Lauren Drake is a 21-year-old musician and actress from Seattle, WA. As an artist, Lauren believes that there is a superpower in being able to articulate, understand, and share feelings. She writes to fill a void of articulated emotions and shares her music in order to help others have their different feelings, emotions and situations become seen and understood. We all know how difficult it can be to capture and share what’s going on inside. For Lauren, moments of shared vulnerability are intrinsic to who we are as people and what we as a human race find beautiful.
By Kamil Bobin
Discovered via Musosoup
Kamil) Hey Lauren Drake, super nice to have the chance to chat with you. What first got you into music
Hey! Thanks for having me. Honestly, I’ve been singing ever since I could talk. I would write little songs and sing them all around the house growing up. But I wrote my first official song at eleven years old. It was called “Go,” and I performed it at the sixth grade talent show.
What is the biggest mistake you have made within your career to this point?
I guess it was being hesitant to put my music out in the first place and waiting as long as I did to have something “good enough” to put out into the world. There is never going to be the absolute perfect time. You have to take charge, and I wish I did that sooner.
Your latest track is 'play along'. Can you share with us the background of its creation and did any unusual things happen during its creation?
“play along” was written in the summer of 2019. I had gone through a series of really difficult events leading up to me writing the song, namely dealing with grief, mental illness, and a breakup. I came home from college and tried to sort of start to pick up the pieces. I was sitting on the couch in my living room one night in June, and I was determined to write some sort of autobiographical song about all that had happened. And then it just sort of poured out of me. I swear it was done within an hour. I would say that’s pretty unusual, but usually my best songs are the ones I write the quickest.
What is one message you would give to your fans?
Hello! Thanks for stopping by! I hope this music fills some sort of emotional void for you. By that I mean, I hope it speaks to you in a new way that other songs haven’t been able to yet. That’s why I write; to fill a void of something that I feel hasn’t been articulated yet by someone else. I need to write it myself to then have some sort of external expression of how I feel.
Which famous musicians do you admire?
I’ve been a swiftie (Taylor Swift fan) since I was eight. So definitely her. I also really look up to Kacey Musgraves and Maggie Rogers. I listen to a lot of Rex Orange County, Emily King, Billy Joel and Walk The Moon as well.
If you could change anything about the industry, what would it be?
I’m really just starting out, but I guess I would say making it even more accessible to connect musicians with the right listeners in order to build a solid connection and following.
If you could go open a show for any artist who would it be?
I feel like it’d be the most appropriate for me to open for possibly Kacey Musgraves. Her song “Slow Burn” is what inspired play along. I wanted to write something like that; an autobiographical song that was a self-aware, dreamy, metaphorical way to explore your life. It’s really inspiring. And I just love all of her music in general- “Golden Hour” is a no-skip album for me for sure.
What are you doing to ensure you continue to grow and develop as an artist?
Writing, writing, writing. And continuing to try to get my name out there. This whole world of promoting yourself is new to me, and I’m slowly but surely figuring out how to share my authentic and professional self with the world. You can check out my website at ww.lauren-drake.com to learn more.
Do you sing in the shower? What songs?
All the time. Usually it’s a musical theatre piece that I’m working on, or whatever classical or jazz song I’m working on in my voice lessons. If not- it’s usually Taylor Swift.
What are your plans for the future?
I graduate from Pepperdine University in April, and after that I’m headed back to Seattle to regroup. I’m excited to explore the music scene there, but if I miss California and LA, I’ll head on back.