Lauren Lizabeth
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Lauren Lizabeth

Nashville, TN | Established. Jan 01, 2011 | INDIE

Nashville, TN | INDIE
Established on Jan, 2011
Solo Country Pop

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"Album Review: Lauren Lizabeth – To Be Young"

Lauren Lizabeth – To Be Young
EP Review of Lauren Lizabeth: To Be Young (Nine North Records)


For such a young artist, Lauren Lizabeth has already been turning heads for a while. As far back as 2011, Lauren was nominated by the New England Music Awards for Country Act of the Year. She has some professional stage experience, as well, working with the well-known (well, I’ve known about it for decades), highly-regarded Southern New England Theatre By The Sea while still in high school.

This EP, To Be Young, focuses on Lauren’s emotionally powerful voice; it’s a collection of seven crisply-performed pop and pop-country numbers. Her sharp, clear voice and young-skewing topics, lyrics, and enthusiasm could land her on a Disney TV movie soundtrack; and while her radio genre could easily be pop, some of the tunes herein showcase why she’s finding her early success on country radio with her pop-country stylings.

The disc opens with the title track, “To Be Young,” an energetic number on which Lauren’s always-at-eleven vocal enthusiasm is supported by a peppy guitar hook. With its positive energy and youthful appeal, this song could connect with a pretty sizable audience.

It’s followed by “Every Single Night,” whose mid-tempo pop-rock style is supported by a more versatile, emotive vocal and melodic hook and a well-placed guitar run late in the track to help move the song forward. Indeed, this catchy number is one of the two songs from To Be Young that has found a place on my personal smartphone playlist.

There’s something a little special about “Light a Match,” as well, with a very country-esque, brooding bridge showing Lauren’s versatility, tying together this lyrically worthwhile, mid-tempo emotional pop-rocker. It also features a fun country-rock guitar line… because even a strong voice requires well-written songs.

“Beginning of the End” is notable as the most ballady song in this collection. Not exactly a ballad, but not far from one, this is another of those tracks that shows a nice mid-range; it’s nice to hear her use more vocal richness at times to offset her powerful high notes.

The last song on the album, “I Hear That,” is perhaps my favorite. It’s a cheerful country-rock ditty that’ll bring a smile to your face. It’s a bit sassy, showcasing perhaps more of Lauren’s personality than any of the others on To Be Young. As with the title track, this song could ring true with a monster breakout audience.

Overall, this is a nicely-constructed selection of catchy songs showcasing a talented vocalist. If pop or pop-country, especially with a bit of young energy, is your cup of tea, check out this disc. Indeed, I have a couple favorites from among this assortment, and I look forward to hearing where Lauren’s musical journey takes her from here. - Geoff Wilbur


"To Be Young: Get to Know Lauren Lizabeth"

Lauren Lizabeth has music in her soul. The Nashville-based artist has been singing, dancing and acting from a young age including her first professional acting job, with Theatre By The Sea, in Southern Rhode Island. In early 2011, Lauren was introduced to producer-songwriter, Shay Watson and the two began working together on a total of three EPs, including 2016's To Be Young. The singer-songwriter kindly called in to talk about her roots, the EP and the exciting things ahead.

Earlier this year, you released your third EP, but when did you begin singing and pursuing music full-time?

I have been singing my entire life, pretty much since I could talk. I started in musical theatre and majored in theatre in college, but I always had another side to me where I wanted not to be in character, but to be myself and my own artist.

Since you were involved in theatre, when and why did you gravitate to country music?

I started listening to country music when I was twelve or thirteen when my brother started playing it on the radio in the car. Then I started to sing it, and it just felt like me. I simultaneously pursued both theatre and music in college but knew that ultimately country music was what I wanted to do. I recorded all three of my EPs in Nashville, but this third one has been the one that changed the game for me. I co-wrote all of the songs and really found my voice and songwriting style.

This was the first time you did any writing. Did you find that you enjoyed the process?

People told me that if I wanted to be taken seriously and be successful that I needed to start to write my own material - to tell my story and let people know who I am. At first, I didn't think I could write and didn’t know where to start, but I spoke with my manager, who is a very seasoned songwriter, and he broke it down for me. I took what he told me seriously, sat down, tried applying it and the songs flowed out of me. For someone who said I couldn’t do it, I did it and then some. I’m so proud of that fact and of this EP.

To Be Young was released earlier this year on Nine North Records. The title track has gotten substantial airplay across the country and landed on Billboard’s country chart for five-plus weeks now. Are there plans for a follow-up single?

