5 Q&A With LAUREN WANAMAKER
What was the creative process like for this particular 'Rest & Reprieve?’
I had been sitting on at least 2 of these songs for a few years. I had also not been actively performing my own music for quite some time, writing on my own with no real creative outlet, so I was actually feeling pretty self-conscious and afraid of committing to these songs. My friend and producer on this project were critical in helping me think creatively about what they could become and I’m very grateful for that. I came in with the songs written, and we worked together to bring them to life. It started as a way for me to simply get them down on record for myself and ultimately, they became very cohesive and complementary to one another—much more than I ever anticipated.
Can you talk about any specific themes or motifs that run throughout 'Rest & Reprieve?’
I remember visualizing a top spinning when I was writing some of these—that visual of someone or something picking you up and setting you into motion…not being in control and being unable to slow down or stop. That’s definitely a common theme. The idea of not quite being complete, or feeling uneasy with your current state of being is another idea I found myself revisiting through these songs—feeling stuck and unsure of how to fix yourself.
Which song(s) from the EP do you think best represents your artistic vision?
Artistic vision is something I am still working out, and actually I think the release of this EP has helped me really hone that vision, one that will hopefully be more realized in future projects. But, most of the time I think I’m going for a certain mix of existentialism, sarcasm and surrealism. There’s a sense of familiarity, but you’re not 100% sure of what’s going on—and there definitely is a lot of “unseriousness” under the serious tone of most of these songs. With that being said, I would say “Like a Dog” and “The Other Side” are probably the songs on the EP that best represent this.
What's your favorite part about performing live? How do you connect with your audience during a performance?
The space that is carved out during a live performance is really special. There’s nothing else like it. Connection happens when someone is willing to be vulnerable, so that’s always my priority—focusing on giving all of myself to the performance, knowing that someone might connect with it in their own way.
Is there a specific song that holds a particularly special meaning to you? Can you share the story behind it?
The title track, “Rest & Reprieve” is unique in that it is entirely personal. Most of my songs include some elements of my own experiences, but I usually end up in a much more ambiguous, out-of-body kind of place. This song touches on a very specific painful experience I had as a kid and how that experience continues to impact me today. But it’s also about finding safety and security in someone that I love—the feeling of someone who sees you and stops you, letting you finally catch your breath.