About Gaelynn Lea

Gaelynn Lea won NPR Music's Tiny Desk Contest in 2016. Since then, she has captivated audiences around the world with her haunting original songs and experimental takes on traditional fiddle tunes. She has opened for Wilco, The Decemberists, LOW, and the industrial rock supergroup Pigface. In 2022, she composed the music for Macbeth on Broadway, directed by Sam Gold & starring Daniel Craig and Ruth Negga.

Gaelynn Lea is a sought-after public speaker about accessibility in the arts. She has shared her perspective on PBS NewsHour, On Being with Krista Tippett, The Moth Radio Hour, NowThis, The Science of Happiness Podcast, and via two widely-viewed TEDx Talks.

One of Gaelynn Lea's biggest passions is promoting Disability Culture. To that end, she co-founded RAMPD with recording artist Lachi in early 2022. Gaelynn is also a member of the Recording Academy & enjoys serving on the Chicago Chapter's Advocacy Committee.

Most recently, Gaelynn Lea co-wrote, acted, and sang in a new musical fable for the stage called Invisible Fences with disabled storyteller Kevin Kling, which premiered at Open Eye Theater in 2023. This fantastical, music-filled production touches on disability, identity, and the stories we tell ourselves. Invisible Fences will be revived in November 2024 at Zeitgeist Arts Theater in Duluth, MN.

Currently, Gaelynn Lea is writing her debut memoir about her touring adventures & disability advocacy that will be released by Algonquin Books in 2025. LINGER IN THE SUN is a love-letter to every body; a warm, funny and deeply-felt memoir about disability, music, and the messy creativity of an artist's life.

Recognition and Awards