Neon Energy: Inside lolitslea’s Pop Punk Revival

We caught up with lolitslea's frontwoman Lea McNamara to reflect on the band’s 2024 tour and what's in store for 2025.

lolitslea is all about balancing relatable lyrics, high-energy hooks, and shredding guitar riffs. It’s a project made for fans yearning for that neon pop punk vigor. Think back to DIY hair dye jobs, razor-cut bangs, and playlists crafted on iTunes. 

In our conversation, she shared a nostalgic moment from her musical journey that really resonated with her. She described stumbling upon an old iPod Touch, which held a treasure trove of scene and pop-punk tracks from the exact time she was diving deep into those genres. When she revisited the music, she was taken aback by how some of those bands had vanished from platforms like Spotify.

“It’s like a relic of that time I can keep close. I think I’m just going to hold on to it and listen when I need to reconnect with that moment in my life.” – Lea McNamara

The nostalgia Lea describes isn’t just about the music; it’s about the tactile joy that vinyl records now offer to a generation who didn’t grow up with the format. In the early 2000s, the pop-punk scene thrived in a digital-first era, where albums weren’t defined by the warm fuzz of a needle hitting wax or the tactile ritual of flipping a record. Instead, the genre’s rise coincided with the dominance of MP3s, CDs, and digital downloads, making vinyl a less popular choice among fans. Yet, as vinyl’s resurgence has widened to genres like pop punk, lolitslea seized the opportunity to create a physical artifact of their music.

Pressing Nothing Lasts Forever!

In 2024, the band pressed their debut full-length album, Nothing Lasts Forever!, marking a pivotal moment in their journey. The record’s design mirrors the band’s vibrant aesthetic: Black Ice (T15) with Sky Blue (O5) and Neon Green (N2) splatter.

“I wanted to create something where, no matter what—if people don’t even buy it—I could hold it and feel proud of it. I think a lot of musicians can relate to that feeling. After putting so much time, energy, and money into a project, holding the final result in your hands is so special.” – Lea McNamara

For Lea, creating this record was an eye-opening experience that went beyond music. “I didn’t realize how much goes into creating vinyl,” she admits. “My really close friend Josh Zaleha, who’s obsessed with records, managed the process, and they opened my eyes to how collectors view records—the details, the packaging, the colors. It’s so much more intricate than I ever imagined, and I’m so grateful for that experience.” Lea described the creative process as meticulous but rewarding: “It was like a ‘build your own burrito’ situation,” she laughs. “From the packaging to the text placement, there were so many decisions to make.” 

“My color scheme is blue and green so like picking out colors was crazy, we looked at a lot of places. We wanted to make sure that the blue and greens were like really similar, and a lot of places don’t offer blue and greens like that so I’m so glad it was a perfect match.”

The brand aesthetic runs deep. Lea also mentioned, “I had recently gotten a tattoo, and I had to pick out the blue and greens for that during the same time we were choosing colors for the record. It was such a similar process, except this one’s going to be on me for the rest of my life!”

RELATED: Exploring The Creative Potential Of Vinyl Colors with Hannah Glavor

On the Road

Touring for Lea is about creating intimate connections through music, a vision brought to life during lolitslea’s first DIY tour. “I just wanted to celebrate my album in a tangible way; something more than just posting on social media,” she explains. “Planning the tour myself was a leap, but it felt like the right time to rip the Band-Aid off and just do it.” Lea took on every aspect of planning, coordinating stops with two other headlining bands. The result? A transformative experience that exceeded her expectations. “I didn’t know what to expect with a DIY tour, but people showed up—and that blew me away. Signing vinyl and meeting fans who connected with my music? That’s something I’ll never take for granted.” A standout moment came in Atlanta, where Lea stayed at a studio steeped in music history. “It felt like a museum,” she recalls, filled with plaques and iconic photos. But what truly made the tour unforgettable was the fans. From spontaneous chats after shows to seeing her music resonate with strangers, Lea describes the tour as “absolutely life-changing.”

Looking Ahead

As 2025 begins, lolitslea is already planning their next moves. In early 2025, the band was featured in Heartsick, by  Pine Creek Academy, giving us a taste for what's next for the band. For Lea, the lessons from her first tour and vinyl release have set the foundation for bigger, bolder projects. “You can’t do a fi\rst tour again, but this proved to me that this can only get better from there on out.”

For more information visit lolitslea.com. Header photo by Sophie Harris.