INTERVIEW: LAU
LAU
The Photo Ladies Interview - by Emily May
Photo credit: Yanny Tokyo
Music is often an outlet for expression, and for Argentian-born and Barcelona-based artist Laura Fares, better known as LAU, she channeled her emotions following the split from her partner of 9 years into her debut solo album Believer. “The whole album talks about everything I went through last year, breaking up after nine years… the disappointments, the lies, the heartache, the sadness, that sense of being completely lost and having to find yourself again,” she itemizes. Her love for synthwave/retrowave music has led her to blend New Wave, Sythwave, and Electro Pop styles with her own melodic hooks to create her sound. Having had a love for music from a young age, she taught herself drums and guitar at the age of 17, and following college in the UK, she became an in-demand songwriter and set out on tour as a session drummer for various artists such as Sam Sparro, Ricky Martin, and Taio Cruz. Fares spent many years behind-the-scenes, writing and performing for other artists, and with Believer, she has decided to start writing music for herself, showcasing herself as a solo artist. “Deep inside, I always knew I was a songwriter,” she explains, “but my career as a session drummer and DJ/producer took me to different places and ended up working with different artists. Now I think it's time for me to truly and openly express who I am, what I'm going through, and what I have to say. I hope some people will connect with that.” In addition to writing and performing music for herself and others, she is also the co-founder of the synthpop label Aztec Records, formed in 2010 with friend Ariel Amejeiras, which has launched the careers of NINA and Bright Light Bright Light, amongst others. In 2014, Aztec Music Publishing was formed as a way of managing and expanding the Aztec Records catalog more effectively to pursue placements in tv, film, and advertisements, and last year, the Spanish-speaking sub-label called Aztec Latin was launched. Fares recently relocated to Barcelona and has been busy recording some collaborations and getting her live show together, with the hopes that live shows will return soon. Believer was released on February 12th via Aztec Records on vinyl, cassette, and CD-R in an original and Deluxe edition. The Deluxe version of the album includes remixes by some of the top producers in the genre like Luke Million, Sunglasses Kid, Droid Bishop, Popcorn Kid, Maethelvin, Highway Superstar, and newcomer talent Austin Apologue and also includes an exclusive cover version of a Haim’s “Now I’m In It”, reworked by Friday Night Firefight. You can connect with LAU via the following links.
Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify | SoundCloud | YouTube | Bandcamp | Aztec Records
You taught yourself drums and guitar at the age of 17 and following college in the UK, you went off on tour as a session drummer for various pop stars. What can you tell me about starting out as a session drummer, as opposed to launching your own music career, and how the opportunity came about? What was it like for you to travel the world at that age, and what do you feel that you learned from your travels and experiences with other artists that have helped you in your career?
I was always fascinated by the drums, so to be a session drummer and tour the world was a dream come true. I moved to the UK in 1999 and I went to University to study music. As soon as I got my degree I got lots of auditions and started drumming for big acts like Sam Sparro, Taio Cruz, Big Black Delta, Ricky Martin, and others. Playing for major artists taught me a lot and was very inspiring. I met some incredibly talented musicians, visited amazing places, and played in some legendary stages and tv shows. It was a fantastic few years of my life as a session drummer, but I realized I needed (and wanted) to create something more permanent, something more "me". So I simultaneously started to develop my producing and songwriting skills with different projects.
You have discussed being drawn early on to the Synthwave/Retrowave scene and feel that the synth-pop sound is a nostalgic sound that immediately takes you back to your childhood. What does that nostalgia look like for you and how do you feel it presents itself in your music?
I think that characteristic 80s synth sound is always very present in my music. I grew up listening to Madonna, Queen, Tears for Fears, Roxette, and they really marked me as a songwriter. Strong melodies supported by lots of harmonies were always something important to me as a songwriter. I also love the aesthetic 80s element, it just brings lovely memories and I think it's timeless.
You recently launched your solo career, after years of writing, producing, and performing for other artists. You have said that a mistake you feel that you have made was not to believe in yourself earlier and to just now launch your solo career. Why do you feel that you lacked self-confidence before now and how do you feel that your experiences over the past year led you to decide that now was the moment to do so?
I think when you're a creator you put yourself in a vulnerable position, as you're exposing yourself and your emotions, and it's always easier to "hide" to avoid any disappointments, and looking back, I think I was kind of doing that subconsciously. I didn't have the courage to present myself as an artist back then. I guess I didn't really believe in myself fully... my voice, my looks, my age. It was a journey that took years... to finally believe in what I have to offer as a solo artist and to trust my voice and my craft. That's why I decided to call my debut album 'Believer'.
