Get To Know: Folk Singer-Songwriter Abby Litman Reflects On Relationship Growth In New Single ‘Lose Myself’

With her resonating blend of modern and traditional folk music, Abby Litman continues to make a name for herself with her newest single “Lose Myself,” which hit streaming services November 17th.

And like her previous singles, it’s a masterclass in peaceful harmonies, gentle melodies, and delicate songwriting. 

Currently based in Los Angeles, Litman has immersed herself in music making since the age of six when she began taking classical piano lessons. In her later teens, the Maryland-native discovered legends like Joni Mitchell and Joan Baez, which led her to fall in love with their poetic songwriting style. This would lead to heavy influence from more modern songwriters like British folk artist Laura Marling.

This inspiration coupled with a deep affinity for the natural world around her has created a depth and resonance resulting in her own unique brand of folk music.

Her new single, “Lose Myself,” guides the listener through the journey of excitement and heart flutters surrounding a new relationship, while still maintaining reservations and being hesitant. The sweet and steady tempo only adds to the lyrics, as she softly sings, “A promise I made to myself / Take care of no one else / But it seems impossible to care / And I lose yourself.”

We had the opportunity to speak with Litman during a recent interview where she elaborated more on the song stating, “I wrote it in 2020 after going through a breakup before the pandemic. I felt like I really put a lot of myself into it to no avail. I had started seeing someone new, and was feeling that fear of entering something new and going back into something and giving too much.”

She went on to say, “The song starts out as being afraid to open up, but it’s also about learning to let go. The latter half of the track is more about just going along with it.”

In October of this year, Litman released the equally serene song, “Sequoia.” Matching “Lose Myself” in its delicate nature, “Sequoia” is a soft, modern-folk tune about independence, growth, and acceptance. Since the debut of her first EP Seasons in 2016, she has built up a growing fan base, releasing a smattering of singles along with her latest EP, Still On My Mind, which dropped earlier this year.

The singles Litman has released this year serve as enticing appetizers for her upcoming EP, Steady, due out February 9th, 2024. In regards to common themes and motifs throughout the EP, she told us, “[It’s about] finding myself. I’m going to be this person for the rest of my life, so I want to figure myself out for once and really focus on that. I just want to be at a place where I felt good about myself and confident. A lot of it is about self-growth.”

Litman also lauded the musicians she got to play with on the forthcoming EP, stating that the artistic collaborations were one of the most fulfilling and favorite parts of the recording process. “I felt really lucky. I’ve worked with my producer Tyler Chester for a few years now, and on ‘Sequoia’ he was able to bring in Sara Watkins on fiddle which was a big deal for me.”

Litman also runs a monthly concert series, Good Folk LA, to which Watkins has performed, and the series as a whole has grown and opened doors for her as a rising folk artist. The series started as living room shows in 2017 at her house in Echo Park. “I felt pretty bogged down in the LA music scene,” she said. “I wanted more listening spaces, and wondered where my folksy songwriters were and those who wanted to sit and listen to that kind of music.”

What started as house shows to meet other folk musicians and establish a like-minded community eventually blossomed into a monthly series that took up residency in different venues every month. And now, she has a steady auditorium-like venue that hosts her Good Folk LA concert series. “I just love hosting it and showcasing musicians I really love.”

With her delicate sound and poignant lyrics, Litman is a positive force in the modern folk world, and “Lose Myself” is the latest example. She is currently planning her spring tour in March.

*Note: Paul Howard contributed to this article