Stella Prince on the New Folk Movement, Iceland, and Writing Songs for Gen Z: Episode 30

So let's talk about what it means to be a folk artist in 2026.

Of course, we know the people in America who carry that banner.

We usually think of Joan Baez and Bob Dylan and, you know, people who were at their peak in the 1960s or participated in civil rights movement activities.

What does it mean now to be a folk singer and a folk artist?

I think it means that you have to change with the times.

And I think there's a lot of folk artists that feel that they have to sound like how folk music was 60 years ago.

And I think that that's not the case.

You know, it's like if you want young people to really, you know, fall madly in love with folk music, it has to be for today.

And it has to be for, you know, my age group, which is Gen Z, who is struggling so much and having the hardest time finding a job, making money, moving out of their parents' house.

It's the hardest economy ever right now.

And it's really just a crazy time to be a young adult.

And I think folk music needs to reflect that and needs to reflect what young people are

doing right now.

So you mentioned performing Buffalo Springfield and songs with meaning.

I feel like, of course, I am a parent of a Gen Z person, and I try to listen to singers and performers of all ages, but I do find myself stuck a little bit in a rut, not so much that I want folk singers to vocally sound like what folk singers should or should not sound like from 60 years ago, as you said, But I am constantly looking for those messages, the messages of togetherness, the messages of unity, coming together around an issue or something that's important for the times.

Do you feel that that's still an essential part of folk music and the storytelling? Oh my gosh,

absolutely.

I mean, I think folk music more than anything, the most important part of folk music is that it talks about what people are going through right now.

And obviously it's timeless.

And the music of the 60s goes on forever.

But there's certain things that are happening right now, especially now.

in my generation that needs to be talked about in music.

You know, it's like one of my favorite songs that I've ever written that I've not released yet is a song called The Economy.

And the lyrics are, "'Everyone keeps on telling me I'm not living in reality and I have to turn things around and I'm the problem, but the reality is it's the economy that's stopping me from doing everything.'" And that's really true.

And it's something that all these people that are 19 and 20 come up to me and tell me that, you know, they did everything they were supposed to do.