"To Be Young" has been the single since February and it has done well. We’re about to release a Christmas single and then another single from the EP, “Light A Match,” in early 2017. The first song I wrote after my first heartbreak was "Light A Match." I knew I needed to write about it, so I sat down with the guitar - and just cried for a couple minutes. Then I stopped crying and the song poured out of me. “Light A Match” is my baby because it’s one of the first songs I ever wrote; I feel so connected to that song and every time I sing it I feel closure twenty times over. But when I sing the song now, I think of it differently than when I wrote it. I don’t think about him per se, but more about my feelings toward the relationship, what has happened since then and how far I have come. I look back and see I graduated college, found love again, and am seeing my dreams coming true. I love how over the years songs change and take on a new meaning - it’s a cool thing about songwriting.

In fact, this is something I love telling people because they don't always notice it when they listen, but the EP chronicles the progression of the break-up, which I didn’t even mean to happen. As I was healing, the songs were healing me and to have it happen in that way is really, really special to me. There’s a song “Beginning of the End” which everyone thinks is a sad song, but the best part about that song is I’m saying that even though I’m not completely healed, I’m not sad about it anymore. It’s the beginning of the end of the pain and I’m moving on.

Knowing that, I’ll have to go back and re-listen to the album.
Why did you choose to title the album To Be Young?

I chose that title because I was young and living in the moment with so much ahead of me. I knew I had experienced my first heartbreak, but I also knew it wouldn’t be my last.

Do you have any plans to support the album or single?

Right now, I’m on my first radio tour for “To Be Young.” It’s been such a blast getting to meet and talk with people in radio who support the music; everyone has been so welcoming. We’re also in the process of picking dates for a full band tour in 2017 and I'm hoping to schedule more songwriter's nights.

​I cannot believe I have only been in Nashville for three months and all of this is happening - I'm so humbled and thankful. I don’t take anything for granted. I'm on a great path and hope it continues that way.

Sounds like things are moving in the right direction.
Finally, I always like to know if there is one recent release you cannot stop listening to and would recommend others check out?

I’m really digging Sons of the East, they’re soulful folky, but with more of an Avicii/ZBB feel. I also really like Clare Dunn’s “Tuxedo,” and Billy Currington’s “It Don’t Hurt Like It Used To” – that’s my number one jam right now. - The Daily Country


Discography

Still working on that hot first release.

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Bio

Lauren Lizabeth’s introduction to country music came from the only radio station that played any in the listening area of Narragansett, Rhode Island, where she grew up.

Her older brother was a country fan and tuned in to the station when he drove. Lauren was riding with him one day and got hooked. She was 12.

“I started to sing it and it felt so natural,” says the singer-songwriter, now based in Nashville. “Ever since that day I was obsessed with country. It was all I sang.”

The rising artist – the title single from her new EP, “To Be Young,” charted on Billboard in August 2016 – is no stranger to performing. She took the stage in her first musical at age 6 and continued to act and sing throughout her school years, landing her first professional acting job with Theatre By The Sea in Southern Rhode Island. She was still in high school.

Now, with a degree in musical theater from Marymount Manhattan College and three EPs under her belt, Lauren is planning her first tour. “Light a Match,” the second single from her newest EP, will be released to radio early in 2017.

“To be Young” is Lauren’s third EP but it is the first for which she co-wrote all the songs. She knew getting taken seriously as a country artist demanded songwriting skills, which launched a study of song structure as well as co-writing sessions.

She already accompanied herself on guitar, but training and experience in musical theater smoothed the transition into songwriting as well.

“I am used to telling a story in a song, acting in a song,” she says. “I want to be able to do all of it.”

Shay Watson, her producer, is a frequent writing collaborator. Lauren’s vocal coach introduced them in 2011; after hearing Lauren’s voice, Shay knew he wanted to work with her. Her first EP was released later that year.

The seven songs on “To Be Young” chronicle the emotional rollercoaster that follows the end of a romantic relationship. Lauren says she didn’t realize it at the time – she’d think about how she felt, an idea sparked, and a song took shape. Songwriting was her way of moving through loss, anger and sadness. The title song celebrates moving on from the perspective of someone who knows the best is yet ahead.

The song is getting airplay on more than 145 country radio stations, and Lauren has been hitting two major radio markets each week, giving interviews and live performances. “To Be Young” debuted on the Billboard Country Indicator Chart on August 22, 2016 and remained there for 16 weeks.

She credits her brother for introducing her to the genre, as well as early inspirations such as Celine Dion and Carrie Underwood. But it is another female country star Lauren thinks about often – Jo Dee Messina, a Massachusetts native who charted 9 No. 1 singles and 16 Top 40 Singles.

“There hasn’t been a female country star from New England since Jo Dee,” Lauren says.

At least not yet.

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