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Speaker 1: Welcome to First things first, I'm Maddie Miles. My pronouns are he and him.
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Speaker 2: I'm Brook Blatton and my pronouns are she and her.
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Speaker 1: And before we get started, we'd like to acknowledge the custodians of the land on which we record and today that's the gaddigal people of the Urination.
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Speaker 2: And for me it's a under people of the Colin Nation.
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Speaker 3: Let's let's get into it.
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Speaker 1: Well, this is super exciting because other than just brooken nights down the pod, we have the incredibly talented country music singer Lauren Ryan Nats.
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Speaker 4: Yes, Lauren, Oh my god.
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Speaker 2: This has been a long time coming. We've wanted to have you for a long time.
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Speaker 3: I just I love the both of you together.
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Speaker 4: It's really a joy.
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Speaker 5: To you know, listen to and watch on social media all of the highlights and then you know, deep dive into the podcasts and I'm really proud of both of you and.
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Speaker 1: Here is well we love you so much. Obviously us three are you well aware of who we are, and you know, we've had moments where we've hung out all together and it's just been like you know, firecrackers. The energy is unreal, so I'm super excited that you're in studio with us on our podcast, but also we're.
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Speaker 3: Super proud of you.
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Speaker 1: I feel like there has been, you know, such an incredible trajectory to your career this year that we can get into and talk about, because you know, you've hustled and you've put in the work for you know, over a decade, you've really you know, you've been grinding the gears in the background and also doing the country music circuit for years. But then you did have it. You had a shift from singing R and B and soul back in the day and always being Beyonce's number one fan other than me, So then moving into country. What inspired you to make that shift?
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Speaker 5: My hometown really inspired me to make that shift. I come from Timworth born and raised Adam Gomorroy Country and you know, I'm surrounded by country music. And you know, when you're raised around mob and the music that they listen to, it's just country music all the time. Black community on a on a Friday night and you hear country music.
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Speaker 2: It's so nostalgic as well, like there's not it's not just like the love of country music.
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Speaker 4: I feel like there's a sentiment behind it.
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Speaker 2: As well, like what we we interviewed Troy Cassa daily, he actually spoke so highly of you, Lauren.
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Speaker 4: Yeah, and that.
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Speaker 3: Was we got the cut out version. Don't worry about it was.
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Speaker 2: Such a like, you know, growing up with Troy Cassa daily in your ears, in your household, like and then being able to interview was like such a little moment, full circle moment for me as a little as little brook and then hearing you know, how inspired he is by younger artists coming through and and and their talent, which was including yourself. It's like it's such a it's so beautiful and like wonderful to see that carry you know, that that generation carry on of like inspiration and aspiration and influence as well.
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Speaker 4: Your song suddenly.
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Speaker 2: Actually I don't know how I found it or how it came about, but it just takes me back to knowing where you've come from to where you're going.
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Speaker 4: I don't know, and like I don't know it.
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Speaker 2: Was I've incorporated into like a theater play that I'm like writing in my head and you know, maybe this will come to full fruition one day, and I'd love to use a song, but I just that's crazy, how like all of these worlds collide, and I think music is just such a powerful way.
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Speaker 4: Did you always know that you were.
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Speaker 2: Going to go into music or was it something that you just was all you were always drawn to or what was what's that relationship and how did it start?
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Speaker 3: Yeah?
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Speaker 5: I mean I've always loved music, and I grew up just surrounded by music. It was always on in my house. My sisters sang, my mom sang.
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Speaker 4: Time, and yeah, I felt like it was it was.
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Speaker 5: Something that I was just destined to do. Yeah. So yeah, I've never been so excited by anything else, just just music.
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Speaker 4: And you weren't a sporty girl. Na, music is my thing.
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Speaker 5: No, unfortunately very uncoordinated. Dancing is great if that was some kind of sport around.
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Speaker 4: But sorry, we could dance.
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Speaker 2: Remember when we all got together, we were dancing, were in the kitchen.
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Speaker 4: Yeah, I mean dancing is a sport, isn't it.
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Speaker 1: Well it makes you sweat, so whatever makes you sweat.
