Exclusive Interview with Lauren Frost Part 3: Confident (and Talkative) Adult Artist
To view each part of the interview, click on the following links: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3.
Me: How'd you decide which songs would be included on the CD? I noticed that you had quite a few up on your MySpace page that didn't make the cut.
Lauren: That was really hard, because in a way I feel that all these songs are my babies; they're all really true to me. I wanted them all to make the record. However, you have to keep a theme. Matt and I have always said we write songs acoustically together first. They're sort of what we call songs in sweat pants. And then you go in the studio and they get dressed up with these big arrangements with fabulous musicians and then they're like songs all dressed up, going out for a night on the town.
And sometimes songs are better in sweat pants. I wanted to keep certain songs acoustic with full production. So that's kind of how I selected which songs made the record.
Me: Some songs, like my personal favorite, "Back in Arizona," appear to be too detailed to be the work of complete fiction. Without going into too much detail, or anything you don't want to divulge, how much of these songs are ripped from personal experiences?
Lauren: I would say most of them. It's me singing, it's my voice, it's my lyrics, and I try to base them off my personal life as much as I can. If not my life then lives of friends or family members. [The songs] can be inspired by anything. I have very close friendships, people are my favorite thing in the world; I'm definitely a talker (laughs), as you can tell, so when I talk to people, I love their stories and I try to find a way to relate it to my own. It's definitely a mix, but I like to draw from personal experience.
Me: You've performed in front of massive crowds as well as the cramped, little coffee house. How do they compare?
Lauren: I love them both. Performing in front of the huge crowds like the Striesand tour were lucky for me, because with the lights and the size of the stage and the stadiums I couldn't see past the first three rows, but it's a completely different feeling.
I had to take an adjustment period. I was used to the huge crowds of Striesand and even the big crowds of theater is very different than anything in the coffee shops, so I enjoy both very much. The acoustic is better suited for the intimate crowds that's the more singer/songwriter vibe, that's the more honest. I feel like I'm talking to friends. And then the full produced album along with when I sing at places like the Kennedy Center is totally different bag. So it's just different. I enjoy them both equally, but it's definitely a whole different vibe.
Me: How would you describe your music?
Lauren: I would say it's alternative pop. I'm very influenced by jazz and folk. I'm hoping that some of that comes across. I think it does. I just try to stay true to myself and if people like it, awesome (laughs), I hope they do. I think if you really listen to lyrics, they're very honest and I believe in pop with integrity. So it's catchy, memorable tunes without the bubble gum.
Me: What are you influences? And who do you think are your contemporaries?
Lauren: I admire people like Feist and Regina Spektor. I like Joss Stone. Also, if I'm out on the town with my friends, I really enjoy independent music, just showing up at a local venue and discovering new bands. So anyone and everyone.
Me: Do many of the fans on MySpace and in the audience of your shows know you from your past projects such as the Timeless concert and Even Stevens? Or are you winning new fans over?
Lauren: I'd say it's a mix. I'm so very grateful for the people who have gotten in touch with me and have kept up on whatever it is that I'm doing. I currently have Timeless fans who have bought the album [and] people on MySpace recognize me from Even Stevens. But it was very important to me to gain fans because of the music � not so much from what I had done. Which is initially why my MySpace was under the name Blue Lou and only until recently did I switch over to Lauren Frost. So from that it was cool for me personally to be writing songs and seeing the response from people who didn't know me. So I think it's a mix. We're always gaining new fans by playing shows
Me: Is there a story behind the Blue Lou name?
Lauren: It actually came from a couple nicknames of mine. My family and friends have always called me Lou. I don't really know why. (laughs) I've had so many nicknames from my family over the years, but Lou just sort of stuck. I think it was my friend, Spencer, who used to call me Baby Blue or Blue Eyes or whatever, because I have big blue eyes. It was just a combination of nicknames. And there's also a song by Ella Fitzgerald that talks about Blue Lou. That's kind of how it came about.
Me: How did you decide on the musicians for the band?
Lauren: I initially met Mike Gallagher, who is my keyboard player, and Mike is an excellent musician around town and he plays in his own group,
The Mike Gallagher Group. And he introduced me to the rest of the guys. Tom [Gallagher], my bass player, is his brother and he had played with Brandon [Collins], the drummer, and Nick [Ascher] in The Mike Gallagher Group. We just all sort of met and became family.
Me: Have you ever felt pressure during the song-writing process, either from someone else or yourself, to include some of those elements in the hopes of being more commercial?
Lauren: I think initially I did, just because I was a new songwriter. I had, just like any other artist, outside pressure from non-musicians or whoever to make it acceptable and all those business terms.
I really threw that out the window when I started to come into my own as a songwriter. I think it's more important to stay true to myself and write honest lyrics that I take from my life. The coolest thing for me is take a song like "Back in Arizona" which is extremely personal and playing it and having people come up to me and say, "Oh God, I had that same experience." To me that's the most rewarding part. I learned not to pay attention to what is typically cool in the business, because who even knows what that is? I'd rather not be trendy. I'd rather have longevity and keep writing my songs and hope that people will continue to enjoy my album.
Me: As I was listening to your CD, I heard a repeating theme of reclaiming innocence. In "Wait and See" you sing, "I take things too seriously" and "Handlebars" is about returning to childhood. Is this something you find yourself telling yourself in everyday life?
Lauren: I definitely take things too serious. It was like my own personal anthem. I have to remind myself to take a few steps back. I'm so busy. I've been working so hard. I do have to remind myself to take it all in and really savor the moments and not look two steps ahead.
