Biography

Jenny Lewis (born January 8, 1976) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and former child actor. She first became known through television and film appearances during the 1980s and early 1990s, but eventually shifted her attention to music. As the lead singer, guitarist, and keyboard player of Rilo Kiley, she became one of the defining figures of the Los Angeles indie-rock scene. Her later solo work established her as a distinctive songwriter whose music combines indie rock, folk, country, pop, and classic singer-songwriter influences.

Lewis was born in Las Vegas, Nevada, and grew up in the San Fernando Valley. As a child actor, she appeared in television programs including The Golden Girls, Roseanne, and Brooklyn Bridge, as well as the films Troop Beverly Hills, The Wizard, and Pleasantville. Her early familiarity with the entertainment industry later became an important subject in her songwriting and visual work. Although acting provided her first public platform, Lewis increasingly focused on music during the 1990s.

In 1998, Lewis formed Rilo Kiley with guitarist Blake Sennett, a fellow former child actor. Bassist Pierre de Reeder and drummer Jason Boesel completed the band's best-known lineup. Rilo Kiley's early recordings combined country-tinged melodies with emotionally direct lyrics and an increasingly expansive indie-rock sound. The albums Take Offs and Landings (2001) and The Execution of All Things (2002) introduced the group's conversational songwriting and shifting arrangements, while More Adventurous (2004) brought wider attention. Its songs "Portions for Foxes," "The Good That Won't Come Out," and "A Better Son/Daughter" helped make Lewis one of the most recognizable voices in American independent music.

Rilo Kiley moved toward a more polished sound on Under the Blacklight (2007), the group's major-label debut. The album emphasized danceable rhythms, pop hooks, and studio production without abandoning the band's lyrical tension. Although Rilo Kiley later ceased regular activity, its influence continued through a loyal audience and the release of the rarities collection RKives in 2013. The band reunited in 2025 for a series of concerts, including an appearance at the Just Like Heaven festival, followed by a North American tour and the band-curated collection That's How We Choose to Remember It.

Lewis began her solo career with Rabbit Fur Coat (2006), credited to Jenny Lewis with the Watson Twins. Built around acoustic instruments, close harmonies, and understated country arrangements, the album revealed a more intimate side of her writing. Acid Tongue (2008) expanded that palette with blues, rock, and psychedelic touches. She also recorded with Johnathan Rice as Jenny and Johnny, releasing I'm Having Fun Now in 2010, and participated in The Postal Service's live performances and reunion activity. Other collaborations included work with artists such as Conor Oberst, Elvis Costello, and Beck.

Her solo profile grew further with The Voyager (2014), a carefully produced album that balanced personal reflection with bright, retro-inflected pop-rock. The record included "Just One of the Guys," whose music video used comic performances by Anne Hathaway, Kristen Stewart, and Brie Larson to explore gender expectations and celebrity image. On The Line (2019) continued Lewis' interest in polished studio songwriting, while Joy'All (2023) returned to a warmer, more relaxed blend of country, folk, and classic pop.

Across her work, Lewis is recognized for pairing memorable melodies with sharp, often bittersweet observations. Her music frequently examines ambition, romantic uncertainty, aging, identity, and the uneasy relationship between private feeling and public performance. As both a bandleader and solo artist, she has maintained a style that is literate without being mannered, emotionally open without surrendering its sense of humor, and rooted in American song traditions while remaining unmistakably contemporary.