Australian singer-songwriter-actress LENKA’s eighth studio album GOOD DAYS is a celebration of optimism, classic songwriting and soulful pop influences, reflecting both her musical roots and her outlook on life. Speaking with Australian Musician’s Greg Phillips, Lenka describes the release of the album as both exciting and nerve-racking, admitting that while the business side of launching a record can be stressful, hearing feedback from long-time fans is the most rewarding part of the process.
Released on May 29, Good Days draws heavily on the music Lenka grew up with. Raised in a household steeped in jazz (her father is a jazz trumpeter), she cites artists such as Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday as key influences, alongside The Beatles and Kylie Minogue. She believes her love of witty lyrics, clever metaphors and melodic songwriting stems directly from those early jazz records.
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The album began taking shape in 2024 when Lenka wrote “Sunshine Girl,” a song that established the creative direction for the project. From that point, she committed to crafting a collection of vintage soul-pop songs built around classic songwriting principles. Recording commenced in mid-2025, with producer Tony Buchen helping to shape both the sound and flow of the album.
Thinking back on a career that now spans eight albums, Lenka said that while the core themes of hope and positivity have remained constant throughout her songwriting, experience has taught her a great deal about how songs connect with listeners. Years of performing live have helped her better understand what resonates with audiences, allowing her to refine her craft while staying true to her artistic identity.
Lenka revealed that creativity comes in waves rather than being a constant state. At present, following the completion of Good Days, she has deliberately shifted her creative focus away from music and towards visual arts, fibre art and sewing. Having originally studied sculpture at university, she is currently channelling her artistic energy into creating costumes, tapestries and home decorations while taking a break from songwriting.
The album’s title track encapsulates the record’s central message. Lenka explained that she wanted the album title to project something positive into the world, describing “Good Days” as a simple but meaningful aspiration. Rather than writing about romance, she said the song reflects a stage of life where simply striving for a good day feels like an important goal.
Several songs on the album showcase different aspects of Lenka’s songwriting. “Heart Flame” features toy piano and Yamaha DX7 textures inspired by sounds she initially created in GarageBand before recreating them in the studio. “Love Is A Beat,” co-written with Josh Moriarty and Buchen, emerged quickly from a collaborative session inspired by the simplicity and charm of early 1960s pop music from artists such as The Beatles and The Zombies.
Perhaps the album’s most unusual track is the closing song, “The Balance.” Lenka collected positive and negative words submitted by fans around the world, exploring the idea that life requires both light and darkness. She used AI to help organise the words into rhyming stanzas before shaping them into a spoken word inspired song that evolved into a playful, beatnik-style studio experiment complete with a swung rhythm and flute solo. To her surprise, the track has become one of the album’s most popular streaming selections.
Technology also played a larger role in Lenka’s songwriting than on previous releases. While she traditionally writes at the piano or on ukulele, she has increasingly embraced GarageBand as a songwriting tool, praising its accessibility and flexibility. In fact, the title track was largely composed within the software before she fully learned how to perform it on piano.
Recording sessions for Good Days aimed to capture the feel of a live band. Musicians recorded together wherever possible, creating a warm, organic “house band” atmosphere that allowed for spontaneity and interaction. Lenka says that approach has made the transition to live performance easier, although she jokes that matching the soulful keyboard work of studio musician Robbie Wolf remains a challenge.
To celebrate the album, Lenka will launch Good Days with a special performance at the Vanguard in Sydney on June 25th, backed by a seven-piece band featuring a horn section to recreate the record’s rich 1960s soul-pop sound. Among the songs she is most excited to perform is “They Never Said,” a dramatic, theatrical track she describes as having an “Elvis-meets-church” energy and one that allows her to embrace her storytelling instincts on stage.
Most of all, Lenka hopes listeners will experience Good Days as a soundtrack to everyday life. Whether played at home or through headphones while walking down the street, she wants the album to leave people feeling hopeful, connected and uplifted. It is a record built on positivity, warmth and the belief that music can make even ordinary days feel a little brighter.
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