Watch Who Is Lydia Loveless?

Who Is Lydia Loveless? is a 2016 documentary film that explores the life and career of the titular indie rock singer-songwriter Lydia Loveless. Directed by Gorman Bechard, the film offers an intimate and unvarnished portrait of one of the most exciting voices in contemporary American music. Loveless grew up in small-town Ohio, where she discovered her love for music at an early age. Influenced by a wide range of artists, from Hank Williams to Britney Spears, she began writing songs and performing in local bars while still in her teens. In 2010, she released her debut album, The Only Man, which was met with critical acclaim and earned her comparisons to the likes of Lucinda Williams and Neko Case.

Since then, Loveless has released four more albums, each one showcasing her distinctive blend of punk rock energy, country twang, and raw emotional honesty. Drawing on personal experiences of love, loss, and heartbreak, her songs explore themes of identity, vulnerability, and resilience, resonating with audiences around the world.

Who Is Lydia Loveless? delves into Loveless's creative process, following her as she writes and records new songs for her fifth album, Real, which was released in 2016. We see her collaborating with her bandmates, experimenting with different sounds and styles, and grappling with the pressures of being a full-time musician.

But the film goes beyond the music, offering glimpses into Loveless's personal life as well. We see her interacting with her family and friends, reflecting on her upbringing and her relationships, and opening up about her struggles with anxiety and self-doubt. Through it all, Loveless comes across as a fierce, funny, and deeply introspective artist who is unafraid to push herself and her music in new directions.

Along the way, the film features interviews with Loveless's collaborators and supporters, including her guitarist and musical director Todd May, her husband and bassist Benjamin Lamb, and her former label head Rob Miller. These interviews shed light on Loveless's artistic vision and the challenges and triumphs of her career, as well as offering insights into the independent music scene more broadly.

Through it all, the film is shot with a gritty, intimate style that captures the raw power and intensity of Loveless's live performances. Whether she's playing a small club or a packed festival stage, Loveless brings a fierce and uncompromising energy to her music, and the film captures that energy with skill and authenticity.

Who Is Lydia Loveless? is a must-see for fans of Loveless's music, as well as anyone interested in the art and craft of independent music-making. But even those who are unfamiliar with her work will be drawn in by the film's compelling portrait of a talented and complex artist who is unafraid to speak her truth through her music. In the end, the film is a celebration of the power of art to connect and inspire us, and of the courage it takes to create that art in the first place.

Who Is Lydia Loveless? is a 2017 documentary with a runtime of 1 hour and 52 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 8.5.