Lauren Jenkins

Lauren is a talented singer songwriter and actor who music I love and her performance in Deadline is why I discovered her amazing talent in the first place. She is a talent to watch out for and is going places so read on.

http://www.lauren-jenkins.com/

1. How did you get into music?

When I was old enough to barely talk my dad would drag me to concerts and play these great records really loud. What started as a good bonding experience turned into the foundation for my passion for music. When I was 15 I taught myself to play guitar and began writing songs and playing in venues up and down the east coast. I had an instant and unshakeable love for telling stories and performing and I haven’t turned back since.

2. How is music different to your acting?

I love storytelling and both acting and music are an outlet for me to do that. The cool thing about my music is I am able to tell my own stories from my personal life. When someone has a connection to my songs it’s one of the best feelings. Whenever I’m acting or writing songs the most important thing to me is being truthful. I think that an honest performance, no matter the medium, is the most satisfying.

3. What was it like working on Deadline?

I was really thankful for the opportunity to work on Deadline. I really believed in the story and that was more important to me than the size of the budget. I’ve worked on indie films with tight budgets and productions with multimillion dollar budgets. Deadline was a great experience because the cast and crew were really good people. I remember once when I was having a tough day and Eric Roberts was so helpful and supportive. Those kinds if experiences are ones I’ll never forget..

5. What inspires you when writing music?

Ive had a fair share of ups and downs and I’ve traveled quite a few miles. Anytime I go through something that has high emotional content I have an urge to write about it. All of my songs, whether about a breakup or an exciting adventure come from my life material. Whenever I write my goal is to tell the story with honestly and maintain a high level of craftsmanship. I think well written songs can withstand the test of time, whereas cliched songs may be a hit for a minute, but eventually fizzle. I want to write songs that really have something to say and say it well.

6. How do you get your ideas for song structure?

I was really lucky to start writing with award winning songwriter Trey Bruce a few years ago. He really helped me develop my song writing ability and he showed me tools I needed to write songs well. I’ve always had a knack for creative writing, but working with Trey really has helped me polish my skills.

7. What is it like writing in Nashville?

In Nashville every place you walk into there is at least 5 songwriters in the room, which can be cool and at times intimidating. I’m really careful about who I write with because my material is really personal and I want to tell my story with a high level of craftsmanship. Recently I went to a write with Trey Bruce and Richard Marx and I was blown away. Both Bruce and Marx are such professionals so I felt really honored to learn from them and to write a fantastic song with those guys.

8 What has been the highlight so far?

I was accepted to study in the full time acting program at the William Esper Studio in NYC with Bill Esper for a year and it was one of the most substantial moments of my life. Right after I completed my first year I also signed a record deal with Big Machine Record Label. I still jump out of bed in the morning and can’t believe that my hard work has led me to these opportunities. I’m really excited for this next chapter.

9. Do you think the net has played a big part in your music?

I’ve never had a viral video or had a massive online presence. However, the Internet has given me the ability to connect with fans nationally and internationally. It’s really cool to connect with another person from across the world. The net also gives me the ability to hear unknown artists and to get inspiration. I love having good obscure music on my iPod.

10. What do you think it means to connect with your fans?

I keep tabs on all of my social media sites so that I can personally interact with my fans. I think it’s really important that my fans know I appreciate their support. I couldn’t live out my dreams without their help and I’m very grateful. So if someone sends me a tweet I make sure to connect back.

11. How does social networking help you?

Social networking really does allow me to have a personal interaction with the people who believe in me and get what I’m doing. I think it’s really cool that it’s so easy now to be in touch with fans. It wasn’t so long ago that there was this wall between fans and entertainers. Now that wall has pretty much erased and entertainers can have a more personal connection with their fan base.

12. What does 2013 mean to you?

2013 has gone by so fast! I’ve moved from NYC to Nashville and I am in preproduction for my first record. This album is my main priority for the rest of the year.

13. What next for yourself?

A very large black coffee.

I’m in the studio everyday finishing writing the record. I only have a couple more months to finish writing and recording and I’m loving every minute of it.

14. When will hear a release from you?

The beginning of 2014 you’ll be hearing some new releases. Some days when we write a really great song it’s hard not to share it with everyone right away! Ill be putting out the new songs as soon as I can!