Landon Conrath Talks Touring, Songwriting and Slowing Down

When Landon Conrath got his first manager five years ago to oversee his music career, he shared a goal of his: Play festivals.

That will take time, the manager said. And that time has passed.

Conrath is set to make his festival debut this summer at The Minnesota Yacht Club in St. Paul, Minnesota, his hometown.

A set at Lollapalooza in Chicago will follow a week later.

Fresh off a European tour that took Conrath through cities like London, Paris and Dublin, he now has the chance to again connect with fans stateside through live music.

“When I was in the Netherlands, it was just insane because there was this group of people that was particularly passionate during one of the songs,” Conrath says. “I don't even know how to comprehend how you know this song, much less are super excited about it.”

As a songwriter, Conrath’s job is introspection.

“My job is to think about the things that are happening in my life and then spit them back out,” Conrath says.

That’s not to say he isn’t inspired by other musical artists.

Conrath grew up on rock bands like Relient K and Switchfoot. He, like other indie kids, references The 1975 and Bon Iver.

“You have to learn how to just be able to take in a bunch of information, process it in your own way and then spit it out uniquely,” Conrath says.

Despite the authenticity found in his work, songwriting doesn’t come naturally, he says.

He may not view himself as a prolific writer, but that didn’t stop him from writing nearly 30 songs in 30 days in April.

“I almost feel I'm viewing [songwriting] as going to the gym,” Conrath says. “I'm working out to be in shape for when the time comes to actually lock into the writing.”

Still, that doesn’t mean new music is on the way soon. Conrath may release a song or two this summer, but a new catalogue of music won’t be released until 2026.

“I'm excited to have a break from it,” he says.

In the age of artists constantly pushing new music and endlessly promoting it with TikTok trends, sounds and dances to remain relevant, taking a break may sound like something to avoid.

Today, people prioritize streams. Numbers make a difference.

But Conrath is stepping away from the metrics to focus on impact.

“This is technically my lowest number of the past three years [on Spotify]. It's been a steady decline, which is hilarious. But three months ago I sold out a show in London, and I'm like, ‘How does this make any sense?’”

For Conrath, the best part about music is bringing it to people who are actively listening to it, he says.

“There's nothing really different between myself and anyone in the audience,” Conrath says. “I'm not a pop star.”

His goal was to play festivals. He’s accomplished that. Now he has his eyes set on longevity.

“I love music, I love writing and I love playing songs, so I'm going to keep doing it until it's bad for me to continue to do so,” he says.