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Speaker 4: Whatever's good cardio, Yeah, I dance like it's a sport. Yeah, we love that.
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Speaker 1: I want to go back to like when I first heard you, because I feel like you probably don't even know this, But Lauren came to my school at pill High and she sang in front of the school and I don't know what it was, like what song it was. It might have even been the national anthem back in the day, who knows, But you sang this, she said it shed She absolutely did, because I walked out of there feeling like ill Simon Callen X factor pressing my red button.
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Speaker 3: Yes. Absolutely, but I remember thinking, you.
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Speaker 4: Just have a golden buzzer.
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Speaker 3: Yeah, golden buzzer. That's it. I remember just thinking like, this girl has it, like she has exactly.
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Speaker 1: What is needed to like, you know, make it in the industry. And you know, it's you're finally having your moment when you think about how long, you know, it's taken for you to get to this point, how much work. You know, in one of your songs you say you paid your juwsy you fu can absolutely have. So it's like, what does it feel like to now reflect on you know, all this work, all this you know, effort that you've put in, and he's sitting in this moment where it's like you're having your moment and people are starting to fully hear you around the country.
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Speaker 5: You know, Oh, it feels incredible, and I can't believe you remember that gig. Yeah, I sang at a lot of schools and that was, you know, really.
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Speaker 4: Where I've first started out.
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Speaker 5: And to you know, have that journey from from then to now and have a moment that I've been able to kind of create for myself because people look at it from the outside and think, oh, it's like it's magical.
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Speaker 3: But you've worked so hard, and.
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Speaker 5: You plan things so far in advance, you know, two three years sometimes and you've got all your releases planned and the looks for the releases, and the color scheme for the releases and the video clips, and yeah, it's just it's so much goes into it, and I just feel I feel like it's incredible and I feel so empowered to be able to say what I want to say and make the music I want to make. And I also feel like it's a constant, uncomfortable feeling that growth.
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Speaker 4: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
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Speaker 2: Well, I say you have to get comfortable with being uncomfortable and think in this industry because there's not with I guess music and any creative industry, it's not always like.
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Speaker 4: A smooth journey.
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Speaker 2: It's like constantly like two steps forward or four steps back, like you know, it's kind of always like back and forth.
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Speaker 4: Or the gigs, they all sort of.
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Speaker 2: Work together to elevate where you're going, if not inspire you more, what is your biggest inspiration? Like obviously you sow you know, country music, family, community, culture. What is your biggest inspiration for doing this and being in this industry?
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Speaker 5: Oh?
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Speaker 4: For sure.
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Speaker 5: My biggest inspiration, I would say, is my daughter and my culture and my mob. And I've always wanted to make the people around me proud, the people who have helped me, the people who have dedicated time and energy toward me, you know, reaching certain goals and achievements in my life.
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Speaker 4: How what is your daughter? My baby is.
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Speaker 3: Six years old, Wow, six years old.
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Speaker 5: She just started kindergarten.
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Speaker 4: Charlie Charlie.
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Speaker 5: She sees that name very well. She's a little cheeky Charlie.
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Speaker 2: Charlie's angels yes, forever in my Beyonce Disney's childish exactly.
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Speaker 4: But I feel like, you know, both of you are so ambitious.
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Speaker 5: I've known Maddie for so long and to you know, do the things that you've done within your career and end lif your own platform. Uh, it has been incredible. And Brooke, I know you're highly ambitious as well, and the things that you do, you execute everything that you do with such like beauty and grace and thank you.
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Speaker 2: She is she.
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Speaker 4: Wasn't yesterday.
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Speaker 2: I can tell you that I was horizontal and looking like a homeless person.
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Speaker 4: At smoking Mirors Baby.
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Speaker 5: I thought it was going completely.
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Speaker 3: I don't drinkool.
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Speaker 4: No, we meant to be hyping you up.
