An Interview With LA-Based Singer-Songwriter, LAUREN WALLER!

Lauren Waller is a Los Angeles-based artist, singer, songwriter, performer, musician, producer and stage manager.

Musically, she’s influenced by Sara Bareilles, Ron Pope, Marina and the Diamonds, Daughter and Passenger.

Her soulful, compelling voice, with a touch of grit, draws the listener to come along through this satisfying sonic release of substantive, straightforward, self-penned lyrics and complex arrangements

Lauren’s music is recommended to the fans of Ingrid Michelson, Adele, Regina Spektor, Amy Winehouse, Paramore and Feist

She has shared the stage with Berlin featuring Terri Nunn, The Fixx and Helen Reddy.

Follow Lauren Waller here: laurenwallermusic.com and twitter.com/lwallermusic

Learn more about Lauren in the following All Access interview:

Thanks for your time today! How’s 2016 been treating you so far? What were some of the highlights of 2015 for you and your music? 

2016 has been a busy year for me already!  I just finished my junior year of college and the past few months I’ve been working on writing for some new music.  The biggest highlight of 2015 for me would be getting to sing my song Never Were live on Irish national television.  On top of that, 2015 was the year that I finally got to share music with my friends and family who had never heard something I had written before.

Growing up, did you always want to be a musician? Can you recall your earliest musical memory? Was your family supportive of you?

Music has been a big part of my life since I was little, from piano lessons to singing in choirs. My earliest memory would probably be taking piano lessons with my brother when I was 4, but the first time I ever sang in public on my own was in an 8^th grade talent show.  When I was younger my brother told me I didn’t have a good voice so I was always shy about my passion for music.  I didn’t start actively pursing music and singing until I was 17 years old.  Both my parents are lawyers so I think they were hoping for a different career path from me, but now my entire family has been really supportive of my music and me!

Can you talk about your latest music? What’s been the inspiration for it lately? 

I’m still trying to find my voice through my music and inspiration but I’ve quickly come to understand that writing is easiest when it’s honest.  I don’t really like being locked into one genre of music so when people ask me what my music sounds like it’s always a combination of “indie and a little bit singer/songwriter but also pretty pop.”  I tend to draw a lot from past experiences in my writing.

How do you think living in LA has influenced you as an artist? 

I’ve been surrounded my entire life by such a diverse collection of people.  LA has so much culture, inspiration, and life.  It also happens to be a place where you’re encouraged to be different so that has pushed me to own who I am as an artist and a person.

I’d love to learn more about what it was like sharing the stage with Berlin. How did that all happen?

I was asked by the management at a local venue to open for Berlin featuring Terri Nunn. I had just turned 18 and was relatively new at performing. Getting to see her perform was such an eye opening experiencing.  She has such excellent showmanship and so much talent.

Do you have any upcoming shows? 

I don’t have any confirmed shows because I’ve been concentrating on writing and creating new music at the moment.

Who are some of your favorite artists? What musicians have continued to inspire you year after year? Who would you love to work with in the future?

I listen to a diverse collection of artists, but the favorites that I’ve had for the longest have been Sara Bareilles, Panic! At the Disco, and Ed Sheeran.  I’ve recently been listening to artists like Melanie Martinez, Halsey, and Clairity because they all have their own different sounds that I’m drawn towards. If I had a chance to work with someone in the future, I would love to work with Sara Bareilles because there’s no one quite like her in the industry.  She has an incredible vocal range and her lyricism is so impressive to me.

At the end of the day, what do you hope is the message of your music? What do you hope listeners take away from your songs?

My entire life I’ve been enamored with how music can affect people.  Music has always gotten me through some of my hardest moments and it’s able to express so much without necessarily having to say anything. I try to be relatable while being inspired by things in my own life. A lot of what I write is owning who I am as a person so I hope that listeners can hear honesty in my songs and are able to connect to what I’m writing.

Is there anything else that you would like to share with our readers about yourself or your music?

In the past few years, I’ve learned a lot about myself as an artist and I’m still constantly changing and growing and I think that’s the coolest thing about my music.  It’s a way for me to express myself and honestly it’s what makes me happiest.