Aly Rowell, a Southern California native now based in San Diego, introduces her debut solo LP Where It All Goes. The album is a nuanced blend of indie, folk, and pop, delving into themes of generational trauma, healing, and the complexities of the female experience, with a particular focus on the women in her family. Rowell’s years of experience as a songwriter, producer, arranger, and collaborator including work with Jon Patrick Titterington of Father John Misty, Joe Vann of From Indian Lakes, Bloomsday, yeemz, Tyson Motsenbocker, and The Blasting Company have shaped her distinctive sound. She has earned recognition from NPR’s Local Standouts, San Diego Music Makers, and Troubadour Magazine, and has recently performed at the San Diego Songwriter’s Sanctuary. Influenced by Father John Misty, Folk Bitch Trio, and Haley Heynderickx, Rowell crafts songs that are both intimate and expansively arranged, transforming personal reflection into resonant, widescreen storytelling.
In this interview, Rowell discusses the creation of Where It All Goes, the stories behind tracks such as the title cut and the closing ‘Time Is a Life‘ featuring Julianna Zachariou, and the collaborative spirit guiding her next chapter.
Hey, thanks so much for sitting down with us today – what’s been the absolute best part of your week so far, music aside?
My husband has never seen Avatar: the Last Airbender, and we’ve been watching the whole franchise together every night in preparation for Seven Havens. That’s been nostalgic and a lot of fun.
Which genres best describe your music?
I’m solidly in the indie folk camp, with some chamber pop elements. I’ve taken alot of inspiration from Joni Mitchell and the 70s pop/ folk scene – Simon and Garfunkel, Linda Perhacs, The Carpenters, Queen, etc.
If someone wanted to understand the real vibe of the band beyond the music, what’s one story from your everyday life that says it all?
One time years ago I was on a show that got cancelled, so last minute I decided to have everyone in my living room and play some tunes. I think about that moment a lot – it’s very on brand for me to be in a space unplugged and play my songs. I’m drawn to folk music because of the storytelling and intimacy of the genre, and this moment I think perfectly captures what I’m after – high-quality, embodied art experiences.
What’s the wildest creative risk you’ve ever taken in the studio that actually paid off in ways you never saw coming?
My producer had the idea to get pedal steel on my song ‘Little Bean‘, and the first take I heard I absolutely hated it. It was giving Bikini Bottom. We went back and forth on it a bit but eventually I saw the light, and now it’s my favorite melodic line on the record. Shout out to Joe Harvey-Whyte for his work on this tune!
How often do you hope to release new music?
Whenever I have something interesting to say.
What is the date of your next planned single/EP/Album release?
October 16, 2026
What is your main platform for distributing and promoting your music?
My music is out everywhere, but I especially like Qobuz and Bandcamp.
If you could change one thing about the modern music industry overnight, what would it be?
We’d do away with streaming entirely and go back to paying artists for their art. No other industry has this aversion to paying people for their work except artists, a historically under-resourced group. I have friends who have achieved every mainstream success you can think of and they have to live with their parents because they can’t afford rent. It’s insane.
Do you see AI as a threat to musicians, a helpful collaborator, or something else? How do you plan to keep your music relevant as the industry changes rapidly because of these tools? By embracing AI, avoiding it, or taking a different approach?
A core part of my artistry is community, championing artists, and human creativity. I cannot stress enough how much I am against AI in art. All the “reasons” people who want to use it in their art are purely utilitarian, and frankly lazy. Art is deeply human and ALREADY incredibly accessible, coming from lived experience. I think of AI “music” companies and I think it’s just another way for would-be opportunists who are unwilling to learn, grow, or create (things that make us human, by the way) exploit and take from actual artists. I certainly do not want to engage in “art” that someone wasn’t willing to nurture, craft, and make themselves, and steal from people doing the real work. Creation as expression from a human, lived experience is the whole point. I’m not sure I’d be able to avoid it in terms of being exposed to AI “songs”, but I will never use it in my art process. I will be advocating for human art for the rest of my career.
What is the single biggest challenge you currently face as an independent artist
I think believing that I can do this. I will always have bits of imposter syndrome inside of me, and continuing to grow my confidence in my abilities and the art that I make is my greatest challenge. Anything else is solvable as long as I believe in myself.
What core themes were you hoping listeners would connect with in your latest track?
I wrote this record about the brown women in my family and it really comes from a deep place of love, grief, and healing. I don’t want to say more than that – I’m of the mind that people need to take away what they take away without my imposition on their interpretation, but I hope they can hear and connect to all the things that make them feel human.
If you could revisit one decision from your artistic journey and do it differently, what would it be?
I would have way more confidence in my early 20s. I think it stopped me from going really hard in certain areas. But without that experience, I would never be where I am now, and the tenacity and grit I developed from it.
What’s one unexpected influence, maybe from outside music, that keeps showing up in your work?
Ella Fitzgerald is my top musician of all time. She’s everywhere in my songwriting – turns of phrases, her diction, her softness. She’s always going to be showing up for the rest of my life.
What’s one fun or ridiculous moment from the studio or road since this release that still makes you smile?
I’m pretty close to my extended family, and my cousin has come with me every single time I’ve gone on tour – her schedule just happened to align with mine. I’m so grateful to spend more time with her and to have some deep conversations on long drives.
Listen to Where It All Goes:
