By NOTES FROM VIVACE
Back in 2010, a friend of mine mentioned to me that I should check out a band called Rocket. They were doing a residency at The Three Clubs. I looked up the venue’s calendar and decided to check out their set when they were teamed up with one of my favorite bands at the time, Spider Problem.
I was immediately sold on their sound and stage presence and went back the next week. Soon after, the band broke up, but I continued to follow their lead singer Lauren Rocket throughout the years.
She joined a band called The Child that I really loved. After The Child ended its run, I kind of lost contact with her music career though I did catch what was perhaps the one and only set ever of her short-lived project Lavinia Slaughter.
I might have lost contact with her music career, but we would still occasionally cross paths. One example being a most random encounter at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books.
Come 2018, I started to notice that she was putting together new music. In September, there was another random encounter at the Moroccan Lounge. I had to ask, “Are you playing a set soon and do I get a photo pass?”
That set happened just a few days back at The Mint. And to go full circle here, backing her was Shayne Eastin, former lead singer of Spider Problem. I was also told that her next set will be at The Satellite in June. Make sure to carve out some time on your calendar to catch her synth-pop sounds.
Lauren was kind enough to respond to some Q and As:
NFV: When did you know you wanted to be a singer/musician?
LAUREN: Since I could talk, I guess. I would lock myself in the bathroom and sing and hum for hours. Then I discovered the musical “Cats” and it was over. I was probably three. I would sit at the piano and play and sing every song, albeit without knowing what I was doing. Musical theater was my first love.
NFV: From the outside looking in, it looks like you’ve taken a very strategic approach to the launching of your new music. Can you share your approach?
LAUREN: I am definitely being more strategic this time around, trying to navigate through the new world of music as well as make sure I love and adore every single song I release as well as resonate with it authentically. I want each song to be completely me, without any outside influence. I don’t really care about following trends or being cool, I just wanna make stuff that I love.
Check out Lauren Rocket’s Facebook Page
I’ve been in the music industry for over ten years now, experienced a lot of heartbreak and learned a lot about what I want to do and what I don’t want to do. My main objective with this project is to have fun, and experience joy again though writing songs and being creatively inspired. Without attachment, without ego and with complete abandonment of past fears. I am really happy with this project so far.
NFV: Of your songs, is there a backstory to one of them that you’d like to share?
LAUREN: Sharks is probably my favorite of these recent singles, because I think the music and the lyrics fit the concept so perfectly. Being a girl in music…is well… interesting. Sadly my experience has felt like I’ve been working in a male dominated industry, and it’s pretty gross. I wanted to express that in this song, and honestly, I think things are changing: the world is waking up.
Women rule and we shouldn’t be allowing anyone to dictate what we do or how we get where we are success wise. We as a species need to learn to always listen to our intuition. Intuition is real, authenticity is key and it’s the pathway to personal success. Follow it and you will be free! Final unique pieces of information: I’m half alien. Also, I have a new single coming out May 17, a cover of “The Killing Moon” by Echo and the Bunnymen.
Check out Lauren Rocket’s music here.
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