Check out Lauren Reiner

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lauren Reiner.

Lauren, we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
Music has always been a huge part of my life. My father used to sing us to sleep with his 1968 Martin guitar, with songs like “One Meatball” and “The Cat Came Back.” His mother was a pianist, and his father was a violinist; Music was a huge part of their love story. I started playing classical piano when I was five years old. Something clicked, but I was terrible at practicing. PS: I still am.

I picked up singing and guitar when I was 12 and never stopped. It instantly became my thing, the thing that I was known for. I remember performing an original song for the first time in 7th grade. Now that I think back, the lyrics made absolutely no sense, but it was a start!

Music has always been the thing that was there for me. I began to struggle with anxiety and depression around the age of 14. I didn’t learn how to deal with it for a few years, but music kept me afloat in my darkest times. When I was 16, and at my lowest, my family and I went on a cruise around the Caribbean. I was filled with anger and constantly felt like I couldn’t breathe due to the severity of my anxiety. However, I befriended the cocktail pianist, and they let me play a few songs every night. The second I sat down at that piano and began to sing; it felt like everything was lifted for a moment. Anytime I step on stage, I am able to completely disconnect from reality, and I’m so thankful for that.

Around that age, I also started my battle with various health issues, including an autoimmune disease called Hashimoto’s. I was constantly hopping from doctor to doctor through high school and college, and it often felt like music was the only stable thing in my life. At the end of my college career, I was diagnosed with epilepsy, and it felt like my world was about to fall apart. I was given a lot of reasons to be angry at the world and my body. However, I would always try to step back and remind myself how lucky I am to have something I’m good at and something I’m passionate about.

I moved to Los Angeles from New York in January 2019. It hasn’t been easy, but I’ve already met so many amazing artists and written so many songs. The high that writing songs and singing gives me is incomparable to anything in my life. Writing helps me process pain and happiness, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds.

We’d love to hear more about your art. What do you do and why and what do you hope others will take away from your work?
I’m a singer, songwriter, guitarist, and pianist! I try to write honest, raw songs that people can relate to. If I play a song and one person deeply connects with it, that’s more rewarding than anything. However, I also write for my own emotional processing. Writing a song allows me to put my feelings out into the world and better understand them.

I like to write lots of different music. I’ve jumped all over the place. In 2017, I released a 3-song Jazz EP called “What I’ve Been Dreaming Of.” A year later, I released a singer/songwriter country-vibe EP called “Little Rain.” I’m currently trying to write various genres, such as Pop and R&B. I think I probably personally connect most with honest, painful folk/country music, but I love to write anything I can!

The sterotype of a starving artist scares away many potentially talented artists from pursuing art – any advice or thoughts about how to deal with the financial concerns an aspiring artist might be concerned about?
Oh boy, I’m definitely not the right person to answer this question, because I’m trying so hard to find that balance as well. I’m currently working an office job 30 hours a week, and although it’s flexible, I still am desperate for more music time. I don’t know if I’ll ever feel like there’s enough music time, but for now, this is how I’m supporting myself. I very much hope that I’ll eventually be able to make my living from my art.

Do you have any events or exhibitions coming up? Where would one go to see more of your work? How can people support you and your artwork?
My work is all over the Internet! If you google Lauren Reiner, my website should come up. My music is available on all streaming platforms, and I’m hoping to release more as soon as possible! In addition, I am performing around Los Angeles. I post about all of my shows on my socials as well as my website!

Contact Info:

• Website: laurenreinermusic.com
• Email: laurenreinermusic@gmail.com
• Instagram: @laurenreiner
• Facebook: facebook.com/laurenreinermusic
• Twitter: @evilclamchowder

Image Credit:
Bonnie Dymond, Kevin Doan, Steve Gindler

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