Interview: Hard Rockers Lydia’s Castle Discuss Deeply Personal New Single ‘Search For You’

Aside from all the honky tonks, cowboy hats, and cowboy boots, Nashville offers far more in the way of its music scene.

From hip hop to jazz, to bubblegum pop to in-your-face rock, Music City is exactly that- all encompassing. Enter heavy rock and roll band Lydia’s Castle, who are seasoned veterans in the industry, but a bit new to the scene as this distinct group.

Having gotten the wheels in motion in 2020, the group is fronted by husband and wife duo Tonya LeeAnne (vocals) and Cody Denton (guitar). The two were joined by drummer Jon Wysocki in 2021, and the trio known as Lydia’s Castle officially took hold.

The band has made 2022 their year, as they’ve dropped three singles, with their latest being the hard-hitting track, “Search For You,” which hit streaming services April 8th.

The gritty track was penned as a form of therapy for LeeAnne, who hopes to share her feelings of deep, personal loss with listeners. The song is the follow-up to their recent singles “Falling Into Place” and “Phoenix”, which all will be included on their upcoming EP.

We got the chance to chat with Denton about the band, their new single, and much more.

Can you talk about the roots and origins of the band and how y’all got together? 

Lydia’s Castle was born out of a desperate need for artistic expression. Tonya and I started writing songs in 2020 without a particular direction in mind. We just wrote what came out of us. Throughout the year, we pushed each other to our collective limits in search of a mutual “music language” where our ideas started to mesh seamlessly. Once we put together some demos of what we had created, we found Jon, our drummer, and added him to the writing process. From there, our songs started to really flourish and take off. 

And some band names are too intriguing not to ask where they came from. How did you land on Lydia’s Castle?

Lydia’s Castle stands for strength. It’s symbolic of the journey of life where the things that knock you down are not strong enough to keep you down, but creates a foundation for you to build upon and create your kingdom. Lydia is the name of our (Tonya and I) daughter. She passed away about two days before her due date unexpectedly. It was one of the most difficult things we have ever been through. We decided to rebuild our lives and what it means to us, and Lydia’s Castle is our way of paying homage to her, showing others that it is possible to rise above tragedy. 

I was hoping you could talk about your latest single, “Search For You.” What’s the inspiration and influence behind it?

“Search For You” is a song about love, when you get down to it. It was written as an open letter to a loved one who no longer is on the earth with us, and longing to see them once again in another life. We wanted to write something that had a big sound with big guitars, soaring vocals and cannon-like drums that caught the ear of anyone who listens to it. 

Where was it recorded and who helped produce it?

We recorded it with Jack C. Daniels at Sicktones Studio in Cape Girardeau, MO. He’s such a wonderful talent and an amazing producer. We couldn’t have done this without him. 

And it looks like you have an upcoming EP expected later this year. What can you tell us about that?

The EP will include “Search For You,” as well as our other two singles we have released so far this year (“Phoenix,” “Falling into Place”). We have an EP release show May 7th at The End in Nashville, TN. The physical copies will be released then and the digital EP will be released in June on all streaming platforms worldwide. 

What messages or feelings do you typically try to convey in your music?

Our message is always love with a focus on self-worth. You should never have to feel that you have to settle for anything less than what you deserve. Anybody can make something of their short time on the earth and they should feel that way, too. We try to make our music as relatable as possible. Not everyone can relate to songs about partying and going on tour. That just isn’t realistic for most folks. We are here on the ground level, just like everyone else. 

What’s the hard rock and metal scene like in Nashville these days? 

Nashville has a great rock scene! There are definitely a lot of cover bands, but all of those musicians have an original band of some form or fashion. Nashville isn’t necessarily known as a rock town, but the need for hard rock and metal seems to be metaphorically bubbling over and musicians here are rising to the occasion. 

What does success as a band or musician mean to you?

Success to me is happiness, satisfaction and being able to reach out to others through our music. People need music. Music has always been there for the ones who need it most, whether it’s a rock band, a crooner like Tony Bennett, or Mozart. There have been many times where I feel like music guided me through the most difficult trials and tribulations, and to be a part of that movement for someone else would mean the world to me. 

If you could tour with any present-day artist, who would it be and why?

Present day? Maybe Guns N Roses, because I grew up idolizing Slash. Foo Fighters would be great, but I’m not sure what the state of their future looks like with Taylor passing (RIP). Mammoth WVH would be amazing as well, because we are both young bands and our sound would work well together, in my opinion. Plus, Wolf seems like a genuine, normal dude, which seems impossible for someone who has Eddie Van Halen (RIP) as a father. 

Aside from the EP, what else might Lydia’s Castle have in store this year?

Expect to see us tour a lot more. We are currently booking regional shows to build an organic following and hope to continue spreading our music to everyone in the world. We are always writing, so I’d expect us to go into the studio sometime this year and deliver new tunes to everyone! In the meantime, check out our website for updates and you will never miss out on any important news from us!