An Interview With the Newcomer Pop Singer, LO LO On her Breakout Music, Biggest Inspirations and More!

Meet the new pop artist Lo Lo! Her latest single is called “Yours”.

Listen to it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AvS0NMtpgFg&feature=youtu.be

“I originally wrote “Yours” as a ballad. Believe it or not, I got dumped on April Fools. At first I cried a lot and ate copious amounts of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream, but then I sat down to articulate how I felt, and “Yours” just poured right out of me. I soon realized, however, that it wasn’t one of those sad, slow breakup songs— because it doesn’t take itself too seriously. Instead of being super sad, it’s more like, UGH, this feeling sucks and I wish it wasn’t like this, but it is, and I’ll deal with it the best I can.”

Born and raised in Toronto, Lo Lo is relatable and accessible, covering themes of adventure and heartbreak.

Connect With Lo Lo Here: facebook / instagram / twitter / photo

Learn more about Lo lo in the following All Access interview:

Thanks for your time, Lo Lo! Where does this interview find you now? What’s on tap for the rest of your day? 

Anytime!

I just got home from a day at my producer’s home studio, where we were working on tweaking production for a new song. It’s night time now, so I think I’ll just be staying here in bed and cuddling with my puppy as I write this interview.

Overall, how do you think 2018 has been treating you and your music career? 

So far so good! I was so nervous to release my first song because I had no idea what to expect. I’m so happy that everyone’s loving it. 2018 > 2017.

What has been one goal that you have had this year and how close are you to reaching it?

Well my main goal, first and foremost, was to release music— I’ve been working for so long and waiting to do that for a while now, so it feels amazing that it’s finally happened…and that people other than my mom have heard my songs. My second goal after that is to reach 1 million streams on Spotify…I’m 25 percent there!

Growing up, was music always a big part of your life? Can you recall your first ever musical experience? 

I always loved music. I was that kid that would constantly be singing to myself. My mom took me to lots of musicals, and I used to be obsessed with watching all the Shirley Temple Movies. I would “practice” being a pop-star in my basement by lip-syncing and dancing to the Backstreet boys and Hillary Duff on my little boombox, and I’d charge my parents $5 to come watch me. I was always in musicals since I was a little kid, but I can’t recall my first musical experience. One thing I can recall is in when I was in grade 8, I got the part of Annie in “Annie”. That was the first time I was like….woah, do I have a good voice? Before then I wasn’t sure.

What has been the biggest surprise so far about making music your career? Has there been an unexpected or welcome challenge to it all?

I definitely didn’t realize how much work it is! It’s time consuming. I don’t have as much free time as I’d like to, because I spend most of my free time writing songs. So then It’s hard to separate work and pleasure, because it’s both! But I guess that’s a good thing.

How do you think you and your music have been influenced by your hometown and where you live today in Toronto? If you don’t think that it has affected you at all, why is that?

I definitely think living in Toronto has an impact on my music. There is a lot of diversity here within the people, culture, and of course the music scene. I don’t know what it is, but it seems like people aren’t afraid to be different here, or speak their minds. I like that. It helps me to not be afraid to be different or to speak my mind in my music. I used to try to fit myself and my songs into a specific mold. Then one day I decided I was just going to make music that I liked, sing about what I wanted to sing about, and hope that everyone else would like it too.

I find it interesting that sometimes musicians choose to go by something other than their own name so how did you come up with your name?

Well, Lolo has been my nickname for a while now, and I really liked how “Lo Lo” looked…so it was a pretty easy decision when it came down to it! Lauren seems way more serious than Lolo. Lo Lo sounds a lot more fun and goofy to me, so I felt like it fit my personality more. Nowadays I only get called Lauren when I’m in trouble…

What was the inspiration for your newest single called “Yours”? How do you think it compares with any other song that you have written?

I got dumped on April Fools, and it SUCKED. I wrote the majority of song only a couple days later and it made me feel a lot better to transfer my feelings into lyrics. I had written a lot of songs before then, and I had a completely different song in mind to be my debut single, but I knew the day that I wrote “Yours” that it had to be the first one. I feel like it really captures my vibe and writing style. I didn’t realize it at the time, but “Yours” really helped me come out of my shell as a songwriter. A lot of my other, newer songs, (that have yet to be released) take on similar traits, lyrically and musically.

