Laura Oakes Interview by Christian Lamitschka for Country Music News International Magazine & Radio Show
Lamitschka:
Music has many new fans throughout Europe who may be hearing about you
for the first time. How would you describe yourself and the music you
play to someone who has never seen or heard you?
Answer: My
music is for any fans of Kacey Musgraves, Martina McBride and Maren
Morris. It’s inspired by both Country Music and Electronic Pop Music in
equal measure.
Lamitschka: How was the last year for you? What were your highlights?
Answer: The
last year has been a busy one and so much fun. I think one of my
biggest highlights was recording my new music and releasing my latest
single Welcome To The Family.
Lamitschka:
Your current single is being played by radio. What do you feel is
special about this song that makes people want to hear it?
Answer: The
special thing about this song is that so many people will be able to
relate to it. It’s about family and specifically, the weird, quirky side
that every family has but you don’t really see in anyone else’s unless
you’re part of it.
Lamitschka: What kind of songs do you like to record the most?
Answer: I
love songs about real, everyday life. As boring as that might sound,
everyday life is extraordinary a lot of the time. Love, family, this
wonderful world we live on and kindness are all part of everyday life –
but completely extraordinary too. I think if you can be aware of that,
it makes life really special.
Lamitschka: How much creative control do you have over your music?
Answer: I
have a lot of creative control over my music and it’s something I feel
very fortunate to have. I co-produced all of my new music including my
latest single with my wonderful friend and co-producer Alex Lanyon and
it meant I could have a lot of input on the exact shape of the sound.
Lamitschka: Who inspires you musically and how deep do your musical roots run?
Answer: Very
Deep! I’m from a huge, very musical family – which I guess is no
surprise with a family from Liverpool with Irish Heritage. My Nan was a
mandolin player, she taught my Mum who in turn taught me and I learned
to sing by listening to my Mum singing on stage growing up. She was my
first musical inspiration – I remember really hearing her singing voice
for the first time when I was younger and just thought it was the best
thing ever. Martina McBride and Dixie Chicks had a huge impact on me too
growing up and more recently I’m inspired by Kacey Musgraves, Ingrid
Andress and The 1975. As well as all of my wonderful peers in the UK
Country scene who constantly inspire me.
Lamitschka:
As an artist, you so many tasks such as recording, touring, interviews.
What do you like best, what’s your favorite activity?
Answer: It’s
really hard to pick – but it’s between playing festivals and recording
new music. Festivals are such a challenge because you’re playing to so
many people who haven’t heard your music before and you have usually
about 30 minutes to win them over – I love that challenge! And when it
goes well it’s incredible rewarding. Recording is really special for me
though because you get to go into so much depth with every sound and
make what has been spinning around in your head come to life for the
first time.
Lamitschka: Are you doing anything to take music beyond its current borders or are you happy where it is?
Answer: I’m
always trying to take my music to places it hasn’t been before and one
of the things I’m most excited about is my very first tour of Germany in
February 2020! I’m playing in Munich, Cologne, Berlin and Hamburg and I
can’t wait!
Lamitschka: What inspired you to become an artist?
Answer:
It was never a conscious decision to become an artist. I didn’t wake up
one day thinking ‘right, I’m going to become an artist now’. It
happened so naturally out of sheer love for singing. I had sang from
very young and I was just constantly trying to find as many ways I could
keep singing.
Lamitschka: What inspired you to become a songwriter?
Answer: When
I learned to play guitar was when I realised I had everything I needed
to write songs. Songwriting when I was a teenager was a way of me
express myself. I was an incredibly shy teenager and songwriting was a
way for me to process my feelings without having to tell anybody about
it through talking which at the time was daunting.