Lisa Loeb says she's here to stay

She might be best known for a song from the "Reality Bites" soundtrack 19 years ago, but Lisa Loeb has had incredible staying power.

Her latest album, "No Fairy Tale," is her seventh "adult" full-length, but she's also starred in two reality TV shows, recorded albums and written a musical for kids, and even helped launch her own eyewear line.

amNewYork caught up with Loeb before her show at the Highline Ballroom tonight to talk about her career, writing for adults and, of course, "Stay."

It's been nearly a decade since your last album for grown-ups was released. Was it tough to switch gears from creating children's music? It's funny to hear how long it's been. I hadn't realized how much time has gone by. ... I had been working other projects and writing music in between that album and the new one, [but] I just didn't really have a bunch of songs that would fit together.

With the TV shows, kids' albums and eyewear line, you've stayed busy. Did you seek them out or did they come to you? It's a combination. ... A lot of the kids material was people coming to me with possibilities. And one of those led to the opportunity to make a musical, and then to make two illustrated kids books. ... I'm pretty strong-minded about wanting to make music a certain way, but the climate now is great to be independent and still collaborative.

Your song "Stay (I Missed You)" represents a certain time for so many people. What made you want to revisit that decade with your new song "The '90s"? I love the '90s, but I don't want to go back. I want to keep moving forward. It turned out to be a fun song to write [with Chad Gilbert, album co-producer]. I love being nostalgic, and I love talking about moving forward. And it's been a fun song to play live. The audience sings along with it, which isn't often my style, but it's fun.

If you go: Lisa Loeb is at Highline Ballroom Wednesday night at 8, 431 W. 16th St., 212-414-5994, $35.