Do you have plans to make a music video for “Yours”? If you had all the time and money in the world, would your dream music video look like for this track?

I hope to be able to make a music video for “Yours”! My video would be colorful AF. It would include: confetti, bubble gum, sprinkles, cake, and the Yodelling kid would somehow make an appearance. Eminem would play my love interest and he would even smile in it.

When do you hope to release more new music and a full collection of new songs?

I’m hoping to release another single or 2 this summer, and then hopefully a mini EP in the fall! I went through a lot in a year and I have a whole story of songs.. “Yours” is just the beginning!

How would you say that you have grown as an artist since you first starting making music?

I have grown A LOT. I used to be afraid to be myself—Some days I thought I was too different, and sometimes I’d worry I wasn’t different enough.I used to care too much, I didn’t think I was cool, and I was trying to be someone who I thought was an artist. Once I truly embraced myself and started making music that I loved, that’s when I became an artist…And I’m still growing as one! I think i’ll always be growing.

What do you think makes for an ideal show for you? 

For me, an ideal show is when the artist is authentic and having fun. I think when people are true themselves, other people gravitate towards that.

What has been a favorite performance of yours so far? 

The night I released my single, I sung three acoustic sets at the top of the Royal Ontario Museum. The venue was so beautiful and had a sick view of Toronto. Plus, I was on an adrenaline rush since I had just released “Yours”. It was a pretty epic night.

Do you have any upcoming shows this summer?

Yes! I’m still figuring everything out, but I can’t wait.

We are currently living through a very trying and politically charged time right now so I am curious to know how your own music is reflecting this time period? If you don’t think it is, why is that? Would you say that other musicians are making music that has been influenced by this climate? 

As of now, I don’t think my music is reflecting anything political. Most of my songs are about love, or lack there of, while trying to grow up and stay in one piece. I’d hope that my music can be a fun or relatable escape for people at this time. I’ve definitely heard some musicians include references or shout outs to things that are going on around the world these days, but I think that it’s all about style and personal presence when it comes to the artist and how they feel comfortable expressing themselves.

What has it been like keeping up with your social media accounts and all the different platforms? Is it hard to stay up to date on it all?

It’s been a bit tough, but it’s been fun! Some days I feel like i’m constantly on my phone and I need to put it away so I can go for a walk outside to get some fresh air. I’m so happy about the response my song has gotten, and I know that I’m so lucky to be getting so many messages about it. I try to answer most of my DMs!

Who are some of your favorite artists or rather, what musicians have continued to inspire you and your music? Who would you absolutely still love to work with in the future?

I have a pretty big range of favorite artists and I love them all for different reasons, but I guess the artists that inspire me most are the ones who are also amazing songwriters. Gavin Degraw is one of the reasons that I wanted to be a songwriter. His songs have always given me the feels, and that’s exactly what I want to be able to give to other people with my songwriting. Taylor Swift and John Mayer also make the top list. I like how they both sing about whatever the hell they want to, and they both have a very diverse range when it comes to their own material. I’d love to write with any of them one day. Oh, and Julia Michaels. She’s an insane songwriter too.

If you were going to be stranded on a deserted island forever, what musical item would you take with you? 

Guitar- no question. My Taylor GS Mini to be exact.

If your music was going to be featured on any TV show that is currently on right now, which would you love it to be on? Or if you prefer, what is a movie that you love that you wish your music was featured in?

Put me on Game of Thrones like Ed Sheeran. And then we can have Jon Snow fall in love with me.

At the end of the day, what do you hope your fans take away from your music?

I hope that my music can make my fans feel something, whether it makes them feel like dancing, or makes them feel like they aren’t going through anything alone. Everyone goes through shit, but music has the ability to bring us all together.

Where can our readers connect with you?

You can follow me on Insta and/or Twitter @itslolomusic

Or check me out on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/its.lo.lo.music