On February 28, 2006, when Lenker was 14, she released her first solo album, Stages of the Sun.^[6] On January 9, 2014, Lenker released her second solo album, Hours Were the Birds.^[7]

On May 1, 2014, Lenker, together with future bandmate Buck Meek, released the LP records a-sides and b-sides.^[8] In 2015, Lenker and Meek, alongside Max Oleartchik and James Krivchenia, formed the band Big Thief, whose first album was released in 2016.^[9] The band has since released four more albums, and has been touring every year since their formation.^[10]

Lenker released her third solo album, Abysskiss, on October 5, 2018.^[11][12] The album consisted of songs Lenker wrote while touring with Big Thief, and two of the songs received full arrangements, which were rereleased on the band’s album U.F.O.F. a few months later.^[13]

While in isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic, Lenker wrote and recorded two albums, Songs and Instrumentals, which were released on October 23, 2020.^[14] The albums focused on less production and a more acoustic sound with traditional folk songwriting and improvisation. Both albums were recorded without any digital processes, utilizing an analog-analog-analog (AAA) recording method.^[15]

In January 2024, Lenker partnered with School of Song to teach a four-week course on songwriting, which focused on ways to expand creativity through different guitar techniques and lyrical focuses.^[16] In the same month, Lenker also announced her sixth studio album, Bright Future, which was released on March 22, 2024.^[17]

On March 11, 2024, Lenker released an EP, I Won’t Let Go of Your Hand, exclusively on Bandcamp with proceeds going to the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund