Lydia Night Finds Her Power in Pop: “This Album Is Me, Unfiltered”

Music

The former Regrettes frontwoman opens up about her solo debut, queer obsession, creative freedom, and why pop music finally feels like home.

When Lydia Night decided to quietly disappear for a month in early 2024, many assumed she was taking a well-earned break. In reality, she was doing something far more radical: writing and recording what would become her debut solo album, Parody of Pleasure, out 08 August via Warner Records. Known for her work fronting feminist garage-punk outfit The Regrettes since age 15, Night’s new work is a total sonic left-turn - a bold, sensual, hyper-personal plunge into the vibrant chaos of pop.

Across 13 tracks, Parody of Pleasure trades punk grit for glittering art-pop confessionals. Whether she’s dancing through obsession on the club-ready Gutter, crashing into romantic anxiety on The Bomb, or reclaiming her autonomy on Puppet, Night sounds like an artist who has finally stopped asking for permission and started asking better questions. This autumn, the unfiltered energy will take to the stage in support of The Aces.

We sat down with Night to talk about breaking rules, working with all-female creatives, queer longing, and how the freedom to create without judgment gave her the confidence to be her truest self.

You’ve described Parody of Pleasure as a secret you kept, even from your closest collaborators. What drove you to create this record in total privacy?

I needed to spend some time where I wasn’t making music and immediately sending it to people for their opinions. I think it was subconsciously really affecting my writing, so I needed to start from square one. Eventually, I let people in who I trusted, but it was definitely a very different process from any I’ve had before.

Coming from a punk background with The Regrettes, what was it like fully embracing pop for the first time? 

The Regrettes have always been pretty pop in certain ways. Maybe not sonically, but I think I’ve always leaned into pop melodies and lyrical styles. This just felt like breaking all the rules and letting go of trying to make any specific kind of pop. I really just wanted to let my freak flag fly, ya feel me?

The title Parody of Pleasure is intriguing and thought-provoking. When did that phrase first come to you, and how did it shape the album's vision? Or did the album shape the title?

It’s actually really funny because I was writing with my homie Mikey Freedom Hart, and we ended up writing some lyrics that went into Pity Party later. One of those being ‘it’s a parody of pleasure’. I loved the concept of my album being titled P.O.P. so it just all clicked. I think that the album shaped the title as much as the title shaped the album. It happened kind of halfway through the creation of it.

Pity Party taps into really raw emotional states. How did it feel to explore those places through a pop lens?

For me, I just use the term “pop” as a general term for making something catchy and silly honestly. It’s fun. With this song, as dark as it is at its core, it’s also meant to be playful and self-aware. It honestly just felt really freeing to make a song like this. 

Let’s talk about Gutter. It’s cheeky, sultry, hypnotic - and you’ve said it started as kind of a joke. How did that song come together?

UGH well… l I had a big crush on this girl in New York and felt like such a creep, because I couldn’t stop thinking about all of the things we could do together. I felt like a stereotypical dude, and I think I literally said to Alexis, “why the hell can’t I get my mind out of the gutter?!”; we were like hold up, that’s a really cool title and concept. So, we fucked around and ended up loving it.

You worked closely with Alexis Kesselman on this project. What did having a female producer bring to the process that felt different or essential for you?

God it was so good. I didn’t even know what I was missing. I think a lot of it is subconscious, like just the safety and joy of being in a room every day with a woman and being creative, expressive, dramatic, sad and dying of laughter. It was beautiful. 

Was there a moment in the making of the album when you realised, “This is the most myself I’ve ever been in music?”

I think when I made Puppet with Adam Henderson. I had a big “oh shit I’m really doing this thing” moment. 

You mentioned that the song Puppet speaks to feeling boxed in by the industry’s expectations. How have you learned to define your identity as a woman in music?

I don’t know if I necessarily have or ever will. I just try my best every day to do the things that feel important and authentic to me. I’m just doing my best to be bold while still trying to get to know myself better.  

There’s a real throughline of queer longing and desire in the album. How important was it for you to write about love and attraction with that level of honesty and sensuality? 

Hmmmm I think this happened naturally because of what I was going through, while writing a good portion of the record. I was having a lot of feelings that I’ve had in the past, but never let myself have the time and space to fully explore. 

Songs like Chameleon and The Hearse showcase both your anger and humour. How do you balance vulnerability with that kind of sharp self-awareness in your writing?

I think it’s really just the way I talk. I honestly don’t know! Laughing at yourself is so important in everyday life, so that sentiment comes out in my music. 

Your visuals are next level - especially with the co-directed videos for Parody of Pleasure. What drew you to directing, and how did it expand your relationship to the music?

That means so so much to me. Thank you. It’s really been the most fun thing in the world to dive in and explore my creativity, in all of these different ways. I guess I just gained a greater sense of self confidence which in turn affects the whole project. I’m hoping that anyone watching the videos can feel how much love went into them. I’m really lucky so many incredible people were down to clown, and go through such an insane sleepless summer camp set experience. I hope one day I can buy them all Lamborghinis!

Looking back on your early days with The Regrettes to now, what parts of yourself did you have to unlearn, or reintroduce, to make this album possible?

That’s a great question. There was a lot of reintroduction of trust in myself. When I was 13/14 (years old) writing those early Regrettes songs; I was just going. I was overly confident and delusional with what I was making and I kind of think that’s the best way to be when creating art. 

There’s a fearless theatricality to this project, from the visuals, to the melodies, to the lyrics. Were there any pop icons you channelled while building this new version of yourself?

Gwen Stefani. Always! And Buffy Summers. She is such a pop star to me haha.

You’ve talked about wanting listeners to take whatever they need from this album. What did you need from it and what did it give you?

It’s given me a whole lot of love for myself, the people in my life and also a fuck ton of existential dread and excitement. 

Now that Parody of Pleasure is no longer a secret, how does it feel to release it into the world? Are you ready to fully unveil this rebirth of Lydia Night and the renaissance of your art?

YES!! LET HER LIVE!!! IT IS TIME.

Parody of Pleasure, is out now

Words & Editor by Arabella Itani

Sub Editor Jheanelle Feanny