Music
Interview
Conversation Corner: UK singer-songwriter Laurel
If you aren't yet acquanited with UK singer-songwriter Laurel, then it's about time you dive into her debut album 'Dogviolet'. We chatted to her ahead of her first Australian tour.
Across debut album Dogviolet‘s 48-minute journey, UK singer-songwriter Laurel will take you deep inside her emotional landscape.
Her dreamy, lush vocals are instantly captivating, her songwriting is honest and raw and her production finds the perfect balance between being open and haunting while also featuring intricate melodies and huge percussive moments.
The album is completely and totally Laurel – from writing and recording all the vocals and instruments, to taking the lead on production and mixing, Dogviolet is the perfect embodiment of Laurel as an artist.
We chatted to Laurel on the day she was set to play the biggest show of her career, supporting KT Tunstall at London’s Roundhouse. Now she is on her way to Australia to play her first ever shows on our stages.
Last in our country 12 years ago (when she was visiting her Australian-based family as a child) this will be the first time fans Down Under get to hear her enchanting music live.
On expectations
How have people’s reactions to the record surprised you?
It’s so weird, I never actually thought about what people would think, I was so wrapped up in making the album that I had to find a second to think about that. I am surprised by the reaction – it’s had such good feedback on a level that I didn’t expect. Critically, and people that I really, really respect having told me that it’s a great body of work – that’s what pleased me the most because I’ve had a response like that. Rather than a massive amount of people coming in and picking up one of the singles, it seems to be that people are really interested in the whole album and there’s not really a favourite song, but the whole piece as a collective piece of work and that’s what I really wanted to do.
On feelings
Have people’s reactions changed the way you relate to the record?
Public reaction actually did make the release feel different. We released Lovesick as our first single, which I think is probably the first song that hit Australia for me, and I’d never had any kind of music out there really before, and that song for me, before we released it, I really didn’t like it that much.
When you’re a songwriter, you love the complex songs, the complex lyrics, and I just felt it was quite simple so I was not too proud of it. I was really worried that we were gonna release it because I didn’t know if people would like it, but everybody was telling me, all my friends and everyone I was working with, they were like, “This is a great song, you really must trust us, you’ve listened to your songs too many times.” So I did, and I trusted everyone, and I love that song now. I really enjoy it because seeing the reaction that I got from people made such a difference, so that was a weird experience.
On performance and emotion
How has it been performing such personal and vulnerable songs every night?
I’m going through this at the moment on tour. It’s not really possible to feel those emotions every single night onstage, but I really try to, I really want to be feeling, and I think these songs, the way that they work best is when you’re in that moment, in that emotion and expressing that onstage. I really try and do that every night because I think that’s the best way that they can be performed. It’s sometimes a bit tough, sometimes you’re in a really good mood, and some of the songs are a bit darker. It is weird, sometimes you can be in a great mood, and then you play this song and it reminds you of a specific feeling, so you have to be very careful.
While I think some people might listen to the songs and I’m sure they’re quite heavy, for me it was just a time of my life and I don’t feel sad about it, I don’t feel weird about any of the stuff that I’ve written about. I think sometimes with writing and songs, I’ve released the emotions that I had originally and I guess I’ve heard these songs so many times now, at some point they become songs rather than listening to each individual lyric and feeling.
On the future
Will you take the same creative approach into your next record?
You know what? Right now, probably not. It was very hard work, it was really long and I loved it, and I’m probably going to do it again at some point but I feel like that album, I made the best thing that I could make and I feel like without, more experience under my belt, I’m not sure I could make anything better. I really want to progress and meet some people, and meet another partner to work with who has got more experience and an ear. I think that’s really exciting.
Credit: Andrea-Mae-Perez
On to the next
They say you have your whole life to write your debut album, how does it feel heading into a new project?
It’s actually so exciting, I feel really excited at the moment, because my whole life so far had been building up to this first album, and it’s the first time in a few years that I’ve been at a new chapter and I’ve accomplished something and I’m ready to go onto something else, it sounds amazing. I’m really excited.
Also, it is a bit daunting because you don’t have as long to make your second album, which is also probably why I’d like to work with a producer, because doing everything on your own, doing the job of five people on your own, it’s time-consuming, so hopefully having a producer will help me get it done a bit quicker.
How have you found balancing touring and writing?
It’s not easy sometimes. I do love writing, pretty much whenever I’m home I’m writing instead of watching the TV or something, so it’s quite natural, but I’ve been really excited to start making another record. At the moment I’ve already got all these ideas, and I’m touring non-stop, I have no time to do it. I’m building up all of this information and you have to set aside real time to do it, it’s just as important as touring, you just have to schedule it which is a different thing. I haven’t done that before, but sometimes it means the time that you do spend is more focused. So we’ll see, you might have to check back in six months for that answer.
On bringing it to life
What can Australian fans expect from the upcoming shows?
I’ve been told, it’s very raw. We have only four instruments on stage and electronic tracks and all of that, which means we can really just have a good time – we can improvise. Me and the guys really do have such a great time onstage playing music together. But it’s very simple, it’s very raw, and it’s kind of like a rock band really. It’s really fun, I have a really great time, it’s pretty emotional as well.
On learning
What is the most important lesson you’ll be taking into whatever comes next?
Patience is one of the most, that’s probably the thing I’ve learnt the most in the last few years because I’m very impulsive and I want to do things now, and release things now and be there now. But actually doing a career like this, it doesn’t work like that, you have to be incredibly patient and trusting in yourself that what you’re doing is right and you’re great because there’s definitely a lot of times when you question yourself. So that’s it, being patient, which is a good lesson for me right now.
Laurel will perform at The Corner Hotel on Wednesday 22 May. Tickets are available through our mates at Ticketweb.