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Speaker 2: It's so beautiful because Maddie and I talk about how sorry Maddie, I didn't want to cut you off, how we had this like this feeling that we have been on this planet together before or something where we've met and we we have this weird like we think the same we say the same thing, and we've we've met or like we're siblings that got lost in translation or something like. And I've generally felt the same like similar connection to you and your music as well. Like I feel like it's I don't know if it's culture, if it's community, or if it's mob or whatever. It's like this this knowing of like yeah, like you just know each other without knowing each other, if that makes sense. And I think that's the beauty of your music as well, Like it's so relatable and it's so it just takes me back. It's actually just so nostalgic as well.
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Speaker 1: You let me tell you something because this song that we're hit talk about, which is Hodown, is going to be so relatable to you. You're gonna be blaring this song. You're gonna have it on.
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Speaker 4: The hoe part or the down part.
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Speaker 3: I giving it's both. I just know that you and the gymney driving down.
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Speaker 1: You know, the streets in Melbourne are going to be cranking this song. It's called Hodown.
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Speaker 3: It is out on July July fifth.
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Speaker 2: Oh, you got only a couple of days, okay, so this is exciting.
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Speaker 1: Yes, So July fifth is Hodown. Tell the tell the listeners what is this song about? And and what bitch bitch's neck are you coming for?
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Speaker 4: I was like, where are you going with that? I was like what again? Yes?
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Speaker 2: Please, I need to know more about this song. I haven't heard it obviously, and I'm so excited.
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Speaker 4: Hold down.
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Speaker 5: We we want to dance, but holdown also we want to like slap.
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Speaker 3: Yeah, hold down.
00:10:51
Speaker 4: You know what I've be slapping all them hols.
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Speaker 3: It is so good starting with everyone.
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Speaker 5: Everyone has been like who is this song about it as well? And there's a lyric in it, you know, if the boot fits.
00:11:05
Speaker 4: Oh yeah, she fits. There you go, I'm.
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Speaker 5: Not calling you a bitch, but if the boot fits, those are some lyrics in the song. And I feel like the boot is really fitten for some people, and they would know.
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Speaker 3: I am living. I am living for this.
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Speaker 2: I kind of live for that type of drama through music where it's like, you know, even just with other artists, like in the industry, you're always like, I know who that song? You know, Like Taylor Swift is one of those examples, like she sings about, you know, all of her past breakups and stuff like that.
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Speaker 4: Beyonce, you know, with Lemonade, like that was like I was a.
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Speaker 3: Slap is giving?
00:11:43
Speaker 1: Lemonade is giving you know, it's giving baseball bat down the street?
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Speaker 2: Yeah, okay, that's fine, Okay.
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Speaker 1: But ho doown the writing process. The new sound, their avenue that you're going down is it's exciting, it's brand new. This country hasn't really heard this, this elevation of country music. I would say, to this point, it's a different angle for this country. So how do you feel it feel like it's going to be received.
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Speaker 5: Oh yeah, I definitely would say that it's a new sound. It's carving out a new sound for Australian country music. I think it's going to be received well. I think Australia is ready for this sound. The country music industry is quite small, but the fan base is huge.
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Speaker 2: Well we've seen that grow so much, like Morgan Wollen, Luke Holmes, like you know, we were always into Luke, but like he's come real and not I'm not you know yeah, Like and then obviously Beyonce has also gone back to her roots, which you know, it's such a perfect time, Like is this not perfect?
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Speaker 4: Do you think? Like it works?
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Speaker 2: The world works in such a way that you're like, yeah, this is it.
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Speaker 1: You know, it's so funny, like the world has like created this moment for you, like just a Beyonce fans, we're.
00:13:06
Speaker 2: Ready for you, Lauren, Like we're ready for good time.
00:13:09
Speaker 1: Okay, Beyonce is going to make country you know cool again, cool again, and now it's time for Lauren to inject yourself to the massive.
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Speaker 2: But it was always cool for us mob like you know, we love you know, we were Troy Casa Daily says, you know, we love a love story, you know, or like a heartbroken The more heartbroken the cowboys.
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Speaker 4: The better.
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Speaker 2: But you know I'm always like, well, the more stronger than cowgirls, then yes, get it.
