Hiya James Laurent, thanks for joining us in the virtual RGM lounge today. Grab a brew and take a seat.
Hey, thank you, it’s a pleasure to be here!!
Thanks for joining us today… Tell us bit about where you are from and how you got into music?
Well I’ve always been very upfront about this, music was not some life long dream I am currently living, it started as something I enjoyed, then became something I was good at, and now has turned into a craft I am truly passionate about.
That being said I am from Milwaukee, Wisconsin born and raised! I didn’t even have an inkling of a thought about music until I was 17. I played soccer for 14 years and had a few D1 college offers to play and I was a professional prospect in Sweden. About 2 months before my pro tryout, I tore my ACL and never played soccer again.
I ended up addicted to the pain pills, a habit which took years to truly shake.
What’s the live music scene like in Los Angeles right now? Anyone we should be looking out for
I think it’s just as thriving as always, however I am quite possibly the worst person to ask about this haha. I actually have not attended a concert that i wasn’t playing at in around 8 or 9 years. I genuinely prefer to spend my time in my room alone working. Very rarely will you see James Laurent going out to bars or clubs
Whats your favourite social media platform to use and why?
I like instagram the best for posting content & engaging with my fans and followers, however as a consumer I personally prefer youtube or youtube shorts for trying to watch content. I’ve found that youtube just has a longer history of an algorithm of what I like.
We believe its essential to have a presence on Facebook, Instagram and X to introduce yourself to all the different types of audiences out there, what’s your thoughts on that?
I don’t subscribe to this notion, there are artists making a living touring that you and I have never heard of that are on no social media. I find that because that’s where we spend our time or discover new artists, we assume that must be true for everyone else.
What’s your view on the Music industry today?
I am disgusted by it, that is the biggest part of why as an engineer I switched to post-production. Music is by all accounts dead in my eyes, perhaps I’m bitter or scorned, but I truly think the state of the industry has degraded past being recoverable.
Whats the biggest thing you have learned recently as you progress with your music?
I think the most impactful to my current sound has been learning how to harmonize my vocals and create vocal stacks. I’ve really taken the pop in pop-punk and expanded on it and pushed it as far I could. I love taking genres and blending aspects from them together, I’m not the type of person to have a favorite genre, or artist, I simply like good songs.
What’s currently in your ears and on rotation at the moment?
Aside from myself, I have been listening to any live video of jutes, as well as most of Wesghost’s discography, however as I’ve been ramping up rehearsing for my live shows and also trying to finish my 4th album and turn it in for March, I have not been listening to others all that much.
What was your worst experience on stage? Any funny stories to share?
I’ve actually only done 6 shows in my 10 year journey, 4 of them were to less than 10 people so nothing really that exciting to report. I’m now practicing to perform my live shows with a backing track so I’m sure I’ll have a different answer to that question after some of my shows coming up
I hear you have new music. What can you tell us about it?
Always, I am about to release my 3rd album “Poems from a Playboy” which is album #3 in my
4 albums in 4 months release schedule I’ve been on. I made all of them entirely in my bedroom, with the first 2 albums charting globally on iTunes & a #1 on Amazon Music’s new releases.
What was the recording process like?
I record, mix, and master all of my own music in my bedroom, so the process for writing & recording new music is just pulling up an instrumental on Pro Tools, setting up a mic, turning off the lights and just going. I never really have a plan or anything prepared.
Would you change anything now it’s finished?
Never!
Is there anything else you would like to share with the world?
My behind the scenes documentary “Diary of a Degen Z” is coming soon on youtube showcasing the unfiltered behind the scenes of an independent 90 day album rollout!
FOLLOW HIM HERE
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