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Photo: Beatrice Helman 

Ever had one of those awkward moments where you think you know someone and when they send you music... everything changes? Well, that's what happened to us with Gemma Laurence and her new single "Lavender," and because we knew her as a genuine lover and promoter of great music, we were so curious to dig into her sound as an artist that we just had to reach out to her to learn more.

Ones To Watch: Who is Gemma Laurence?  

Gemma Laurence: I’m an indie artist, I’m queer, and I use she/her pronouns. I grew up on the coast of Maine and I now live in Brooklyn. I work in the music industry and also make music. If I were to describe my genre, it’d be Sapphic folk. Biggest sonic influences would be Joni Mitchell, Norah Jones, Adrianne Lenker, Phoebe Bridgers, and Gregory Alan Isakov. I was on Jimmy Fallon one time (that was crazy). I love crunchy Cheetos and binging Stranger Things with my Dad (apparently I’m a Robin).

What is "Lavender" all about? 

“Lavender” is a song about celebrating queerness and embracing who you are. I wrote it for my best friend after she came out as trans, and it’s a love song for her. It can be so incredibly challenging to come out, to change your pronouns, to experience dysphoria, or to not feel seen. I wanted to write a song that would honor the hardships and the trauma of coming out and transitioning but also celebrate the beauty of it too. It’s an “I love you,” and it’s an “I see you.” I may have written it for my best friend, but I hope it can be an anthem for the queer community too. 

You have a very romantic, laid-back sound here, but lyrically, it's a little anxious. Was that deliberate? 

Funnily enough, not really! I’m very much drawn to these very romantic, lush acoustic soundscapes when I create music (especially in songs like “Adrienne,” which I released last year), incorporating lots of layered acoustic instruments and harmonies, tape-saturated field recordings of birds and nature sounds, references to queer poets here and there. I’m a hopeless romantic but a tad anxious, so that tends to play into my songwriting. Big Sapphic yearning vibes.

Any collaborators? Who produced the single? 

“Lavender” was recorded, produced, and mixed by my friend Charlie Dahlke (of The Brazen Youth) at Ashlawn Recording Company. “Lavender” actually started out as a solo banjo song, and it was Charlie’s idea to change around the arrangement and make it this rock anthem, which totally changed the game and made it into the song it is now. Studio magic, right? We came in with a folk song and left with this Soccer Mommy-esque banger. That was all Charlie. He sang backing vocals and played bass and piano on the track, and Micah Rubin (also of The Brazen Youth) absolutely killed it on drums on this one. We got Will Orchard into the studio to play lead guitar on it, and I added some banjo at the end to bring it full circle. 

How do you feel your sound has evolved through and since the pandemic? 

I definitely feel like I found my current sound over the course of the pandemic. I had planned to move to NYC in March 2020 but when COVID hit, I moved home for a bit and was holed up on the coast of Maine. I had always wanted to learn how to record my own music, so I enrolled in Berklee Online and started taking courses in music production. I’d always felt like a fish out of water in a recording studio setting, so it felt really empowering to learn the ropes and start developing my own style. I had also started taking banjo lessons with Steve Varney (of Gregory Alan Isakov’s band), who’s been one of my musical heroes for a long time. He helped me workshop pretty much every song on this upcoming album and inspired a ton of confidence in me. Then, of course, getting into the studio and recording the album with a full band was unlike anything I’d ever done before. My first album, Crooked Heart, was very stripped back and bare. My new sound feels much more fleshed out and lush.

Can we expect more of this style in the future, potentially on an upcoming album? 

Absolutely! I’ve got a new album coming out this Fall and there’s a pretty big variety of vibes across the record. We’ve got some soft Sapphic folky tracks, some bigger rock n roll queer anthems, a Norah Jones-y jazz ballad, an Americana/alt-country bop. There’s something for everyone.

Besides this excellent single, what else should we be on the lookout for? 

Well, I just announced (!) that my sophomore album, Lavender, will be coming out on Better Company Records on November 4! This album holds an incredibly special place in my heart. I am so proud of each of these songs. I’ll be putting out some more music between now and then too, so keep an eye out. 

What’s inspiring you right now outside of music? 

I read a LOT. I was an English major in college and both my parents are writers, so I’m always devouring books. I recently finished Crying In H-Mart, which was hands down my favorite memoir I’ve ever read (shoutout to Michelle Zauner for being good at everything). Also revisiting a lot of poetry from Ocean Vuong, Ada Límon, Joy Harjo, and Federico García Lorca. Outside of books, I’m kind of in this nesting phase of my life right now. I moved into a new apartment in Brooklyn with my two best friends this past year and I’ve really enjoyed settling into my new home and decorating the space, finding artwork, pottery, plants, and furniture. I spend the vast majority of my time working in my apartment, so creating a space that feels cozy has been super important for my creative process, my work, and my mental health.

Your soapbox, anything you wanna say? 

Protect trans rights!!

Who are your Ones To Watch? 

I’m totally obsessed with Reliant Tom right now. Her music is amazing, her live performance is incredible, her choreography slaps. partygirl is doing amazing stuff with their platform. I’ve been listening to Legwurk’s debut EP on repeat. I’m a huge fan of Babehoven and Pictoria Vark too.