Petal

Kiley Lotz, a singer-songwriter based in Scranton, Pennsylvania, launched Petal after taking cues from Pedro the Lion and Death Cab for Cutie. The project fuses introspective lyrics often rooted in her battles with anxiety and depression with somber yet expressive indie rock. Lotz demonstrates a sharp melodic sense and a talent for balancing fragility against resolve, qualities that defined her first album, Shame, issued in 2015.

Petal began in 2012 with a flexible roster frequently drawing players from Tigers Jaw, Three Man Cannon, and Captain We're Sinking. Its opening EP, Scout, incorporated work from Tigers Jaw’s Ben Walsh and Brianna Collins while attracting favorable mentions alongside Lemuria, Waxahatchee, Solange, and Cat Power. Run for Cover Records issued the debut studio album Shame in 2015, then followed with the leaner Comfort EP in 2017. The label also released the band’s second full-length, Magic Gone, in 2018; Will Yip produced the forceful record, which appeared after Lotz navigated a stretch of personal turmoil.