Today we’d like to introduce you to Lauren Lakis.
Lauren, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
As an artist, I’ve always been interested in exploring what it’s like to live as many lives as I possibly could, and to express the experience of being human through art, no matter the medium. From early adulthood, I was drawn to portrait photography, taking photos of those whose stories were under-represented, or what most people would consider ugly, or even dangerous. I grew up in Baltimore City, which I think directly influenced what I was drawn to, and imbued a courageous spirit in me that spilled over into my work. I guess I’ve always been inspired to capture the darkness.
During this time I also started playing guitar and aspired to be as fearless and powerful as my favorite female frontwomen – Courtney Love, Kat Bjelland, Fiona Apple, Shirley Manson, etc. As a girl who could be painfully shy and self-conscious, these women were my heroes, as I saw in them an unapologetic sense of self, and such genuine emotion coming through their songs. This is when I was bitten by the rockstar bug, but I didn’t believe I was good enough to actually pursue anything musical at the time. It’s taken my entire life to learn how to get out of my own way, and I’m still figuring it out.
I focused on photography instead, which shifted into acting after my portfolio and every single negative I had ever created was stolen out of my car. Divine intervention? Everything happens for a reason. I was taking a Theatre class at that time and was incredibly inspired by telling the human story in a totally new way. I decided that no one could steal from me as an actor, as my tools lived inside of me. I went down this path at full speed, moving to LA and pounding the pavement for years, working on TV, film, and commercials. I think I’ve been pretty successful at it so far, but I never felt creatively satisfied. I never felt like I was telling my story; it was always someone else’s words.
And then I started singing in a band, and couldn’t ignore the drive to make music any longer.
That band came and went, and another project began but never really went anywhere, and then finally after going through the darkest and most transformative period of my life, I decided to write a full-length solo album. In 2016 my soul had been leveled, my ego destroyed, and my sense of self-turned on its head. I had nothing to prove and nothing to hold onto. Change was the only constant. I wrote Ferocious to save my life. I hoped that in writing those songs, perhaps one day someone else who might be going through the same trauma, would listen and realize they are not alone.
I released that album last summer, and have written about 20 more songs since. Expressing myself through music has become a highly spiritual experience, where it doesn’t even feel like I am writing; it feels like my body is simply serving as a conduit, and the songs pass through me. That’s a special place to create from, and I hope I never lose that.
I’m obsessed with what it means to be human, how people create meaning for themselves, how we choose to connect with each other. My art, in all of its forms, has focused on that. I try to live my life this way too, wearing many hats, trying anything that presents itself to me. I’ve lived the lives of a yoga teacher, a stripper, an English teacher in Prague and Tokyo, and a caretaker for autistic children. I want to experience it all, and I want to connect the dots between us.
Can you give our readers some background on your art?
I’m a songwriter and story-teller. I make music and play various instruments, but have found a home in my guitar. I don’t have any preconceived idea of what I’ll write about before sitting down to do it; a lot of times the melody comes, and the words fill themselves in, and then I consciously think about what I want to say to finish it out.
There is nothing better than listening to a song and feeling the singer’s words like they’re speaking directly to your own experience like you can relate to every word they’re saying. There is nothing contrived about the artists I’m drawn to. I shy away from polished and perfect performances. I can say the same for my work as an actor as well.
The message I hope to convey is that we are all in this together, that we are not so separate after all. Our experiences are the same. We want the same things. We go through the same hardships and elation. There is no need to judge or lead from the ego. Let us be unafraid to be messy, raw, and not very pretty.
What responsibility, if any, do you think artists have to use their art to help alleviate problems faced by others? Has your art been affected by issues you’ve concerned about?
Honestly, I think there has always been massive injustice and monstrosities happening in the world, at all times, and so in that regard, the role of artists has always been to give a voice to the voiceless. Especially as a celebrity. Take for example the ME TOO movement. Those famous actresses were able to have such a powerful impact on our culture as a whole because of the visibility they already possessed. They already had a public platform, with audiences willing to listen. This is a responsibility that artists have had and will continue to have for all time, in my opinion.
Personally, I try not to get political with my art and instead focus on my personal experiences navigating relationships. My closest relationships are what inspire me the most.
I can’t imagine to know what it’s like to be a refugee, to have to leave my family behind, to have my city bombed…but I can relate to the more general experience of loss, and so I write about that. That’s one of the most beautiful aspects of art – it can convey a feeling that we can all relate to, without having to know the underlying details of the artist’s individual story.
What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
You can find me on all music platforms including Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/
I’m most active on Instagram, so that’s the best way to stay personally connected.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.laurenlakis.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurenlakis/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/laurenlakismusic/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/laurenalakis
- Other: https://www.youtube.com/user/laurenlakis
Image Credit:
Billy Burke, Zachary Wright, Michael Haight
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