LAUREL
As a self proclaimed “fiercely independent” artist it is very exciting to see LAURELS new album “Petrol Bloom” reaching into a new collaborative realm. Think sweeping landscapes of flying vocals and smooth, synthy dream-pop. We spoke with LAUREL about the new sound, the transitions life can bring, and the impacts big change can have on your internal creative landscape.
Your previous album Dogviolet was highly praised self made, recorded, produced and mixed. You’ve now released a brand new album Petrol Bloom, which was made in a place and time where you had moved countries, fallen in love, and driven across a desert before the whole world closed down. Do you get deep into a big life change before you realise you’re creating something new and different with your music, or does a lot of planning and intention go into forming your life around things that will facilitate more creativity?
The two go hand in hand and effect one another significantly. Sometimes it’s the music that leads, at other times life. I had felt a change within me and my life before my music had changed though. I surrounded myself with new people, went to new places, everything was new, new, new, new. That had such a huge impression on me as a person, and then in turn on what I wanted to create as an artist. A lot of it was also to do with having more time with the people who would become my collaborators. Whereas the first album was written alone and therefore true and autobiographical in its lyrical nature, didn’t have much influence upon it from the outside world.
In the same vein, you’ve had some instantly popular collaborations recently, like Scream Drive Faster with your friend Chrome Sparks. What’s the relationship between meeting someone where a personal relationship inspires you and one where you musically connect with each other?
Chrome Sparks has had a big influence on the new musical style. We have pushed each other a lot creatively with this project and both brought in different elements from our owl worlds, which were arguably quite different before now. We are good friends, so it has been amazing to collaborate with someone close to me, and also to get to share this project with someone else. As a solo artist I am sometimes a little envious of people who have partners to share their frustrations and successes with. So I’m happy that I now too have a version of this.
What are the most important things you hold close as LAUREL the artist, and how do you keep practicing that independence amidst the fluctuating wildness of life and personal relationships?
I am fiercely idependent. Being so collaborative has taken some getting used to. I hold independence and self-reliance close to me, so that if everything and everyone left tomorrow I could still write songs alone and be satisfied. That time alone, creating in my writing space at home, is very sacred to me and always brings me back to myself.
So you have shown us that you can personally make every part of a sonic soundscape, and that you can just as easily work with other people to create great music. Outside of the music, how do you project the internal independence you have in a way that people will understand your strength and intention? Is something as simple as posting photos of yourself on instagram a big part of portraying LAUREL to your listeners?
An image is very important these days. And those pictures on Instagram are a chance for me to share my universe with people. I’m not entirely sure what I’m wanting other people to see. It’s never really been so simple for me. I’m not often aware of what other people are wanting or what I’m wanting to share. I’m just sharing the current version of myself in image, in music, in thoughts, and in interviews. It’s not a very contrived effort. I’m not playing any sort of character. Also, it’s much more difficult to see yourself in the eyes of others, so I tend not try.
Words by Alex Officer / Listen to Laurel here / See more here
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