Lauren Waller is a show-stopping artist based in LA. She has released two brand new singles this year and we absolutely can't stop listening to them! Her latest, "Best Coast" is the perfect summertime jam to blast and make you feel carefree even if we're all forced to mostly stay in side this year. We had to find out more about this amazing artist and her career. Read on to know more!
Who is your biggest musical inspiration? Why?
Sara Bareilles has been my favorite musician since I was in middle school. So for very obvious reasons, she's been a huge inspiration especially because of her lyricism and storytelling. To narrow in on the past few years, I think my music has been inspired by artists like Tove Styrke and Dagny. I love their sounds and the really fresh, new pop that they have brought to the music scene.
What is your favorite part of being a musician?
Performing live is an incredible feeling and I think that’s because I love storytelling. Storytelling is in every ounce of a song: it goes into the lyrics and the production and the overarching sound. Live shows really give you a sense of connection (or lack thereof) and a better understanding of how your music is reaching someone.
When it comes to inspiration, do you wait for it to strike or do you treat your creative process like standard 9-5 meaning you show up regardless if inspiration is present?
It can go either way! I personally make an effort to write every single day and a lot of bad songs and lyrics come out of that... like a lot, but that’s all a part of the process of bettering myself and my writing. I think my best moments come from a burst of inspiration, last night I woke up at 2 in the morning because I had an idea and I was able to knock out over half of a song in 10 minutes. The burst of inspiration is more fun to work with, but It’s important for myself to show up regardless!
What has been your most memorable experience (live performance, collaboration, etc) as a musician thus far? What made it the most memorable for you?
I didn’t start singing until I was 17/18 and my senior year of high school I played a lot of shows with my dad. He’s a hobbyist singer and guitar player. I was a painfully, shy teenager and he wanted me to get experience being onstage and playing in front of audiences in a really safe, easy environment. Getting to share the stage and a love of music with him was, and has been, an incredibly special experience for me (and hopefully for him too). I got to meet and open for Helen Reddy because of those shows! They taught me SO much about performance and live audiences and mainly what not to do onstage. They may not be the greatest or most successful milestones in my music career, but it’s really what started it all for me so that’s always going to be the most memorable.
What is your earliest musical memory?
Music has always been around! I was put in group piano classes when I was about 4 years old with my brother that mainly involved running around the piano and hitting random notes. I grew up singing in the school choir. When I was 6 my brother told me I couldn't sing (which he only said because he couldn't). I think the very first concert I went to was at Madison Square Garden for the Justin Timberlake FutureSex/LoveShow (aka the SexyBack tour) which left quite an impression. My dad used to do showcases at this bar in the valley and I remember going to watch when I was in grade school. My brother and I got onstage once to sing American Idiot by Green Day with them, that left quite the impression too.
What do you want people to know about your latest release?
Now seems like a very odd time to be dancing to a summer party anthem, I get that. But, I truly hope that Best Coast provides a little relief and humor for you! This song was so fun to write and record and create a lyric video for (that will be released soon). It’s very playful and full of satire which is very different from what I normally create. At the same time, my own twist is on it so it's still very "me." It would mean so much to me if you added it to a playlist on Spotify! I try my very best to go through and find what playlists listeners add me to so that I can see how I fit into their own music world!
What are your plans for the future?
I’m going to keep on writing, going on the best I can during these times, and continue using my social platforms for causes that are important to me! While I hope that in 2021 I will be able to play live shows once again, I’m also going to be cautious when venues do open back up. I would look out for IGTV performances on my Instagram in the meantime. For the most part, I’m going to keep doing what I know best and that’s storytelling and sharing a part of myself through music!
Listen to "Best Coast" on Spotify.
Connect with Lauren Waller:
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