Today we’d like to introduce you to Lanie Vox

Hi Lanie, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.

I sang at every chance I got growing up whether that be for family karaoke nights, talent shows in school, being a part of chorus programs until I graduated to eventually releasing original music on streaming platforms. I couldn’t have gotten anywhere without making friends in music. Since I was 17 (I’m 25 now), I’ve watched those friends rise in the music industry. I did my best to follow in their footsteps with my own songs because they seemed happy and fulfilled chasing their dreams. I was able to perform once at a silent disco show but while I followed my friends, even all way to California in 2019, I realized something huge while living there. I didn’t have the same heart as everyone else around me when it came to making music. For me, it was an outlet but for them, it was their life, career and motivation. Music was all they cared about. I thought the same when I first moved but every time they got to work, I questioned why I didn’t have the drive they did because even when I did try to book shows, I never felt happy or excited about it. I just felt anxious and avoidant.

When I moved back home in 2021, I worked on music the way I used to when I was a teenager. I communicated with producers and artists online, wrote my songs and recorded them in my room. Any other time I worked on music in California felt like a job I had to make sure I didn’t get fired from. That journey took over my early adult years but I’m grateful at how much I learned about myself and what music meant to me. I discovered that making music in my tiny space is all I ever wanted when making music, that I don’t want to perform in front of huge crowds or network or become this other identity. My story in music isn’t one that reaches for the stars or anything like that, it’s simple, maybe even boring, but it’s human and real. To this day, I get to make music in my comfortable home when inspiration strikes me and people still listen. Had I forced myself into the busy life of a growing artist always trying to “make it”, I don’t think I would be as happy as I am now. Each year, I release less and less because of a different passion I actually want to make into a career. But my relationship with music is still very special whether I’m creating it or not, and I will at least release one song every year because I will always be a creative person at heart!

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?

I struggled a lot in my journey with music. I compared myself to almost everyone around me and it felt hard to be proud of my accomplishments because in my eyes, they didn’t compare to the accomplishments of others. Then I realized why I was so insecure in the first place, and why I felt the need to compare. I wasn’t actually happy with the path I was on so I questioned why I was on it in the first place. This led to a lot of shadow work and introspection. The happiness I saw in others was the thing I was trying to emulate in myself, but how I was going about it was completely wrong. I thought that by wanting and doing the same things, I would get their results, and in turn, feel happy like them. I realized that I needed to take care of my mental health and that doing things without truly thinking about them first was extremely harmful. I learned that every decision matters because their YOURS. Disassociating and comparing were my biggest struggles and it took me years to realize I was even doing it because it just felt so natural. So I dug deep and looked at the root of my unhealthy thought processes and decisions. I learned so much about myself as an artist and as as person that eventually, I carved my own path that would make me happy.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?

Although I am mostly known for my music by my friends, family and small audience, I am proud to say that I have been working as an Instructional Assistant in applied behavior analysis for children in special education since the school year of 2023.. I am currently working in my second year with a great company and I couldn’t be happier. I have even been nominated for this month’s “Culture Champion” for incorporating company values into my work which is such a personal and amazing feat. No one at the workplace or any of my students know about my music and I definitely do not plan on talking about it, but I am happily living a private life with a good job and fun hobby.

Do you have any advice for those just starting out?

My advice for anyone wanting to make music is to figure out all the goals you want to accomplish and why, Really think about what about creating music fulfills you and how far you want to go. It’s always great to have some sort of plan to set you up for success. Sometimes people in music can get caught up in the numbers and the networking, and although those things are crucial to growth, it’s best to work with what you have and understand the quality of your work first. Your craft should match the kinds of goals you set up for yourself so that all those analytics can come easier. Don’t just say that you’re gonna be the next anything, show it. Understand yourself and your work, get opinions and constantly improve until you can say that you’d confidently listen to your own music. “Do it now so you can talk about it later” is what I stand by!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7AtziJgg3kWilcDhJjPVJa?si=xbBZTSmRRmG_pfaJsnTEKg
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laniesann
• LinkedIn: https://linktr.ee/lanievox?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAab1zMCct1FvwBWN6erQeYquJJv_vqNMk6ff2TzSJCmvIqdJ2in1tMud2Ro_aem_dYmJnvPIdl2HoiIbr9RD4g
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@lanievox