Laura Brehm – For No One

By starrymag | February 15, 2021

By: Jamie Steinberg

 

 

 

Q) How would you describe your sound?

A) I would describe my solo project sound as a mixture of alternative, folk, electronic, pop and experimental.

Q) Who are some of your musical influences?

A) There are so many and I’m constantly finding new ones, but to narrow it down the current Top 8 would be: The Beatles, Radiohead, Imogen Heap, Ellie Goulding, Röyksopp, Grimes, Phoebe Bridgers and The National.

Q) Talk about the story behind your new song “For No One.”

A) I wrote this song so that it can be interpreted in two different ways, depending on what the listener resonates with the most. The first is processing what it’s like to be alone and learning that instead of feeling lonely you can use the time to work on improving yourself and practice self-love. The second story behind it relates to the aspiring musician/artist and how it’s important to be your own muse, stay strong through the process and not give in to self-doubt.

Q) What do you think it is about the song that fans connect to?

A) Perhaps it’s the mix between the acoustic and electronic elements of production in combination with my vocals, as it gives my fan base a mix between two sides that they are most familiar with; my EDM work and my acoustic work such as the EDM goes Acoustic performance videos on YouTube and the Breathe EP.

Q) How does the video for the track play into the message behind it?

A) The piano is standing in the middle of a field under a dark sky and surrounded by glowing roses which symbolizes being in a dark place alone, yet having some lightness that is developing in a beautiful way. The roses slowly increase and decrease in their brightness so that the listener can use it as a breathing visualizer; a way to calm the nervous system and reduce anxiety. The lightning reaching the piano represents the power and inspiration of music/art and the birds are meant to be a message of feeling free.

Q) This is your first solo single since 2017. What made you decide now was the time to release this song?

A) “For No One” is the first single to release from my new upcoming album The Dawn Is Still Dark. I’ve been working on this album in the studio since 2018 and after signing it with AntiFragile Records, we decided that the singles would begin releasing in fall 2020, with the full album out in spring 2021.

Q) What is your song writing process? Do you need music before you can create lyrics?

A) I usually write the melodies first, but sometimes the idea for lyrics and music come to me at the same time. When this happens during writing, that means I’m in the highest state of flow. For me, it’s rare to have the lyrics first and then marry them to melodies.

Q) How much of hand do you have in the production of your music?

A) I produce all of the audio in my work, so I do the audio engineering, comping and editing of the vocals, guitar and piano. For this upcoming album, I was much more involved with the production than I am with my EDM work and either created some of the electronic stems or was collaborative/present in the production during studio sessions for most of the tracks. As I had to oversee seven producers who weren’t working closely together on this, I orchestrated the creative direction. I also mixed in all of the audio into the electronic tracks.

Q) What can you tease about your upcoming album such as what are some themes you explore on it?

A) There are fourteen tracks total, with seven producers involved not including myself. It was mastered by the legendary Chris Gehringer, who has won Grammy Awards for his work. It features some live cello performances, especially in the title track. The main themes that I develop through the songs include mental health (particularly anxiety), unhealthy relationships, escapism, climate change awareness, finding the lightness in the dark, and personal strength.

Q) What did you find the most challenging about creating this new album in particular?

A) I had spent nearly a decade of my career releasing one off singles, minus just a few EP’s here and there. So, I got used to creating a song that stands on its own and it had been a while since I created a body of work where at least ten songs work together. To create fluidity and cohesiveness between all fourteen songs as well as the different styles of production was a challenge. Also, there was a lot of endurance needed in completing the album because it was an immense amount of audio recording work and having to adjust and listen to the material much more than just making a single. You get tired of hearing it and then it can be hard to find motivation to get to the end point.

Q) With concerts currently on hold, do you have plans to do any live streaming performances to help with promotion?

A) Yes, I plan to do some live acoustic performances on my Twitch channel, as well as a live streaming concert event when I release the full album that will have other artists involved. I’ll be announcing details on that in the near future!

Q) Who would you most like to collaborate with on a song in the future?

A) That’s a tough choice; there’s so many artists out there that would be a dream to work with! At the moment, I’d say writing/performing a vocal for a Röyksopp tune is at the top of my list. I’d also love to do an EDM collaboration with Alan Walker.

Q) What album/band are you currently listening to and why do you dig them?

A) Lately I’ve become a huge Grimes fan, listening to both her current and past work. I love how experimental and unique she is as an artist; she isn’t afraid to confidently express her own style and it seems to have no limitations. My favorite artists tend to be ones that literally create their own genre in the music industry.

Q) You are a part of social media. Why is that such an important way for you to connect with your fans?

A) Social media is one of the main ways people discover music these days, so it’s important to have accessibility to your music on all of the common platforms. It’s also how you can tell the story of your music, communicate your brand and artistry, and how you can operate a thriving business.

Q) What would you like to say to everyone who is a fan and supporter of you and your work?

A) I’d love to say thank you for supporting me; I couldn’t do my dream job for a living without my fans!