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Speaker 5: And I love I love Beyonce stepping into this world. And I feel like that's a massive help and a big part of the reason I wrote this song is because I was going through lots of racism, lots of racism and in this you know, small industry, you can't afford to burn bridges or be the angry black woman, you know, come back too strong on certain things. And I've had like public humiliation and private apologies, and I just feel like those don't match up.
00:14:13
Speaker 1: And you write those lyrics down into your phone place. Public humiliation and private apologies, they don't match.
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Speaker 4: That's a lyric.
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Speaker 3: That's a lyric.
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Speaker 5: After there was an instance where I was publicly humiliated.
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Speaker 6: But because I'll go bash them right now, it was sit in a room full of about one hundred influences, and so they were all shocked, and there were whispers all around.
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Speaker 5: The room, and this certain person really humiliated not only me, but all of the Gomory people. And it was very racist, and I went to leave the room and they called me out and sort of said, oh, where are you going. I was just about to say something really nice about you, and so I had to then stand in the room for even longer.
00:15:05
Speaker 3: Well, they.
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Speaker 5: Continue to find something nice to say about me after they just really insulted me. So there's just there's a lot of different things. There's been people ask me like how black I want to be for certain things within the country realm, and yeah.
00:15:23
Speaker 3: It's wild.
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Speaker 5: It's while there have been people who didn't want me to speak at certain things because they didn't want me to say anything about like black follows, and so I feel like co Doown is a combination of all of those.
00:15:37
Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, there's a frustration there, right. It's like the thing is, you know your worth, you know what you have to offer, and people trying to curate your sense of identity within the industry is a really tough thing to come up against, because Brook and I get it all the time. You know, Like, even with this platform, it can be hard to have an authentic voice on this channel, not because of our team, but because of what people expect from us, you know. And I think that the industry is shifting, but the country music industry and that part of the industry, that corner is still way behind.
00:16:12
Speaker 5: You know, yeah, at points it is. But also in saying that, with Beyonce stepping into the country world and lifting artists like tener O'Dell and Shaboozi.
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Speaker 4: Shaboozi who's got like.
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Speaker 5: The number one song in Australia right now with a remix of a very hip hop song, those people are accepted and received so well, And yeah, I just I feel like Hodown could be received really well also. But then there are some people who who'll just block, they're racist.
00:16:46
Speaker 1: And they'll control of delete because they want to log off from being accountable and looking at themselves, you know. So like I see that in the industry a lot. You know, you put something out there or you do something, the people who don't want to interact with that, it's a lot of the time becare self reflection. They're not strong enough to go there within themselves.
00:17:02
Speaker 3: So it's like, yeah, you know you're.
00:17:04
Speaker 1: Going to you're going to get that. But I'm excited for the masses to hear it. I'm excited for this song to be Like, I really feel like this song is a.
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Speaker 3: Great radio hit.
00:17:12
Speaker 1: I think that people will you know, enjoy it while while they're in their car and have an emotes a feeling, you know, of empowerment.
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Speaker 4: Yeah, yeah, definitely.
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Speaker 5: I definitely wanted to give that for people to step into their own power the way I've stepped into mind on this song. And yeah, just really just really tell people how it is and stand up for yourself. And in all those moments that I just described, I felt like I didn't stand up for myself and now I'm just like fed up.
00:17:43
Speaker 4: It's enough.
00:17:46
Speaker 3: Well, Hodown have been. You know, we'll be birthed, will be birthed very soon. It's you know, you're all welcome to the label.
00:17:54
Speaker 1: Yeah, but this is your first single post star Maker, so it's a bit of a different sound to Homecoming. It's more I feel like more you know, in your bag as you say, or in the vein of who you.
00:18:11
Speaker 3: Are and what you want to say.
00:18:13
Speaker 1: What does the rest of this era look like? Is it down this same avenue? Are we going down? Authentic voice?
00:18:19
Speaker 3: Fuck you era? This is how I really feel. Are they the vibes?
00:18:23
Speaker 4: Oh yeah, there's.
00:18:24
Speaker 5: There's definitely more. I feel like it's I feel like it's the bounce Back Hoedown series and there are more, they are a more to follow that. It feels like this kind of outlaw dancing on the on the outskirts of you know what might be considered appropriate to say on songs.
