We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Lauren Brabson a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Lauren thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Are you able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen?
It hasn’t been easy, but I left my full-time job in late 2022 to pursue music. Prior to that, there was time for music, but it wasn’t going to be my best work if I wasn’t fully in it. There was time for music most evenings and weekends after work, but I didn’t have the time to promote the way I wanted to or pour myself into social media the way the industry wants us to. I didn’t reach out beyond my normal circles. There were a lot of repetitive, dead end cycles. While I am thankful for it and know that it brought me to this moment in my life, it wasn’t making this a career. I wasn’t growing anymore. While recording my previous EP, “Gypsy”, I knew it was time to make a move. Submitting my resignation to a job that held a lot of opportunities, an employer that took care of me, was one of the most sickening experiences of my life. I felt like I was letting others down, but I knew overall that it would be right. From there, I buckled down and went to work. I knew that if I was going to do this, I had to be all in. Endless emails, sleepless nights, expanding beyond my self-taught musical skills – I had a lot to learn, relationships to build, and music to make, and frankly, I still do. In hindsight, I wish I would’ve made this decision sooner, but I know that it happened when it needed to. “Trust the process” as they say.
Lauren, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I am a singer-songwriter from Barberton, Ohio, which I always say very proudly. I began playing guitar when I was 16 and publicly began playing venues and festivals in the northeast region of the US when I was 18. After a lot of life lived and songs written, I released my first two EPs, “Sad Girl Blues” and “Gypsy”, in 2022, one remaining true to the songwriter I am and the other stepping into to the producer and musician I am. These aspects are important to me as I find a lot of balance in my personal life through expressing who I am in the music I make. I don’t stay in one genre as I’m not always the same person everyday. I don’t listen to only one genre, so how do I write music for one genre? I’ve definitely found my home in Folk and Country music, but I never want to limit myself in a creative box. If I write a song that deserves a Jazz-inspired sax solo or a R&B beat, I am never going to miss out on that because it’s not “my” genre. Granted, if it’s also not right for me, I’m not going to pretend to be something either. Being authentic, vulnerable, and honest in my life and my music is something I am extremely proud of. I think that is what reflects most on my upcoming EP, “Hey, It’s Lauren”, out on October 11th.
How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?
Support your local businesses and venues. Go to the farmers markets, live music nights at the local bars/venues, go to your social media search bar and type in “live music near me,” you will find plenty of incredible artists and musicians to support. Coming from Northeast Ohio, it always baffles me the talent we have here. I go to shows and often find myself thinking, “What is this band doing here? They should be in NYC, LA, Nashville, etc.” As much as I love Amazon, Target, big concerts too, you can find any genre of music and any product in your area, probably any day of the week. The next big thing may be in your own backyard. Support your people.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
The fact that people take the time to come to shows in such an insanely busy world, stream my music when they could listen to countless other talented artists, and even stop for a moment to read this article right now is incredibly rewarding. Having people sing the words to my songs, the kids who want to come closer to the stage and dance to the music I make, the ones who chase you down after a show to say “I want to be you when I grow up”- no one truly prepares you for those moments. Knowing there’s a young girl going to school to tell her friends about me, it makes you want to be a better person for her. There are definitely a lot of ups and downs in this industry, but those moments make it all worth it.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://laurenbrabson.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurenbrabson/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lbrabson/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFY3ne-NukmHormBpkvxIhQ
- Other: linktree: https://linktr.ee/Laurenbrabson?utm_source=linktree_profile_share<sid=ed11bf36-9851-4567-a096-e5a740c3a751
Image Credits
1-2 Glenn Dettman
4 Ellen Stair
5 Levi Welling