Early life and formation of LANY Paul Jason Klein was born and raised in
Tulsa, Oklahoma. He comes from a
Christian background and was previously a
worship leader. His mother enrolled him in classical
piano lessons at the age of five, and he trained in classical piano for 13 years. Klein studied at
Belmont University in
Nashville, where he met his future bandmates. They were initially friends before forming the band. After finishing high school, he moved to
Los Angeles to pursue a career in music. Klein first met Jake Goss in
Nashville, but the band
LANY did not officially form until Klein relocated to Los Angeles. He has stated that his time in Nashville had come to an end and was no longer serving his creative purpose, and that LANY was not yet a concept when he moved to Los Angeles. In 2014, Klein officially formed LANY in Los Angeles with Goss and Les Priest. The band initially shared their music on
SoundCloud, with early tracks such as "ILYSB" and part of their debut EP
Acronyms. The band started performing live shows around
California and built a loyal fanbase.
2017–2019: Rise to fame, Debut album and Malibu Nights in Los Angeles The band released their
self-titled debut album in 2017. Songs he wrote like "ILYSB" and "The Breakup" helped the band gain wider recognition. Some reviews praised of the album described it as "relatable", with synth‑pop sound. For example, one review calls the record as "romantic, intimate and sometimes completely and utterly heartbroken", praising its "lush instrumentals and transparent lyricism." In 2018, the band released
Malibu Nights, inspired by Klein's breakup with
Dua Lipa. The album was noted for its emotional and heartbreaking theme, especially the single "
Thru These Tears", and performed live on
The Late Late Show with James Corden on August 7, 2018. Erica Gonzales of ''
Harper's Bazaar'' wrote "Thru These Tears" has the band's signature alternative-meets-
synth-pop sound, coupled with Klein's ambient vocals and tweet-worthy lyrics. Klein dedicated himself fully to the writing process, working continuously for around 50 days to stay occupied during the period following his breakup. He explained that he spent "every single day" in the studio to keep his mind focused on creating. In 2019, the band added an additional show to the
Malibu Nights Tour in
Manila, marking the band's second major solo concert in the
Philippines. They performed at the
SM Mall of Asia Arena. In the same year, Klein, met the global K-pop girl group
Blackpink. During the group's performance at the
Forum in Los Angeles in 2022, member
Rosé was also able to meet Klein. In November, the band collaborated with singer-songwriter
Lauv on the song "
Mean It". The lyrics reflect personal experiences and emotions shared by both Lauv and Klein.
2020–2022: ''Mama's Boy and Gg bb xx'' In 2020, the band released their third album ''
Mama's Boy, exploring personal themes such as identity, growth, and relationships. The album combined synth-pop and R&B influences. Klein contrasted the record with its predecessor, explaining Malibu Nights
had been a breakup record shaped by a very public chapter of his life, Mama's Boy
came from a different place. He said he could have avoided that earlier narrative or embraced it, and chose to be open about it. By contrast, he described Mama's Boy'' as a more inward-looking project, one built on introspection and self-reflection, with many songs written as conversations with himself rather than directed toward someone else. In an interview with
Bandwagon, Klein said: There’s so much life and so much flavour to the album... it's just a really positive album. There's not a lot of sad songs on it, I think there’s been enough sadness this year. It's just a really wholesome, positive-like good vibes type of album that I think will get better and better with each listen. In 2021, the band released the song "
I Quit Drinking" in collaboration with singer
Kelsei Ballerini. The track was co-written by Ballerini, Klein, and
Nicolle Galyon, and produced by country musicians
Jimmy Robbins and Noah Conrad. In September, the band released their fourth album
Gg bb xx. Looking back on the project, Klein said the album was heavily influenced by the circumstances of the
COVID-19 pandemic, noting that they might not have created or released it if that period had not happened. In 2022, the band announced they would be returning to Manila in November as part of their Asia tour, marking their first visit to the continent in three years. The concert was originally scheduled from November 11 to 13, but was later extended to five days, running until November 16.
2023–present: Collaboration, A Beautiful Blur and Soft In 2023, the band released their fifth album
A Beautiful Blur. Klein explained that he focused on writing lyrics and melodies first, leaving production for later. He wrote 27 songs for the album, which he and Jake Goss reviewed together with their producer to select the final tracks, ensuring all material met their approval before release. In 2024, Klein was featured on "Thank You So Much Jesus" alongside
Hillsong Young & Free musician Aodhán King. In 2025, the band announced their sixth studio album
Soft with the
lead single "know you naked" released on August 1. A few days later, the band confirmed the album would feature ten tracks and revealed the cover art, which depicts Klein holding a lamb across his chest. ==Artistry==