Eva Westphal
Finding Her Voice—In Music and in Law
Singer-songwriter Eva Westphal is making waves not just with her heartfelt lyrics and genre-bending sound, but also with an unexpected new journey: law school. From posting her first songs on SoundCloud to selling out venues like Baby’s All Right, Eva’s story is one of persistence, passion, and fearless evolution. In this interview, she shares insights on her musical beginnings, inspirations, favorite moments on tour, and how a single speaker event changed the course of her career.
Interview by Nicole Ryan
Nicole Ryan: How did you get your start in music?
Eva Westphal: I started writing songs when I was really young. At 13, I begged my mom for my first guitar, got it for my birthday, and started writing. I’d written poetry before and loved singing—music was where those two things clicked. I started releasing original songs on SoundCloud when I was 16 or 17. I was super shy and worried people in high school would judge me, so I’d say they were covers, even though I wrote them! I put out my first EP at 18—it's not on streaming anymore, but it had five songs. Things really picked up during COVID, when people moved to TikTok. That’s when I started gaining a following and some real momentum.
Nicole: Honestly, TikTok has helped so many artists blow up.
Eva: Definitely. I credit TikTok for helping me find my first core group of fans.
Nicole: Who are some of your musical influences? Who inspires you?
Eva: My influences shift, but right now: Olivia Dean, Amber Mark, and more singer-songwriter types like Sadie Jean. I love Cowboy Carter—that album went triple platinum in my house. I’m also super inspired by Taylor Swift’s marketing skills. In general, I gravitate toward female and queer artists. I just don’t connect as much with straight male artists—I’ll always prefer a woman’s or queer perspective in music.
“I love being on stage and hearing people sing my lyrics back to me. That never gets old—it still feels surreal.”
Nicole: If you could give your younger self one piece of advice, what would it be?
Eva: Relax. I need that advice now, too—future me would probably say the same. Things will work out the way they’re supposed to. Stressing doesn’t help and can actually get in the way. I spent so long overanalyzing why a song didn’t do well, or why I hadn’t found an audience yet—and this was before TikTok even existed! You never know what’s coming that might change everything. So yeah: go outside, sing for fun, touch grass. Relax.
Nicole: What inspired you to go to law school?
Eva: It actually came from my music career. I work at a record label for my day job, and during Women’s History Month, we had a Women in Entertainment speaker series. Dina LaPolt, a well-known entertainment attorney, gave a talk, and it really opened my eyes. I’d always thought of law as corporate and dry, but she talked about advocating for artists, doing pro bono work for songwriters—it was still so connected to music. That same week, I started studying for the LSAT. I told my coworkers half-jokingly, “What if I became a lawyer?” and they were super encouraging. I crammed for the test, applied last fall, and now I’m hearing back from schools. Law school isn’t a pivot away from music—it’s another layer I want to add to strengthen my role in the industry. I want to be both: an artist and an advocate.
Nicole: Do you have a dream location?
Eva: Ideally, I’d love to stay in New York City, but I only applied to schools in LA, New York, and Nashville—entertainment industry hubs.
“Law school isn’t a pivot away from music—it’s another layer I want to add to strengthen my role in the industry. I want to be both: an artist and an advocate.”
Nicole: Where do you see yourself in five years?
Eva: My dream would be to sell out 300–500 person venues across the U.S. and parts of Europe, without stressing about whether they’ll sell. And at the same time, I’d love to have a few clients—hopefully artist friends—that I can support legally. So, ideally, I’d be making a lot of music and also practicing law. But I’m open—if music’s bigger, law might take a backseat. If not, law could become more central. But that’s the vision right now.
Nicole: Tell me about your tour—any favorite shows or cities?
Eva: They were all special, but starting the tour in New York was huge. I’d always wanted to play Baby’s All Right, and seeing the room full was surreal. I was so nervous—even though I knew it was sold out. My band kept saying, “There’s a lot of people out there!” and I couldn’t believe it. London was also amazing—my first international show. The crowd was singing my lyrics back in British accents, which was wild. But more than anything, this tour taught me to appreciate where I’m at now. I don’t need to wish for three times the audience—I can talk to fans after shows, sign T-shirts, hear their stories. That intimacy is really beautiful.
Nicole: What’s your favorite song to perform on tour?
Eva: I love doing The Villain. My drummer, Splendi, has a solo halfway through, and we built it into the track. It’s so fun to step back and let the crowd see how talented she is. I also love playing Loud at the end of the show. Not everyone knows all the lyrics to every song, but they know Loud. At the end, the backing track drops, and it’s just me and the crowd singing together. I take out my in-ears so I can really hear them. It’s special.
Nicole: Dream artist to collaborate with?
Eva: Olivia Dean, for sure. Her visuals, her voice—I love everything she does. Also, Emilia. She’s amazing—and hot. Let’s be honest.
“You don’t need to be stressing all the time about how you’re going to get to your goals—because stressing isn’t what’s going to make them happen.”
Nicole: What’s your all-time favorite show you’ve performed?
Eva: Baby’s All Right. Without a doubt.
Nicole: What are you working on right now?
Eva: Big changes. I’ve shifted a lot of my team—not because I didn’t love them, but because this next era needs different expertise. I have a new creative director and a new visual artist for my covers. I’m still working with the same songwriters (who I adore), and I’ve started working with a new producer in Barcelona. He brings a Euro-pop sound with Latin influences. The music will still have emotional lyrics—that’s core to me—but the production and visuals are evolving. It won’t alienate current fans, but I hope it also brings in new ones who love upbeat, modern pop. I’m really excited.
Eva Westphal is an artist carving out her own lane—one heartfelt lyric and bold decision at a time. Whether she’s captivating a crowd with an acoustic closer or mapping out legal protections for future songwriters, Eva is building a career that’s as dynamic and thoughtful as the music she creates.
To experience the emotion and power behind her sound, stream Eva’s music now on Spotify and Apple Music, and stay in the loop with her journey by following her on social media at @evawestphal. This is just the beginning.
Creative Direction by Constanza Cabrera
Photography by A.Parker
Styling by Sara Grosso