00:18:45
Speaker 3: Or things like that.
00:18:46
Speaker 4: Yeah, it's it's going to be really clever.
00:18:48
Speaker 5: It's going to be I have a lot of inspiration from like rap. It could have rappers featured that I'd love to bring into the country space and start doing that. I don't think we've had a rapper feature on a country song. I know Briggs did the shows on the Hill on the Hill with Uncle Troy, which I which I loved, But yeah, I'd love to do I'd love to do a release a moone with with a rapper. One in particular comes to mind, female rapper.
00:19:21
Speaker 2: Oh yeah, Can I ask who is who do you dream of working with in the industry?
00:19:28
Speaker 4: Like what is maybe? Do you your top three?
00:19:31
Speaker 5: Oh? I dream of working with Tanner Adell, who's just featured on The Cowboy Bunny Fake cow Girl apparently, but yeah.
00:19:45
Speaker 4: I'm there too.
00:19:47
Speaker 5: Yeah, definitely Tenor Adele and then Barker, who I absolutely love. I'd love to work with Barker. I'd love to work with.
00:19:56
Speaker 4: Stunning. We've seen him, like, can.
00:19:59
Speaker 3: You mob do ballad?
00:20:00
Speaker 1: Soaring vocals vibes? Because like, as much as I love the idea of you doing a fuck you song with Barker like that is like one hundred percent on repeat for me, I also want to hear your voice with Boudera. Yeah, Like You've got such a beautiful range and such a beautiful tone that you guys together.
00:20:19
Speaker 4: I wish I could sing. I'm so delous say this.
00:20:23
Speaker 3: I think I feel like tune, but I just can't, Like I'm just not the singer.
00:20:28
Speaker 4: Actually, can I ask him some advice around singing, Lauren? Because you're such a beautiful artist.
00:20:34
Speaker 2: So someone who is in their like new music era, what advice would you give them starting out?
00:20:41
Speaker 6: Yeah?
00:20:42
Speaker 4: Or what would you even give your younger Lauren? What would you say to her now?
00:20:48
Speaker 5: I would say, you know, each and every aspiring First Nations artist is on the reader. Don't ever count yourself off the reader. You're special, something.
00:20:58
Speaker 4: To say and something to give.
00:21:02
Speaker 5: So I would just say, you know, figure out everyone says this, figure out what makes you special? I would say, figure out what makes you feel something and run with that, and.
00:21:15
Speaker 4: What showcases you the best?
00:21:18
Speaker 2: You're you're like your authentic voice, like not what you should sound like because someone else sounds like finding your genuine voice.
00:21:28
Speaker 3: Yeah yeah I would.
00:21:29
Speaker 5: I would definitely say.
00:21:31
Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, yeah, I mean I'm finding my genuine voice.
00:21:35
Speaker 4: If I'm being honest.
00:21:39
Speaker 2: When my friends are like musicians, I like love that they can just get on the guitar, get on the piano, and it's just music brings everyone together, Like, come on, it's just the best.
00:21:50
Speaker 4: Yeah.
00:21:50
Speaker 2: Who was the person that you looked at was like they taught you to give permission to yourself.
00:21:58
Speaker 5: For me, it's my daughter. Yeah, she's completely opposite to me. She's an extravert. She has no shame, none, no shame.
00:22:10
Speaker 4: We need to get rid of that word. I'm over it. I'm over it. Fuck shame.
00:22:14
Speaker 5: Sometimes I look at her and think, how are you like this? Just brave and outgoing and so confident, so confident, And I think, if she can do that at the age of six years old, me, at the age of a little older than six years old, I can do that.
00:22:37
Speaker 4: Yes, exactly.
00:22:38
Speaker 2: We draw inspiration from our children and our inner self and our child You probably see yourself so much in her, even though you know you guys are opposite, so you're like, oh my god, yeah, like that's.
00:22:48
Speaker 4: The best part of it.
00:22:49
Speaker 3: She's your courage.
00:22:51
Speaker 2: Yeah, she is.
