Meet Lauren Joy | Musician – Neo Soul/Indie/Pop

We had the good fortune of connecting with Lauren Joy and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Lauren, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
I think sometimes in life we are given a pretty intense hand. What we do with that though is 100% left to us to decide and for me this meant finding a very neglected facet of self love, filling that void with growth and empathy, and in return being able to truly immerse myself into what I see as success in my life – The elevation of others. I want to help change the narratives that are hindering our quality of life, and replace them with momentum to be victorious over the difficulties or hardships we face. Success to me is collective, and I am inspired daily by the actions of those choosing to step into their alignment and create powerful vibrations for us all to pull from!
Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
There is no glow more powerful than a Phoenix determined to rise from the ashes and conquer her life, through transparent eyes of love. I emanate this in the conduit of music, and have chosen to live out loud in all that I create. This has been quite the experience musically, and no part of it has been linear. There have been many major successes, tours, festivals, and bands, and on the flip side there has been writer’s block, the inability to see fans as dollar signs and in return being turned down for shows based on them needing me to see people as ticket sales, a divorce from my drummer and life in Fort Collins, and the reestablishing of my new life over the past 5 years, in Boulder.
I have been through rape, abuse, drug addiction, and an eating disorder, so I chose to take all of these moments and write about them, potentially to diffuse these labels and help others (especially women) to say I AM ENOUGH! I do not feel possessive over anything I write, because I feel like I am only the vessel in which these messages are channeled through. They are here as guides to help anyone that needs that support, and they can be interpreted in any way that is conducive to their healing. I’m an advocate for empathy, and an energy immersed in the light, so my hope is that my shows hold a cathartic experience to shed our pain together so we can bring in a kaleidoscopic glow of luminosity in return.
If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Oh Boulder, how you have captivated my soul! I don’t think there is a place here that I wouldn’t want to take my most beloved friends and family to, but I would say in the most ideal week I would take them to see some live music at the Pearl Street Pub on Monday night, then taco hopping on Tuesday at Centro, Bar Taco, and My Neighbor Felix. We would then enter a food coma on Wednesday, and perhaps go on a stroll later to shop at the amazing local stores on Pearl Street. Thursday we would be breaking said food coma with my favorite restaurant in the city, Aloy Thai, followed by a refreshing beverage and great company at Vision Quest Brewery. Friday and Saturday are typically reserved for playing or seeing live music, so most likely it would be starting at License No. 1 for cocktails and then hopping over to the Boulder Theater or the Fox Theatre to shake off the calories from the week! I LOVE football so although this would be at home, with lots of yummy eats, Sunday is all about cheering on our Broncos boys!
The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would never have been able to navigate this journey without my friends, family, workplace, and fans!
To my mother and father, Adele & Michael – Thank you for showing me what unconditional love really feels like! No matter what we have faced, you have given me the opportunity to see that this way of living is the answer to everything. You have instilled strength in me and supported my dreams, my message, and my heart! I admire you both more than you will ever know and am so grateful you are my parents!
To my brother, Evan – As you have said to me, you are MY North Star and mentor. You are an extraordinary man, who puts the lives of others ahead of your own. You embody making a difference in this life, and there isn’t a day that goes by that I am not in awe of the man that you are! Thank you or being the best big brother a sister could ever have!
To the love of my life, Marc – You showed up at the perfect moment and looked at a woman, who at the time felt very broken, with nothing but the want to help her know that real men DO exist. You’ve been my rock, my inspiration, my reason to laugh again, and the best thing to ever happen to me. We are beyond lucky to have found each other in such a vast mix of people, and I know our love is the real deal babe. It is messy, it is fun, and there isn’t another person that could ever make me feel the way that I do for you!
To my besties – in no particular order – (Claire, Ashley, Robin, Amanda, Jillian, Kacie, Jordan, Kuvy, and Luke) – I never dreamed I would find a soul tribe that would love and accept me as I am (perfectly unstrung flaws and all), and who would be there to celebrate my wins and losses with wide open hearts! You have given me tough love when you knew I could grow, helped me to remember the woman that I am, and always offered a soft place to land when I needed it most! You are my oxygen, my water, my world.
To my places of work, Madison House & ROOT: the good food agency – Thank you for bringing me in as apart of your team and family! You have made it possible for me to be immersed in my dreams and keep me inspired daily by your innovative thinking, resilience during trying times, and a level of integrity that is always on an 11!
AND to those who haven’t been mentioned (which I could fill up this whole magazine pouring out my feels for), thank you for believing in me, and for being the reasons behind why I want to help change this life for the better!!
I love you ALL!!!
Website: Being rebuilt but Coming SOON!
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurenjoymusic/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lauren.joyster
Image Credits
Photo 1: Kacie Berman
Photo 6: Davey Daydream of Good Dream Co.
Photo 12: Davey Daydream of Good Dream Co.