You recently released your debut solo album Believer, which deals with everything you have been through over the past year and breaking up with your partner of 9 years. What was it like for you, through the writing of this album, to go on the journey of finding yourself again? What have you discovered about yourself in the process?
It was a very cathartic process to write this album and to pour all my emotions into it. I always say it was like therapy to me. There are some songs in my album that made me cry for 2 weeks non-stop while writing them. But even though it was a painful process, I'm very happy with the final result and I hope people will connect with each song and the lyrics. Each track on the album portrays a different stage in that separation process, from the disappointment and initial disbelief to the more hopeful songs of acceptance and wanting to fall in love again. I finally realized that after all the pain, disappointments, and heartache, I was right where I should be. Life had taken me where I needed to be, to learn whatever I needed to learn about myself and about my music. To find me again after having "lost myself" in a relationship for so long.
What can you tell me about the artwork for Believer and how you met and came to work with illustrator Joe Cramer? What inspired the design?
There's a photo by Yanny Tokyo that I really wanted to use as the cover of the album, but I wanted an iconic 80s looking illustration, so I asked Joe if he could come up with something (he's also based in Barcelona). He did a fantastic job illustrating me and captured the vibe immediately, he got inspired by classic 80s album covers. I'm really pleased with the final result.
You have said that deep down inside, you always knew you were a songwriter. After writing for other artists for so many years, what has it been like for you to write and express yourself through your own songs? How do you feel the two processes differ?
It's been a very revealing and cathartic process, finally using my songs to express my own emotions and to connect with the audience in a more direct way. Finding out where my voice would take me and not holding back. This is a much more personal process now and puts me in a more vulnerable position, opening up my heart and emotions publicly, but it's all worth it. I loved writing for others, but sometimes it wouldn't sound exactly like I envisioned it, whereas, with my own album, I had complete creative control over the sound, lyrics, and aesthetic.
In 2010 you started your label Aztec Records with Ariel Amejeiras and in 2014, Aztec Music Publishing was formed as a way of managing and expanding the Aztec Records catalog more effectively to pursue placements in tv, film, and advertisements. What do enjoy about running your own label and what led you to expand into tv, film, and advertisements? What can you tell me about the Spanish-speaking sub-label called Aztec Latin that was launched last year?
It's been an incredible journey running a label with one of my best friends (and I still love it!). I got to learn a lot about the music business and how to develop artists and point their careers in the right direction. The label started as a passion project initially, and after a few years, we started growing as a business. We now employ over 10 people and have offices in the UK, Spain, and Argentina, and represent over 30 artists worldwide. The Publishing side was very important for us to grow as a business, placing music in tv, ads, film, and games and has allowed us to continue to invest in developing and releasing new talent. Last year we made the decision to launch Aztec Latin to release and promote Synthpop and Electronic music purely in Spanish and it's been going great, we're super excited about it all.
What can you tell me about your move to Barcelona and what you love and find inspiring about the city?
After 21 years in London, I felt that it was time to move on to a new place to have a fresh start, and Barcelona was the perfect choice for me. I have friends here, I speak Spanish, I love the warm weather, the beach, the food, the outdoor sports, so it was an easy decision to make. As much as I love London and I'll always be very connected to that city, I had to listen to my heart and make the change when was needed, so I can continue to be inspired, creative, and happy.
You recently released your first-ever music video for "True". What was the experience like for you and what can you tell me about the idea behind the video? Do you have plans to shoot more music videos?
We had lots of fun filming my first video. It was directed by Lluis Miras and we shot in Barceloneta Beach and in the Gothic Quarter, where I live. I always like to clone myself in my home-videos and we wanted to try the same concept for this one. It took 3 days to film all the scenes and the final scene where the ball hits my face nearly broke my nose... but we got the shot we wanted! We already started planning the next video, but I can't say much about it yet.
What do you hope people take away from your music?
I hope that my music will brighten up their day, or might make them want to dance or help them reflect about a certain situation. Whatever it is, I hope they connect with the music, the lyrics and the emotion I put into all my songs.
What's next for you? What are your goals, post-pandemic?
I'm recording some collaborations at the moment, and I'm starting to get my live show together, maybe do some streaming shows and I keep dreaming of touring again one day. Fingers crossed!