Laura Tsaggaris

Washington, D.C., Washington, D.C., USA

BandRockSinger/Songwriter

Seemingly out of nowhere, an artist has arrived fully evolved. Laura Tsaggaris blends pop, rock and Americana into catchy original songs.

Biography

Out to prove she’s more than just a soulful voice, Laura Tsaggaris has a knack for crafting catchy songs that seem to speak to your own life and experiences. She is a throwback to artists like Joni Mitchell, Jeff Buckley and Suzanne Vega who have used the studio to push the limits of genre and create cohesive pieces of art. With her captivating melodies, complex pop song structures and dynamic acoustic guitar playing, Laura Tsaggaris is, more than anything, just great listening.

Laura’s early life in suburbia Pittsburgh, PA gave few indications of her eventual calling. To the surprise of many who knew her, she started her own record label and recorded her first album (Proof) in 2005. What happened next was no shock for those who heard Proof. Galvanized by the local, national and international reaction to her debut, Laura quit her job at a Washington, D.C. law firm, packed her bags and toured the country alone to promote the record and launch her career as a performer.

After the cycle of touring ended in 2008, Laura began work on her second studio album, Keep Talking. Her sophomore offering is a rare effort that rocks, soothes and inspired The Washington Post to write, “When a singer-songwriter builds an array of songs, often arising from a solid pop foundation with a splash of blues, a touch of rock and a hint of soul, that affirms a genuine musical gift.” Laura supported Keep Talking with a 2-month, 20 state U.S. tour in 2010.

Laura has recorded and performed with a great collection of artists and producers, including Ryan Adams, Zac Brown Band, The Low Anthem, The Proclaimers, Erin McKeown, and Ryan Montbleau Band. She is currently recording her fourth studio album, slated for a later 2012 release.

Lyrics

hard

Written By: laura tsaggaris

it's gonna be hard
it's gonna be harder than rock
it's gonna be hard to wait and see

it's gonna be more
it's gonna be more than enough
it's gonna be more than just the wait for me

but i wanna wait
i wanna wait here with you

cuz it's gonna be long
it's gonna be long as a tail
it's gonna be long and i don't wanna fail
i don't wanna fail you

cuz it's gonna be yours
it's gonna be yours to tell
it's gonna be yours and mine to share

cuz i wanna share
i wanna share this with you

but it's gonna be hard

birthday tune

Written By: laura tsaggaris

from the first i saw
all your hair in knots
hanging on to you
tangled up, i knew
i would follow suit

i've waited for late night calls
i've based it on principal
and on this day in june
sang a birthday tune
gave it all more, gave it all more
truth
cuz like a rain from blue
sky with rainbows too
ii would fall for you

like a rain from blue
sky with rainbows too
i did fall for you

Under The Gun (Keep Talking, 2009)

Written By: Laura Tsaggaris

under the gun

i was blind leading two of a kind
like my soldier, i thought you’d fall into line
i was betting you the horse i could ride

every second by myself was beside
every tick in every minute of time
from my lip i took the healthiest bite
cuz i was banking on the money as mine

when love isn’t under the gun

you can call it anything that you like
and wish i fit you like no glove you could buy
and think that hollywood’s been getting it right

but i’ve been working like a dog for a while
i keep talking ‘til i fill up the time
hold your breath until your heavens align
but i would take into a hand that was mine

cuz love isn’t under the gun
love isn’t under the gun
or made of regret,
something you said,
or something you should have when
you showed you can regress
under the threat
of someone you should forget
you know, you can request
only the best
with weapons of self-defense
it’s on you to remember

love isn’t under the gun

Get Yourself Right (Keep Talking, 2009)

Written By: Laura Tsaggaris

get yourself right

i would have you say aloud
only half to hear the sound
for that you solely wish away will learn to hang around

when you’re home and in your house
could this load be weighed in pounds?
when you wake, are things you can’t control the ones you think about?

just give yourself time to get your self right
i’ll watch you hold me up to the light
if first you went wrong, you’ll learn you just might not be afraid to keep open your eyes
cuz what you don’t know you know you can’t fight

if they could they’d make a crowd
how they’d work and rake the ground
it was always more than just enough to be the one they’d found

but now you hold me in your mouth
i’m a bird that could get out
how you hold me in your arms… how could i have a doubt?

i gave myself time to get my self right
i watched you hold me up to the light
it didn’t take long to learn you just might get what you pay for most of the time
but, if you don’t look, you know you won’t find
and what you don’t know… you can’t fight

so, give yourself time

Out Of My Mind (Keep Talking, 2009)

Written By: Laura Tsaggaris

Out Of My Mind

i put it all together.
this would go on forever.
i’ll never keep you satisfied.

if it was only worth it,
i could be just as perfect.
but then i’d run into the ground
make it a full-time job somehow
just so you’d never have to find me happy

i’m believing i’ll reveal, in time,
all these feelings i’ve been feeling i can’t keep in mind.
i won’t need to call this even, i’ll leave you behind.

so, give yourself everything you’ll never get from me.
it might help if you’d ever get the nerve to see
i won’t be everything you’d hoped.

i love you! i know, i love you!
i love you! i know! i love you!
i know it’s unconditional
with one condition you’ll...
never let me come find you happy!

i’m believing i’ll reveal, in time,
all these feelings i’ve been feeling i can’t keep in line.
i’ll be free to call this evening; i’ll be feeling fine,

even if you may refuse to find
i won’t be needing an excuse this time,
cuz you’ll be out of my mind.

Keep Talking (Keep Talking, 2009)

Written By: Laura Tsaggaris

keep talking

have you nothing to improve upon?
so, i guess i'm not the only one
i am here as who i am you see
shove compromise, it's not for me

and keep talking
tell me how a year has come, cuz it's gone
and here you are
and here i am my only

if you think that we could be in love
well, you best consult the stars above
ask them questions only you can answer
be open to influence and work

and keep talking
you may find that you don't know yourself at all
keep talking…
you may find that you don’t know anymore
who you are
or why i'm here and lonely

but keep this apart from me hoping to see you

be everything that you are not to me
everything that you could never be
i am sure that i can't change someone
it's just like a mother tells her son

so keep talking
tell me how a year has come
you may find that you don't know
tell me how a year has come, cuz it's gone
you may find that you don't know who you are
tell me how a year has come cuz here we are

Discography

Proof (2004)
Keep Talking (2009)

Set List

Laura plays sets of her own original music that are usually 1 - 1 1/2 hours in length. She plays the occasional cover song, including "Can't Let Go" (Lucinda Williams), "Joga" (Bjork), "Long Road" (Patti Griffin), and a serious version of "Oops... I did it again" (Britney Spears)