Lanie Gardner

Gardner began singing at the age of four and started writing songs during childhood. Her grandfather, JD Gardner, was a musician whose own musical ambitions encouraged her to pursue songwriting and performance. She has described the bluegrass, country, and Appalachian traditions of her North Carolina hometown as important influences on her sound.

At 15, Gardner converted a bedroom closet into a recording studio and used it to make videos for YouTube. She posted her first TikTok video in January 2020. Her musical influences include Miranda Lambert, Gretchen Wilson, Chris Stapleton, Dierks Bentley, Eric Church, Chris Brown, and Rihanna.

After graduating from high school, Gardner moved to Murfreesboro, Tennessee, and attended Middle Tennessee State University, where she studied Business Administration. Her time at MTSU also introduced her to an R&B phase while she continued writing music rooted in country traditions.

During the pandemic, Gardner posted a cover of Fleetwood Mac's "Dreams" on YouTube on October 3, 2020. She was 21 when she recorded the cover, which drew international attention after going viral. The success launched her professional music career, and she was later signed by Republic Records under Joe Jonas' imprint, Let's Get It Records. She has also been managed by Kevin Jonas Sr. and opened select dates of the Jonas Brothers' Remember This tour between August 2021 and September 2022.

Gardner's debut album, A Songwriter's Diary, contains ten songs written over the course of her life. The project developed from an Instagram series in which she performed songs from a notebook she had used in high school. She described the album as an introduction to her background, personality, experiences, and approach to storytelling.

The song "Somewhere, Nowhere in Carolina" reflects a difficult period in which Gardner felt disconnected from both her career and the meaning of music. She has continued writing for a follow-up project, while her performance work has included appearances with Jelly Roll and a tour with ZZ Ward between October and November 2023. Her viral videos also established her as a short-form creator through vocal covers, lip-syncs, dance videos, and comedy content.