INTERVIEW WITH LAUREN HALL AS SHE RELEASES HER DEBUT SINGLE, BACKWARDS TODAY
Today (1st May) sees up and coming US singer-songwriter, Lauren Hall release her latest single, Backwards and I caught up with Lauren to talk about the single.
You can read my review here.
It's my absolute pleasure, Lauren. Thank you for trusting us, I love talking to you!
I am good thank you, but I am finding not going to gigs the hardest, so I can't imagine what it is like for you artists.
How are you feeling about releasing Backwards today?
I’m feeling over the moon right now about this release knowing it’s the first peak into the whole EP and something I’ve been wanting to share with people for a really long time. It feels surreal honestly that it’s here. I’m so, so proud of this project and each song that’s on the EP, but this one if definitely special.
I have to admit that it is one beautiful song and one of my favourites in a long time, so I am thankful that you chose to speak to me about it if I am honest.
Lauren, can I please ask you tell us a little about your latest single, Backwards?
I heard a someone say one time that you understand your life backwards, and I really liked that idea/concept. It’s a song about how even the painful and confusing circumstances in life can play an important part in your story and bring about good. Sometimes you just can’t see the whole picture until you look back on it.
My next question is one that I am very intrigued to know personally, how look did it take you to write Backwards?
This one was an unusual writing process for me. I’ll explain in further detail in a moment, but I was actually on vocal rest when I wrote it, so I was not able to talk or sing at all for a whole month. I just typed the whole song pretty much on my phone over the course of a week I believe. Once I was able to sing again I went straight to it and the chorus melody just came out first thing which was crazy. I wrote the whole thing pretty quickly and added the bridge later and tweaked a few words here and there after that.
Was there a certain situation which inspired the writing of Backwards?
Did you always know you wanted to release Backwards as a single?
No actually, I really didn’t plan on releasing Backwards as a single originally I guess because it wasn’t the big, loud song you think of, or at least I thought of, when you release a debut single. Over the last few weeks I kept thinking about the story behind it and how it could relate to people a lot right now with everything going on with Covid-19, so I decided to go ahead and let it be first. It’s funny because it was the last one to be written and last to be recorded on the EP, and now it’s the first single.
This actually surprises me because the moment, I heard it I thought this is the perfect debut for you as it showcases who you are as an artist in my opinion and I have a feeling everyone that listens will love it as much as I do.
Then, I have to ask you how was the recording for Backwards?
Recording Backwards was a really cool process because it was one of the songs I had never played live with my own band, so I had no idea what it would sound like with a whole band until that day in the studio with the session players. It really came to life and we captured this airy, kind of modern bluegrass sound while still keeping it Country. My favorite moment was when I was in my booth tracking scratch vocals along with the band and I looked around realizing it was the last song of the EP to be tracked. I got kind of emotional because even the content of the song started to hit me and I thought about the season I went through months before and how I wrote that song in faith that everything was going to work out. I literally saw what I wrote about in the song happening in that moment because it was more than “just working out” - my dream had come true. The EP was recorded in Nashville with the best team I could have asked for. Everything really did work together and it was amazing. I actually just put together a video for Backwards that shows a lot of the behind the scenes from the recording process. I actually have footage from this day I’m referring to in the video if anyone wants to go check that out. It’ll be on my YouTube channel and all social media platforms.
How would you sum up your single, Backwards in just 3 words for anyone wanting to check it out?
Hmm.. I would say fresh, organic, and inspirational.
Now, I have to ask you does releasing Backwards mean that there is another single on its way soon or maybe an EP?
Yes ma’am! I have another single coming shortly after this one. I’m really excited for the next one because it is coming with a real music video that I cannot wait to share! It’s a lot different than this song. A bit more edgy, but still me. I get my heart broken on this EP, and the second single really touches on that. It’s no sappy sad song though. It has lots of power break up song vibes haha. The next song might actually be my favorite on the EP. Speaking of that EP, that will be coming later this summer with five other songs that I can’t wait to share!
Ooo, I am getting very excited over here then, Lauren.
Thank you so much for your time once again, Lauren.
I am very grateful! I am very excited for you to see what the reaction is to the single.
Thank you for featuring me and taking the time to ask about my music. It means so much to have your support. I’m so excited for everyone to finally hear such a big piece of my heart.
You can read my review here.
Good Afternoon, Lauren.
Thank you so much for agreeing to this interview once again with me, but this time about your debut single, Backwards which is out now.
How are you during this crazy time?
Thank you so much Kellie for wanting to support the release! I appreciate it so much. Love chatting with you! I’m doing alright, it’s just been really hard not playing live shows or being able to see people in person. I’m excited to be able to connect with everyone this way though and finally get the new music out to everyone! I hope you are doing well & staying safe over there in the UK!Thank you so much for agreeing to this interview once again with me, but this time about your debut single, Backwards which is out now.
How are you during this crazy time?
It's my absolute pleasure, Lauren. Thank you for trusting us, I love talking to you!
I am good thank you, but I am finding not going to gigs the hardest, so I can't imagine what it is like for you artists.
How are you feeling about releasing Backwards today?
