It’s been a huge 2024 for Lo Lauren with a string of single releases, debut festival appearance and countless tips from tastemakers. But it seems as if that’s just the beginning for one of the best pop artists to emerge recently.
I talk to her just a few weeks after her latest single Before The Kiss dropped. It’s always interesting to get an artist’s perspective on a track, EP or album a few weeks after release. The anticipation and build up is now in the past; the reality of it being out there is setting in; some artists have already moved on, thinking about the next stage; others are still digesting it; and some are dissecting the reaction. For Lo Lauren, she’s relishing it. “I actually like it more!” she declares enthusiastically when I ask her thoughts on the track now. “It’s so interesting because I feel like a lot of the time [you spend] so long working on songs and you put them out and [it feels like] they’re not mine anymore. … But this song I actually appreciate more now is out. And I don’t know if it is because the reactions have been maybe the best so far, but it’s great. I shouldn’t be so reactive to other people’s opinions! But I do just think that I’m appreciating it more now, which is nice”.
It’s a track she was taken with from the outset and there’s a very clear enthusiasm in her voice as she discusses it. “Honestly, I really loved it” she adds. “But my fondness has grown. I guess I’ve seen it in a different light … we did a a video where [I developed] new feelings about it, in a good way. And now I’ve seen it in a movie trailer. And that made me go, oh my gosh! I fell in love with the song again because I saw it in a different light.”
“It really is just like learning gibberish” – Lo Lauren on preparing for the video to Before The Kiss
The video itself she admits brought practical challenges in its execution and needed quite some preparation. It was filmed on Portabello Road in Notting Hill and featured Lo Lauren walking and singing in reverse, contrary to passers-by. “It was difficult, to be honest” she laughs. “It was, first of all, backwards, which was such a challenge to learn. It literally took me like two months to learn the entire song because it’s really fast. It really is just like learning gibberish. So that was really hard. And then honestly I was walking backwards on Portabello Road, which was another set of challenges … bumping into people.” Despite the challenges she admits she enjoyed the experience, “The spontaneity of obviously just being on the street … it was so much fun. And, I’m really proud and happy that we did it”.
As huge as 2024 has been, 2025 spells the next stage of her music career, with an EP set to land. The EP is well underway with a couple of songs already down and a few more to come in the early part of next year.
Before The Kiss will feature on the EP which looks at the complexities and ups and downs of being young. “It’s massively inspired by my my own experiences” she elaborates, “but also my friends because I take a lot of inspiration from them because in your own head, I think things can be quite boring. But when you are really looking at someone else’s life, I find it so much easier to write and be inspired.”
For many independent artists things are very tough. The cost of touring has flown up, streaming has long since stripped away sales in favour of royalties which amount to fractions of pennies. With streaming also comes the challenge of competing with countless other artists and the fight for exposure. Social media has now been a fixtures in our lives for some time and for musicians it has long been key. “I think I think it’s just really hard at the moment for independent artists” she admits. “And you think that pop, maybe it’s like the kind of easiest in a way, but it feels so, so hard to kind of, find my people and the people that like my music because I think it just takes a lot of time and a lot of energy and effort, which I’m willing to give. But in this world of content it’s it’s particularly draining. But, I’m here for it!”
On social media Lo Lauren launched a 10-minute song challenge – penning a track in just a matter of minutes. She speaks with definite fondness about the project and how its impacted on her song-writing. “Firstly, I like how unexpected it is because sometimes I write one and feel like, ‘oh God, this is terrible’, but I post it and then other times I’m like, ‘see, that was pretty good’. It’s really good practice for song writing and like not caring what comes out because I think it’s so easy to get in your own head about what you’re writing, what it means. But really, in my opinion, the best music comes out when you just don’t give a fuck. Like that’s really what makes the best song. So, it’s really good training that part of my brain. And then also collabing with other artists, has been really fun because it’s a nice way to kind of capture and give them that experience as well. To do something a little different.”
Outside of the song writing challenge, Lo Lauren generally takes a different approach to penning new music. “Often I’ll write down concepts, I’ll write down titles, I’ll play around with an idea, and then I’ll bring it to session with my close collaborators, and will develop it into a full song and something that feels right for my project. I do like to prepare ideas where possible, just so it does feel like it comes from like me. I love working with other people. But I’ve also got to make sure that it feels like it’s in my world, you know?”
“Sounds kind of weird, but I think it’s true” – Lo Lauren on keeping creative
We talk more about the creativity which sparks a track. It’s something she’s believes filters through to everything rather than just music and which comes from all aspects of life. “I think it’s actually about how you do normal life” she explains, “not really about what you do in music. I think it’s concentrating, acting and focusing on really looking after yourself and being open to the world around you. So listening to my friends going out, experiencing things in my life and also just mentally keeping myself in check so that I’m ready to kind of receive any creativity that flows through. Sounds kind of weird, but I think it’s true. It’s like I need to be in a good headspace so that I can just create because if I’m worried about things or if I’m being lazy, eating terribly and all that stuff, it all gets in the way.”
And whilst the creativity clearly flows for Lo Lauren and despite the success of her 10-minute song challenge, she admits it isn’t always that easy to complete a track even once she’s started. “Yeah, I’ve actually got a couple [of unfinished tracks] because sometimes we write and I’m like, this is really good, the chorus is really good and the concept is really good. So this could be an amazing song, but we haven’t quite nailed it yet. And I’ve got a few of them that like. Some of them are years old now, but I do believe that they’ll have their time. And sometimes you just need to let songs breathe and you need to, like, sit with them and come back when you maybe are in a different headspace and look at it differently. You shouldn’t give up on those songs!”
We circle back round to what’s happened for Lo Lauren this year. “It’s honestly so scary that we’re entering the end of the year. I’m depressed” she laughs. “Well, yeah, it’s been so cool. … it’s just all unexpected stuff. Like, I really didn’t think I’d be performing in a stadium this summer, but there we were – it was cool. And I didn’t think my song would end up in a movie trailer. But again, it happened! And that’s what I just love about music is that, you never know what’s going to happen. All you can do is create and release it into the world. And then what happens happens.”
There’s a genuine appreciation for what she’s experienced this year and a definite determination for 2025. “I’m really grateful for everything that happened. And all the new people that have found my music. I’m very pleased to have that … and now turn into 2025 – I would love to do more festivals. So we’re looking at that. I think, more shows in general is going to be the focus so we can get people hearing this EP, and writing new music. And that’s going to be a focus for me. I’ve been so in like release mode, just kind of working on the visuals and stuff like that for the release, and I’m just excited to get into that phase to see what comes of the, the next project. So yeah, I’m looking forward to it.”
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