Laur Elle released her debut album Delayed Reaction last month, collaborating with Father Bobby Townsend, who she has worked with since starting her career. Having worked on the album for one-and-a-half years, Laur Elle has released music videos for her songs The Man, Easy Way Out, The Morning Song and Lost Cause, with John Barrett filming and Tatiana Zagorac directing and editing. In August, Laur Elle performed at the Troubadour in Los Angeles as co-headline alongside Holden Miller, which was her first-ever full show in LA, and her upcoming plans are writing more music this year, and she is set to release a deluxe version of Delayed Reaction in 2024, as well as touring in the early part of the year. Speaking with Laur Elle, she told us about her debut album Delayed Reaction, collaborating with Father Bobby Townsend on the release and co-headlining Troubadour in Los Angeles alongside Holden Miller.
How did you feel releasing your debut album Delayed Reaction on 13th October?
Friday the 13th has been my lucky day since I was a kid, so the timing couldn’t have been more perfect for my first album release. I am so excited that it’s out!
Can you tell us about the album and what do you hope listeners take from the songs?
The album is an emotional road trip that mirrors my real-life road trip, moving from Canada to LA. Each song on the album is a stop along the way. I think any time major change has happened in my life it kind of forces me to reflect on my life as a whole. This album is a deep dive into my past relationships and my relationship with myself. Any time I release music, I do so with the hope that it finds the people who need it. The ultimate goal has always been genuine connection. If I can help bring a little bit of joy and understanding to someone else who might be going through a similar situation then I feel like I have done my job as an artist.
What was it like deciding on the tracklist and hearing the finished album for the first time?
Deciding on the tracklist took longer than I’d like to admit. I wanted it to both energetically feel like it flowed right, but the story of it all needed to make sense, so it took a lot of finessing, haha. As soon as I got my masters back, I went for a run and listened all the way through, and it was the most satisfying and relieving feeling in the world. I’m truly really proud of the record.
How long were you working on the album, and what was it like collaborating with Father Bobby Townsend on the release?
The whole album took about a year-and-a-half. I love working with Father Bobby Townsend. We have been working together since the start of my music career, so we have built a lot of trust over the years. The whole process felt very natural. We decided with this record we wanted to push the sonic boundaries and take a “whatever we are feeling in this moment” approach to each song, so we really had a lot of fun working on this project.
Who do you think will enjoy listening to Delayed Reaction, and how would you describe your sound?
I like to think the album is for everyone, or at least there is a song for everyone on the record. Genre-wise, the album blends everything from rock to folk to country to hyperpop. Lyrically, I think the record really connects with people going through major changes, whether it’s a move or a breakup or just a big transition period.
What was it like filming music videos for your songs The Man, Easy Way Out, The Morning Song, and Lost Cause?
Hectic! But so incredibly fun. We shot three of them within a week of each other and had planned all of them two weeks prior. The videos were filmed by John Barrett and directed and edited by Tatiana Zagorac. It was all last minute but the whole crew had such positive energy and made the whole experience something I will never forget.
In August, you performed at Troubadour in Los Angeles alongside Holden Miller, how was this?
I was so nervous! I couldn’t stop thinking about how many incredible artists have performed in that venue before. It was my first ever full show in LA, and I had a blast. The turn out was amazing, and everyone made me feel so at home. Holden is an incredibly talented artist and friend (and even made an appearance in one of the music videos) so I really loved that we had the chance to co-headline.
Is there anything you enjoy most about writing and recording your own music?
I started writing when I was younger because it helped me make sense of the world and my emotions. I think writing my own music still makes me feel that way. It’s an outlet for my thoughts, and it feels like an artistic extension of me in a certain period of time in my life.
How did you get into music, and was it something you always wanted to do?
I found music later in life. I started off doing gymnastics and competed nationally until I was about 16. I always loved listening to music, and I used to write poetry, but it wasn’t until I was in university to become a teacher that I started writing songs. I became obsessed with songwriting, and everything started to snowball soon after I finished school.
What are some of your favourite music artists to listen to?
Honestly, that changes so much depending on the day and my mood. But lately, I keep coming back to Charlie Martin’s Imaginary People record. It’s so good!
Do you have any upcoming plans that you can tell us about, and what are you hoping the rest of 2023 brings for you?
I’ll be in the studio writing a lot more this year and touring early next year. Plus, there will be a deluxe version of the album out in early 2024! But for now, I am going to take a moment to soak up some time with friends and family and just enjoy the moment, post album release.
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