Lola Kirke was born on September 27, 1990, in London, England, to a British-American family with deep artistic roots. Her father, Simon Kirke, is renowned as the drummer for the rock bands Bad Company and Free, while her mother, Lorraine Kirke, is a fashion designer and boutique owner.

The family relocated to New York City when Lola was five years old, settling in Manhattan’s West Village, and she grew up surrounded by artistic influences, with her sisters Jemima and Domino pursuing acting and music, respectively. She attended Saint Ann’s School in Brooklyn and later graduated from Bard College in 2012.

Launching her professional acting career in the early 2010s, she gained wider recognition with her role as Hailey Rutledge, an aspiring oboist navigating New York’s classical music world, in the acclaimed Amazon series "Mozart in the Jungle." 

She garnered further praise for her performances in films such as "Gone Girl" (2014), "Mistress America" (2015), "Gemini" (2017), and "Lost Girls" (2020). She continued to build a diverse filmography with appearances in projects like HBO’s "Winning Time" and the Starz limited series "Three Women."

As a musician, she released her debut EP in 2016 and her first singles in 2018, quickly establishing herself in the indie and country music scenes.

Her debut full-length album "Heart Head West" was released in August 2018, followed by her critically acclaimed sophomore LP "Lady for Sale" in April 2022, which was hailed for its fresh take on country and pop.

Her work as a singer-songwriter is known for its lyrical honesty and genre-blending style, and she has performed alongside artists like Jenny Lewis, Margo Price, and Swedish folk duo First Aid Kit. Active as an advocate for women’s rights, she made headlines in 2017 with her Golden Globes protest of Planned Parenthood’s defunding.

In 2025, Simon & Schuster published her debut book "Wild West Village," which received positive reviews for its humor and insight into contemporary artistic life.