- Words Notion Staff
Hot on the heels of 'Tongue Tied', Texas singer-songwriter Chance Peña talks touring with The Lumineers, breaking rules and why honesty is his greatest instrument.
Somewhere between the last flicker of hope and the first sting of letting go sits Chance Peña. The Texas-born singer-songwriter and producer has made a name on moments like these, where honesty cuts deeper than volume, and the quiet parts are the ones that linger. With a voice that can both steady you and shake you, he crafts songs that carry the weight of lived experience, even when they arrive like sudden lightning.
His latest single, ‘Tongue Tied’, feels like a letter you meant to send but couldn’t quite finish. Folk roots intertwine with indie grit and soul-baring delivery, tracing the ache of trying to speak to someone who’s already stopped listening. It’s a track that doesn’t so much shout its feelings as let them unravel in real time, capturing that space between love’s fight and its quiet surrender.
It’s the next step in a run that’s seen Chance grow from a teenage songwriter in East Texas to a Grammy-nominated collaborator, a festival stage regular, and now, a soon-to-be touring partner with The Lumineers – the very band that helped shape his earliest vision of what music could be. Since his breakout ‘i am not who i was’ earnt over 400 million streams, he’s continued to prove himself as one of indie’s most quietly devastating storytellers.
Before he hits the road this September, we caught up with Chance to talk about finding meaning after the song is written, learning to stay out of the way of his own emotions, and what it means to live and write without holding anything back.
‘Tongue Tied’ explores the idea of how difficult it can be trying to express yourself to someone who you feel is no longer able to understand you. Was there a particular experience that inspired you to write about this?
When we wrote it, no specific experience was in mind because the song came out quickly. But months later, having lived more, I find personal meaning in it. That happens a lot. I write songs that don’t feel personal at first, then later realise I’m actually living them, maybe because I’m subconsciously processing without knowing it.
You are a very vulnerable songwriter, and you often explore topics that are quite personal. Is that a challenging process? How do you go about tapping into those emotions and start putting them into words?
It’s so easy for me to open up through songwriting. It helps me figure out my life in an effortless kind of way. I just let the emotion guide everything: from the lyrics to the chords, to the production.
You’re due to tour with The Lumineers in September. What parts of the tour are you looking forward to most this time around?
This is a dream tour. I’ve loved the Lumineers since I was 13 years old. I’m just excited to play these shows and share my music. To be doing it alongside some musical heroes of mine is mind-blowing.
You’ve also cited The Lumineers as one of your major influences. What other musical influences do you have?
At the moment, Townes Van Zandt is a big influence. His songwriting is honest and doesn’t hold back. Also, Tyler Childers and Sturgill Simpson inspire me to embrace my artistry and be unapologetically myself.
What are some of your earliest music memories?
I remember playing ‘The Cave’ by Mumford & Sons for my parents and their friends when I was 10. My dad told me to “keep doing that” – that was the first time I thought to myself, ‘Maybe I’m good at this.’ I also remember watching the Lumineers perform in Dallas when I was 13, and everybody pulled out their phones to film them perform ‘Ho Hey’. They stopped the song, and Wes said, “Y’all just put your phones down and be in the moment with us.” That moment hit me hard; it’s been in my mind ever since.
Who was on your playlists growing up?
Growing up, I had my dad’s iPod, so I had Eminem, Creed, Coldplay, Sound Garden, and Aerosmith on repeat. When I got Spotify as a teenager, I listened to a lot of Gregory Alan Isakov, Mumford and Sons, Lumineers and Passenger. Kid Cudi inspired me to make beats and learn how to produce when I was 18.
At just 17 you were signed with Secret Road Music Publishing and began writing professionally. How has your writing process changed or evolved since then?
It’s changed a lot. Signing with Secret Road (SR) and having Lynn Grossman and Wayne Davis believe in me was life-changing. Writing for SR and doing countless co-writes taught me the rules of songwriting but also how to break them. My writing process has evolved so much over the last 10 years and keeps changing, which I love.
You’ve already made some incredible achievements in your career so far: a Grammy nomination, your music has been featured in films, and you’ve co-written with John Legend. What are some of your goals for the future?
A platinum record would be cool. Headlining Red Rocks or Madison Square Garden, too. I just want my music to hit every ear that it’s supposed to, but that’s all beyond me. I want to make songs that make me feel something and make my listeners feel something too. I like to think music is a remedy for reality.
What’s next for Chance Peña?
Tour, a lot more music, and just learning how to be happy and show up for the people I love.