Next Wave #1012: Lauran Hibberd

In Association With Vero True Social

The Isle of Wight’s Lauran Hibberd has a new single out, ‘How Am I Still Alive?’ with Lydia Night (from The Regrettes). The music video was released last week, as well as a UK tour announcement. Her influences include The Smashing Pumpkins and Phoebe Bridgers.

Lauran’s start in music was almost accidental. Lauran says, “I was recklessly looking for a hobby, because I seemed to suck at most things that I did. I was like, ‘There's got to be something in the world that I'm good at’. So I started taking guitar lessons. And, by lesson four, I was super obsessed… And then I just didn't put it down after that. I just became obsessed with being able to play an instrument. Then, shortly after that, I started singing.”

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Lauran’s sound was more folk-inspired when she first started. “I think that's what just came most naturally to me, because I was given an acoustic guitar, so I thought, ‘OK, you know, it's just me and a guitar’. And that’s what naturally lends itself to the folk genre. I think that's just what I thought I could do with what I had. I just wasn't aware that I could make songs I wrote with me and an acoustic into these fun, garage rock tracks. I just didn't know that I could do that, until I met a producer on the Isle of Wight called Beau Weaver. They gave me a Weezer record and I was like, ‘Woah, this is amazing’.”

“Normally, I start with a song title,” Lauran describes her songwriting process. “I have a list of notes on my phone and with loads of words that I think sounds cool…I definitely write better when there's a subject or story… so I'm definitely a conceptual writer. The first melody that comes out of my mouth, the first weird thing I say, is normally the starting point.,” Lauran explains.

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So where do the ideas for songs come from? “Really random corners of my mind. I like to write about things that other people would never dream of writing a song about. So I guess maybe my songs aren't profound. I'm not like Coldplay writing about how science changed my life and the sky is so beautiful at night.

“I’ll write about what it's like when you have got three quid in your bank and your boyfriend's an idiot. That's my reality. That's what I find easier to write about. I'm just a normal person with normal issues and worries and I'm a bit of a bit of a weirdo as well. I find odd things funny, and I like to write about that and I like to make people feel a bit uncomfortable.”

“‘How Am I Still Alive?’ was written in the lockdown. The verses are about being in lockdown.” She was inspired by her experience with social anxiety and thinking about life post-lockdown. Lauran’s new EP is called ‘Goober’. It's out in July. “It's a five track EP. Most of the songs were written in lockdown…I'm very excited to release,” Lauran tells us.

Lauran is recording her debut album in November, which is “super exciting”. “I'm off to LA to record that.” What else is Lauran looking forward to? “Headline tours and support tours and festivals and just getting back to gigging and somewhat of a normal life would be great,“ she says.

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Words: Narzra Ahmed
Photo Credit: Fraser Taylor

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