A former child actress (“Troop Beverly Hills,” “The Wizard”), Jenny Lewis, 48, has spent more than two decades traveling the world as a member of the indie-pop bands Rilo Kiley and The Postal Service, the latter of which recently wrapped a two-year reunion tour. Her fifth solo album, “Joy’All,” was released in 2023. She lives in Los Angeles. This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
Rock the Casbah
I’m always on the road, so if it’s February and I see something that suits a friend or family member, I’ll grab it and then squirrel it away until the holidays. You know it’s a good gift when you covet it yourself.
I was just in Tangier on vacation after the Postal Service tour, and I did a lot of shopping in the casbah for holiday gifts. I’m a big fan of fake designer goods. You walk through these winding streets and there’s just like, hundreds of fake Goyard and Chanel bags, so I stocked up. Back in the States, in Atlanta, there’s a swap meet called Metro Mart where I love to get fake designer socks for my friends as their stocking stuffers.
Spending so much money on something that’s real, that’s just not my style. My philosophy in life is “One up from the cheapest.” If I’m going to make a big purchase, first of all, it’s not going to be for me, and it’s not going to be an expensive designer bag. There’s something very punk rock about the fake stuff.
Pet Sounds
My dog was actually a gift from my friend, [the rapper] Serengeti. It was 2020, I had been solo quarantining in Nashville and I was in a pretty weird state, like everyone. He was like, “Hey, do you want a dog? I can bring you a cockapoo.” And I said, “Gimme 48 hours.” So, yeah — Bobby Rhubarb, the love of my life, was a gift from a friend. That’s changed my entire life and lifestyle.
Passing the Smell Test
I was at Coachella watching Bon Iver and I met this girl backstage. Somehow we got into a discussion about natural deodorant and how it doesn’t usually work. So she hipped me to Native, which at the time you had to order online. One year, I gave deodorant to all of my friends and they were like, “Why? Do we smell? Why are you doing this to us?” But I was just really excited about a natural deodorant that actually worked.
I get these beautiful gifts on the road, too. People will leave stuff for me at the merch table, and a lot of them come with these really beautiful notes about going through rough patches, and how my songs have helped.
Coupon Queen
Ever since I was little, I’ve given these handwritten cards that say “This entitles you to dot, dot, dot” — you know, $250 at Aritzia. Or back in the day, Contempo Casuals. This predates gift cards.
A lot of people never claimed their gifts, so they’re still out there. But I just want everyone to know that they’re good for life. If they happen to stumble upon one that I wrote in high school or in the ’90s, it’s still good.
I’m all about consistency. My outgoing message says “it’s almost Christmas,” and it’s been that way since I got my first cellphone 20 years ago. When it’s, like, February, people start getting a little upset when they hear that message. But it’s always almost Christmas. So that’s why I buy stuff for people all year ’round.
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