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Natasha Khan is genuine and sweet. You’d think because she’s such a goddess, she wouldn’t be so down to earth. But she is, down to earth. We spoke as the Bat for Lashes bus drove through the middle of nowhere, heading from Denver to Vancouver, BC:

Who's playing in your band for this tour?
Khan: It’s Charlotte Hatherley on guitar and bass, Sarah Jones on drums, and Ben Christophers playing keys, and old medieval instruments. We switch and play multiple instruments during the set. It’s kind of a prerequisite for my band, that we play multiple instruments. I like the songs to go from old sounding, to intimate, to bombastic.

How's the tour going? Do you like the travel?
It’s been a really good tour so far. We’ve been selling out in places, Austin and Denver. There have been lots of long drives. I tend to get cabin fever, when I’m stuck in cramped quarters. I’m the type of person that likes to be out in nature. Being stuck in the bus is hard from me. It’s like a coffin. I get stir crazy.

Do you bring your own food with you for long road trips? I don’t see you as someone who enjoys American fast food.
Getting decent, somewhat healthy food out on the road is an issue. On the coasts, it’s not as hard but, in the middle, there’s nothing but fast food. We just spent an hour trying to find something to eat.

What instrument do you find yourself writing most of your songs on?
It varies. Mostly I think I write songs with the piano. I play with fitting words into melodies. And mess with syllable placement in the melody. For the songs with beats and more atmospheric sounds, I use a Yamaha sequencer. It’s great. I can use it on the bus, I can take it into a forest. I love being outside and writing. I put my headphones on and can be anywhere. I’ll add bass and strings or whatever, then start working on vocals.

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I like to be somewhere quiet when I’m creating. It’s easier that way to let things channel through. Quiet space is important to me. Early in the morning is best, between dreams and waking. Touring isn't conducive to writing for me. Sleep is hard and restless, and I find myself feeling uncentered.

Do you have a muse when you write? Or use a muse to create?
Sometimes I think about characters, or if I’m really into a particular animal, I will pull from that. I can’t really put a finger on it what makes me create certain things. I do have specific themes that interest me that I immerse myself into. Not a particular muse though.

Dreams seem to be a part of your process and your visuals. How do you engage or harness your dreams?
I definitely feel open to receiving subconscious messages from dreams and daydreams. I’ve studied Carl Jung and resonate with his idea of archetypes and image. I do dream and think about them often. For this album, Two Suns, I made up my own archetypes, King and Queen. It’s my own fairy tale using archetypal characters, a description of a difficult time. I pull from the energy of a dream and use it to help create narrative and stories. Dreams don’t judge, they can help with the catharsis of coming through something hard. Through dreams I’m open to the moment. At the time they may not make sense, but later the message of the dream is very clear.

What are some images from your dreams? Can you tell me a dream?
Animals. I really feel close to American animals like wolves, bears, and eagles. When we were in the desert, there were birds of prey and coyotes. In the desert, the cosmos and big skies struck me too and affected dreaming and the making of the album. I have water dreams too.

I had a dream where I was treading water in a vast ocean. Off in the distance, I see a giant white form coming through the water directly at me at great speed. When it gets to me I see that it is a Beluga whale. It was immense. We touched noses. I was frightened, but it was beautiful. Then we were together there in the ocean for a while.

When we were in Atlanta earlier in this tour we went to a huge Aquarium. They had Beluga whales there and one was named was Natasha. It was sad to see them in captivity. They are claustrophobic in there. I think they should be in the wild experiencing natural life and migration.

What do you think your ocean dream represents for you?
Dreams about ocean life can be creativity. The Beluga was a good omen. Peaceful and abundant. I felt supported and at ease, like my emotions and creativity at the time. Other times I have dreams where I walk into a neon lit supermarket where there are little tanks with little sea creatures in them. They are dried out and miserable. I reach in the tanks and pet them and give them nourishment, and bring them back to life in a way. Heal them, you know? “Women Who Run with the Wolves” by Clarissa Pinkola Estes is a book I’ve learned a lot from. She talks about women being disconnected from the their creativity, and calls us to arms.

What’s this about the Gram Parsons dream you had in the desert?
I dreamt Gram Parsons threw a golden coin through the door to the room where I was staying. It landed and spun and spun, casting lights off like a star machine, you know? A star machine, one of those lights that projects constellations onto the wall. I think it was the ghost of Gram Parsons. He died in a hotel room in Joshua Tree.

Where is your favorite place to play?
I love playing on the West Coast here. The stretch from Seattle to LA is so great. Big Sur is an inspiring place for me. I love Seattle. You have a beautiful city. Last time we played there, people were aggressive in the audience yelling at each other to, “Shut the fuck up!” But it was a great show.