Today we’d like to introduce you to Nicole Laby
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
My story begins in my mid-twenties in the bustling city of San Francisco. I had no experience playing an instrument or singing, except for my feeble attempts to play piano by ear as a child. No lessons. No instruction from anyone. But I knew I wanted to be in a band. I was attending undergrad at San Francisco State University, majoring in psychology, and decided to take a singing class. Shortly thereafter, I met 3 other women and formed my first band, See Jane Run. I taught myself to play guitar by ear (no books and I couldn’t afford lessons), and started writing music. Music became a life long vehicle for me to explore and express trauma from my childhood and teen years. It served as a surrogate parent. And it continues to heal me.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The music industry itself was never my sole focus as I worked in mental health and later attended graduate school to become a psychotherapist. So, I never devoted myself entirely to music as a “profession”. While See Jane Run was a successful SF band, my reluctance to commit myself to this industry saved me the headache and heartache other musicians expedience on their way to securing record label interest, fame, etc…
Nonetheless, I worked very hard to promote my band, which often included (especially in the beginning) heavy competition with other bands for gigs, rejection from booking agents, disappointment at playing to a crowd of 3 (until our fan base grew), and the like. The benefit of being in a band is that these burdens can be shared by all band members. The frustration or rejection never felt personal or directed at me personally. My band mates and I were in it together. We supported each other through these challenges. We also experienced sexism in the music industry and had to work extra hard to build our name as a result.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a singer songwriter in an indie-Americana folk band. We’re composed of violin, viola, upright bass, lead guitar, and myself on vocals and rhythm guitar. We just came out of the recording studio last month and made a full length 12 song album. We’re currently in the process of having it mixed and mastered by our lead guitarist, Mark Fassett.
Recently, we were featured in the East Bay Express paper in Oakland, and the journalist commented on something that defines us/makes us different than many other bands within our genre. He told me that our music is rich with honest, raw, and evocative lyrics that pull the listener in. This was a wonderful compliment. I write as a means to recover from past traumas and because I truly love writing music. I frequently hear from fans/listeners that our music speaks to them on an emotional level. This is part of what makes music and performance so rewarding.
Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
Please stay tuned for our new album, ShadowHand. We’re excited about it and looking forward to promoting it once it’s mixed and mastered. It’s definitely darker and more spacious sonically than our last album. Let us know your thoughts when you hear it!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://frances8.com/
- Instagram: http://instagram.com/Frances8music
- Facebook: http://facebook.com/Frances8Music
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/i/flow/login?redirect_after_login=%2Ffrances8music
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@frances8184?si=n9xoDbYVQoEosPhl
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6fmm8pEV4HvGTIXi67Fy4q?si=LTldoQnKRyKJLe_8zXWv_w
Image Credits
Kelly Johnson Photography