a powerful and very relatable song. How quickly did that come to mind…because the emotions shared in that can come like a flood…
Yeah. We started that song early on in the process and I was reflecting on relationships that were very one sided. So many times I loved the feeling of being needed and being helpful but eventually I found myself feeling empty. So when you constantly feel like you are giving your best and the other person isn’t doing their part, it’s like you are slowly dying. So I think it’s so important to talk about being healthy relationships and being in a two way relationship where you are giving and not just receiving.

How did the collaboration with Jonny Lang come about?
He’s a friend of mine that I’ve known for a few years now and I was a huge fan of when I was younger. He had worked with my producers before but I actually ran into him at a coffee shop, we talked, and he came by the studio. It’s funny because I had the hardest time cutting those vocals. I just never thought that it was good enough but eventually I just had to accept that this song is about being imperfect so anyway, that was a big highlight of the record making process, working with Jonny.

Do you have anybody in mind to collaborate with for your future EPs?
I have no idea but I’d like to mix it up a bit and pull from other genres and other countries. The door is wide open!

What tips do you have for songwriters?
Just stick with honesty. You can go back and nit pick but you have to start every song with honesty because people don’t connect with songs that talk about unrealistic feelings.

You haven’t updated your blog in quite some time. When can fans expect a new entry?
(laughs) Yeah. Well I started going on the road and starting journaling and then I felt this odd pressure to blog about it so I did but it was kind of a personal time this summer. I was battling with my identity regarding who I was as an artist, as a fiancee, friend, sister, daughter…just everything. Then we relaunched my website and now I’m ready to write again but I don’t know if I will continue with that blog website but I will continue to share journal entries through my official website.

Can you talk about how LA inspires you versus how Nashville inspires you musically?
Yes, two totally different things…I think it’s the pace of it all. I like both, it’s a great balance for me. Here in Nashville, I can cruise over to a friend’s house and then over to the coffee shop and just write and it’s a homey feel. Nashville is comfortable. In LA there is this high energy that really pushed me to drive for excellence and craft my gift, really dive into it more. I think it reflects on the record too because throughout the writing process I was back and forth.

Do you see yourself going back to LA?
Yes, I do. I have some Nashville friends who will be sad about that pieces of news but I think I need both places. It’s always hard to leave someplace where you are surrounded by a community of family and friends and that is Nashville for me. But every once in awhile I need to be in a new environment that will push me forward.

It is rumored that Stacie Orrico is recording another album. Would you tour with her again or collaborate with her?
Yeah, totally. If it were the right song and right opportunity, yeah. We never wanted to force anything but I would love to do that. She is one of my best friends and she’s actually in my wedding.

Aside from the wedding, what do you look forward to in 2010?
I need to get on the road with this record so I will be touring throughout the country, hopefully internationally too. The details of the tour is still in the works so…hopefully I’ll be on the road more than I have been the past few years. I’ll also be putting out 3-5 song EPs along the way. I just plan on going with the flow, I love the freedom.

What is your favorite city or country to visit on tour?
I loved Italy. In the US, I’m a beach junkie so I love being in Hawaii and on the coasts. I also love NY. I’ll go anywhere, so hopefully I can hit more countries.

Can you tell us about your wedding?
The bridesmaids colors are black, white, and yellow, lots of shades of yellow since that is my favorite color. I am really behind on planning but I think the girls will wear black dresses with yellow flowers and belts and fun stuff. It’s kind of a vintage casual look.

Lastly, Hollywood the Write Way also focuses on film and TV so can you tell us what some of your favorite TV shows and films are right now?
I really loved Avatar and Precious. I am obsessed with Friday Night Lights right now. I just started watching the DVDs and I am hooked. I had a friend that was on Biggest Loser last season so that was great to watch as well.

Rachael Lampa’s new EP, Human is available on iTunes now.