I’m feeling over the moon right now about this release knowing it’s the first peak into the whole EP and something I’ve been wanting to share with people for a really long time. It feels surreal honestly that it’s here. I’m so, so proud of this project and each song that’s on the EP, but this one if definitely special.
I have to admit that it is one beautiful song and one of my favourites in a long time, so I am thankful that you chose to speak to me about it if I am honest.
Lauren, can I please ask you tell us a little about your latest single, Backwards?
I heard a someone say one time that you understand your life backwards, and I really liked that idea/concept. It’s a song about how even the painful and confusing circumstances in life can play an important part in your story and bring about good. Sometimes you just can’t see the whole picture until you look back on it.
My next question is one that I am very intrigued to know personally, how look did it take you to write Backwards?
This one was an unusual writing process for me. I’ll explain in further detail in a moment, but I was actually on vocal rest when I wrote it, so I was not able to talk or sing at all for a whole month. I just typed the whole song pretty much on my phone over the course of a week I believe. Once I was able to sing again I went straight to it and the chorus melody just came out first thing which was crazy. I wrote the whole thing pretty quickly and added the bridge later and tweaked a few words here and there after that.
Oh yes, this song definitely was inspired by a specific situation and time in my life. It’s kind of a long backstory because it’s a really personal song to me, but I’ll try to sum it up best I can. The last half of 2018 was a very hard season for me, and that’s when it got written. I was playing 3-4 shows every week and starting to think about pursuing the process of pre-production for this EP during the first half of the year. However, fall of that year I had to go on strict vocal rest, as I mentioned above, and stopped playing shows for 7 months. It was a very abrupt change that I didn’t see coming and it basically felt like my life and career had been put on pause, kind of like a lot of feel right now actually. I was stripped of a lot familiar things and people in my life during that time and I didn’t understand why I was going through so much at once. It felt very uncertain and purposeless at the time, but so many positive things came out of that season, I just didn’t see them yet. During that time I finally slowed down enough to really work on and envision what I wanted to do to with my own music. I started making trips to Nashville and began co-writing with one of my now producers, and also met my other producer on this project during that 7 months. I was classically retrained vocally by two amazing coaches that are such a big part of my life now and they’ve really helped bring out the best in my voice and make it so strong. This song is about how I feel like God can use the uncertain, broken parts of our stories and weave them into something better and greater than we could have even thought of or imagined. He always has a plan for good, even if it doesn’t make sense or feel good in the moment. I wrote Backwards believing the light at the end of the tunnel was going to make all the heartache I went through worth it, and looking at these songs and where I am now in my music I can honestly say I don’t know if I’d be where I am if I didn’t go through that uncomfortable, difficult season. Every piece, even the broken ones, fits together to make up your story.
Did you always know you wanted to release Backwards as a single?
No actually, I really didn’t plan on releasing Backwards as a single originally I guess because it wasn’t the big, loud song you think of, or at least I thought of, when you release a debut single. Over the last few weeks I kept thinking about the story behind it and how it could relate to people a lot right now with everything going on with Covid-19, so I decided to go ahead and let it be first. It’s funny because it was the last one to be written and last to be recorded on the EP, and now it’s the first single.
This actually surprises me because the moment, I heard it I thought this is the perfect debut for you as it showcases who you are as an artist in my opinion and I have a feeling everyone that listens will love it as much as I do.
Then, I have to ask you how was the recording for Backwards?
Recording Backwards was a really cool process because it was one of the songs I had never played live with my own band, so I had no idea what it would sound like with a whole band until that day in the studio with the session players. It really came to life and we captured this airy, kind of modern bluegrass sound while still keeping it Country. My favorite moment was when I was in my booth tracking scratch vocals along with the band and I looked around realizing it was the last song of the EP to be tracked. I got kind of emotional because even the content of the song started to hit me and I thought about the season I went through months before and how I wrote that song in faith that everything was going to work out. I literally saw what I wrote about in the song happening in that moment because it was more than “just working out” - my dream had come true. The EP was recorded in Nashville with the best team I could have asked for. Everything really did work together and it was amazing. I actually just put together a video for Backwards that shows a lot of the behind the scenes from the recording process. I actually have footage from this day I’m referring to in the video if anyone wants to go check that out. It’ll be on my YouTube channel and all social media platforms.
How would you sum up your single, Backwards in just 3 words for anyone wanting to check it out?
Hmm.. I would say fresh, organic, and inspirational.
Now, I have to ask you does releasing Backwards mean that there is another single on its way soon or maybe an EP?
Yes ma’am! I have another single coming shortly after this one. I’m really excited for the next one because it is coming with a real music video that I cannot wait to share! It’s a lot different than this song. A bit more edgy, but still me. I get my heart broken on this EP, and the second single really touches on that. It’s no sappy sad song though. It has lots of power break up song vibes haha. The next song might actually be my favorite on the EP. Speaking of that EP, that will be coming later this summer with five other songs that I can’t wait to share!
Ooo, I am getting very excited over here then, Lauren.
Thank you so much for your time once again, Lauren.
I am very grateful! I am very excited for you to see what the reaction is to the single.
Thank you for featuring me and taking the time to ask about my music. It means so much to have your support. I’m so excited for everyone to finally hear such a big piece of my heart.
You can follow Lauren on her Social Media
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