“Molly Lewis, professional whistler,” (as she’s characterized by NPR) is likely not quite a household name at this point, but there’s a reasonable chance that you saw Lewis last summer opening The Mann for Beck with the Philadelphia Orchestra or perhaps supporting Weyes Blood for her two nights at Union Transfer in 2023. And there’s a pretty good chance you heard her whistling Billie Eilish’s “What Was I Made For?” on the Barbie soundtrack… She’s actually signed to Jagjaguwar, home of PHILTHY phriends and phavorites like Angel Olsen, Bonny Light Horseman, Chanel Beads, and Sharon Van Etten. “I’m grateful that they’ve brought me millennial hipsters,” Lewis tells me, laughing, during a recent phone chat (For those ready to be offended, the “millennial hipsters” thing was my original wording, not hers…)
“We always joke about whistling competitions that the median age is dead,” Lewis says with a laugh. The 35-year-old whistler began this unconventional musical career more than a decade ago, when she entered her first whistling competition, the 2012 International Whistlers Convention in North Carolina, before going on to win first-place in the Live Band Accompaniment Division (female) at 2015’s Masters of Musical Whistling competition in LA. A few short years later, she would go on to perform with the likes of Karen O, Jackson Browne, former Pixie Paz Lenchantin, Mac DeMarco, Bedouine, La Femme, and Death Row Records’ co-founder: “The great thing about whistling is that it traverses genres… One of the most exciting things is that I’ve done sessions with people I never thought I would be in a room with, like Dr. Dre.”
Although Molly admits that she didn’t necessarily see something like whistling turning into a career: “I’m kind of incredulous about [whistling], but when I’d get a whistling gig, or an opportunity to play music and get paid, it was like, ‘Yeah!’” And she tells me those gigs started coming more rapidly and more regularly than she expected: “I quit my job in the film industry in 2018, when I was getting more opportunities, so much so that I couldn’t do my day job… I was like, ‘Okay, I’m doing music professionally, and we’ll see how long that lasts…’” However, despite her initial incredulousness, Lewis is quite happy that it all seems to be working out: “It’s wonderful! I just feel very lucky… I’m really grateful every time I get to perform for people I admire… and to travel the world!”
Last February Molly Lewis released her first full-length, On The Lips, following two EPs (2021’s The Forgotten Edge and 2022’s Mirage, all courtesy of Jagjaguwar). However, when I ask her how doing her first LP felt, compared to her EPs, she jokes that there’s not much of a distinction: “There isn’t much that feels that different to me, other than that it’s longer [laughs]. The label explained to me that releasing an LP is a bigger deal, and they call it an album, but I didn’t really understand that [laughs]. My first EP release was a lot more daunting.”
All three of Molly Lewis’ releases have been produced by Thomas Brenneck, best known as a member of The Budos Band and Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, producer of Charles Bradley, and founder of Dunham Records. Lewis originally met Brenneck around the time of the pandemic, when they were introduced through a close mutual friend: “One of my best friends in LA, Ariana Papademetropoulos, introduced us. She was like, ‘You and my brother-in-law share a lot of musical taste and should totally work together!’” The two were enlisted to work on a score for a short film by Ariana, and apparently her predictions were true: “She was right! We share a common musical language.”
Lewis tells me that working with Brenneck gave some structure to her life during lockdown, but also provided a lot of lessons and experience doing music in a professional manner, including time working with lots of established musicians that Thomas had worked with that he would bring into the studio: “One thing that was really daunting to me, before going into a studio, is just, ‘How do you do it?’ I was in that kind of place of being good at something, and not really knowing where to turn with that… He would be like, ‘Let’s put out a demo and play around with it!’ and really gave me the freedom to experiment.”
This Friday Molly Lewis kicks off a weeklong headlining jaunt (prior to a May run, which will begin with headlining shows and conclude with dates opening for Lord Huron), which will wrap up next Friday, January 31st, at The Lounge at World Café Live. At the time of our chat, Molly’s still wrapping up last-minute loose ends for this tour, which will have her all on her lonesome, something that she doesn’t consider ideal, but is just the way things often go as an up-and-coming solo artist: “Unfortunately, when touring, it’s very difficult to bring a full band, but I’ve put together a visual show, and there might be some special guests, or a duo thing… I strive to make it as entertaining as possible… I’m not Celine Dion yet [laughs], but someday I’ll have the full costume changes, road show, orchestra…”
Despite having to do everything on her own for these dates, Molly tells me that listening rooms like The Lounge are definitely her favorite setting in which to perform: “This is ideal! Obviously, it’s fun to play an arena, as a fun opening thing, but ideally, it’s a small, loungey room with great lighting, and it’s an intimate show… I love a lovely small venue with cocktail tables and candles on them!” Although she does admit that she had fun with Beck at The Mann last summer, even if it was a little bit intimidating: “That was an incredible venue, and he was playing with an orchestra, and I was amazed to get to be there and perform for those people in that venue. Obviously, I’m grateful for the opportunity, but I do find it a little challenging as a solo performer.”
I’m curious about what kinds of people tend to turn up to see Molly whistle at her headlining shows, and she tells me that Jagjaguwar has definitely had an impact on her fanbase, but that she’s also often surprised by portions of the crowd: “Whether it’s young hipsters or punks, you can kind of tell, but when I was recently in London, I was really struck that there were old couples… So, it’s kind of the indie music demographic, but it also brings out some other types of people.” And she also tells me that her website does have a feature that she often uses to speak to broader audiences: “I have a guest book on my website, which really brings out people that aren’t on Instagram, like there was this like 71-year-old grandparent recently who was like, ‘I’m very happy to have found your music,’ which I love!”
*Get your tickets here.