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Sippin' the Kool-Aid of the Cosmos with Jenny Lewis

Jenny Lewis opens up about her new album The Voyager, dealing with loss, and battling insomnia.

Jenny Lewis has always felt a little cosmic. Her sultry voice launched Rilo Kiley, filled out The Postal Service harmonies, and gave her a solo career. But about two years ago, Lewis lost her father and her ability to get any sleep. Battling insomnia and grief, she tried everything from acupuncture to psychics in search of finally getting some shut-eye. Along the way, she reached out to family, friends, and fellow musicians for help. One call for help led Lewis to begin working with Ryan Adams, and those collaborations sparked a new record: The Voyager which is out on July 29. After joining Ben Gibbard and the rest of The Postal Service for their ten-year anniversary reunion tour, Jenny began working with Ryan at Pax-Am Studio in Hollywood. With the help of everyone from Adams to Beck and Blake Mills, she emerged with what will be her first solo album in six years.

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When I spoke with Jenny over the phone about the forces that led to the release of this album, she was kind, funny and ready to unpack the complications of the cosmos that her new album tackles. I got the lowdown on the awesome rainbow suit she wears in the artwork and covered everything else, from dealing with grief to "Golden Girls."

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