Today we’d like to introduce you to Lauren Phillips.
Lauren, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Originally from Chicago, I moved out to LA with about $500 in my pocket and kinda figured it out. I’ve been out here for about eight years, which is crazy to think. It’s been a wild ride, but by year six, it started to feel like home. I met Elliott Beenk a while back and he introduced me to Brian West, who is such a legend in the music world. That’s when the good music started to happen!
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I guess the biggest challenge was rebuilding my life out in LA. New friends, jobs, finding apartments. I only knew one person when I moved out to LA, so it’s been a lot of fun meeting people and finding a good groove. I’ll always be building and I’m always looking for my creative community to grow.
Can you give our readers some background on your music?
My new single, “Honest Tonight”, is another collaboration with Grammy Nominated producer Brian West (Sia, Nelly Furtardo and Maroon 5), and recorded in his Laurel Canyon Studio. For this latest effort, I enlisted Executive Producer Elliott Beenk (Chad Smith, Lissie, Josh Dean) and Grammy Award winner Emily Lazar (Beck, Coldplay, Sia) who mastered the song.
As a relative newcomer to the music scene, I’ve been flattered by the support from both media and fans alike. Leading LGBTQ outlets, Pride.com and Curve Magazine, have included me in prominent features around my debut EP, I Could Love You Everyday. Pride invited me to be a part of their two big Pride Month promotions, Soundtracks of Pride and their annual virtual Pride Month music festival.
I was determined to finish the new single before the lockdown went into place. I spent as much time as possible at Brian’s home, which is also his music studio. We sat on his roof in Laurel Canyon for hours playing the song over and over again until we finally finished. Adding Emily Lazar to the process was a major bonus. I feel lucky that Emily mastered the song. She’s such a legend and the end sound feels very special.
Originally from the south side of Chicago, I started my musical journey touring coffee shops while still a student at Eastern Illinois University. Soon after graduating college, and inspired by Jack Kerouc and the Laurel Canyon music scene, I booked a one way ticket to LA. Arriving with nothing more than a backpack, a few hundred dollars and a South Side attitude, I began my new adventure.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
I’m excited about where I’ve come as a musician, that’s for sure. I just released my first EP, “I Could Love You Everyday”, in June and am currently in the middle of creating my sophomore EP, “Handsome Woman”, due this November. I’m most proud of my ability to keep having concepts to write about. Every morning I take a walk through Venice with no phone and a cup of coffee. It’s helped with the creative process to not be on my phone as much. My songwriting specialties are the hook and chorus. I tend to collaborate on my verses.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://laurenphillipsmusic.com/
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/beachwoodbabe
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/laurenphillipsmusic
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/55wAQsrsbE7vsyU1ZJbWKA?si=81iN4BGaQ-uaeSnVOlPl3g
Image Credit:
Lauren Phillips
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