00:22:52
Speaker 5: She is you. I feel like her personality is what my personality is behind those doors. Yeah, but she's brave enough to bring that out.
00:23:03
Speaker 4: The mine stays lock, the.
00:23:04
Speaker 2: Lif Yeah, but that's the shame. That's and that's what we need to eliminate. I think we're learning as adults, especially in this journey that we're in in societies, that inherently we've we've inherited this shame. And you know, we've named it intergenerational trauma, but yeah, it is that, of.
00:23:26
Speaker 4: Course it's that. But this this is shame.
00:23:28
Speaker 2: Like there's this cloud that hangs over us all the time where we want to do something, but we stop ourselves and we think, oh, that's just like a filter, But it's the shame. Like when we look at it, it's like, no, we're not filtering ourselves, we're just stopping ourselves. Generally, like, when it's a limiting belief that we've just inherited, and I think when our younger generations show that we're so inspired by that, and I'm like, oh my god, because it's the same Like I've got like eleven year old girls that are just like don't give a shit, and I'm like, oh god, I would kill to be like that or like do that again. But it actually makes you feel like, oh, like I am that too. Like there's moments where I'm like, I have no shame.
00:24:07
Speaker 3: And I just reminded me of a moment where I had shame. The other day.
00:24:12
Speaker 1: I was at a gig, right and I had shame for no reason at the start of the gig, just imposter syndrome, thinking, oh, why am I the person to be hosting this?
00:24:20
Speaker 3: Why am I in this room? The room was very Caucasian, mind you, and that brings them the shame.
00:24:26
Speaker 1: So I was looking around at all these white people and I was like, why am I here hosting a you know, an event like this with these really high profile people, and the shame was there. Next minute, I get on stage and there's a painting that is on stage and I knock it over. I knock it over so it tumbles off the stage, a full us painting, and I was like, that is the difference between at the beginning I had shame for no reason, and then there's shame for a reason after yea fucking like, oh that was the most embarrassing thing I've probably a done on stage, and that shame was granted.
00:25:02
Speaker 3: This shame before that was not.
00:25:04
Speaker 4: That's exactly it.
00:25:05
Speaker 2: It's kind of being like able to realize the voice, that voice, that shame voice, and being like, oh, I don't need you right now, Like yeah, it's that thing kind of comes.
00:25:14
Speaker 4: From our childhood and it's there to protect us, which is so good.
00:25:17
Speaker 2: And I'm sure that's come up in your career and your life when you've got out on stage and you've or you're like, oh, like this is not good enough, you know, and you kind of get in your head about that imposter syndrome that Maddie was saying. But it's like I love the thought now and I think this is one I want to teach my children to is Yeah, that voice is there to protect you, but you don't always have to listen to it, and you can be like, hey, look, you've served me, you know, and I know I'm here and you, but I don't need you right now or I will next time, or like just be quiet for a little bit of a moment, okay, Like and you just tell it to shush and then you're like, okay, moving on to the next thing. I love. I'm learning that, Like if you visualize that, like, yeah, it's a voice, and it comes in, it's like, oh my god, I'm so shit like and it starts spiraling like stop spiraling, stop catastrophizing, being like, hey, look, just shut up for a minute. Okay, Like and I'm not getting rid of it completely because I used to think that you have to get rid of that voice completely, but the voice actually is a great protection, like you know, she he, whatever you want to put on it, like is there to protect you.
00:26:23
Speaker 4: And I think when we.
00:26:23
Speaker 2: See ourselves and our little kids, they're also going to have those voices too, and I don't want to teach them like, yes, you can listen to it, but you can choose not to listen to it, and like thrive. Sometimes wish that I was a bit more extroverted to sometimes because I feel like I.
00:26:38
Speaker 3: Would have do you with the same energy, by the way, yeah, but no, no, I know.
00:26:42
Speaker 4: That's why I feel like it's like talking to a sister.
00:26:45
Speaker 1: I'm the extroverted one and you mob, the introverted one extroverted behind closed.
00:26:50
Speaker 2: Doors is the scale right, like botha but you know I could never do this is the thing, Lauren, Like you do what I could never do too, Like in a musician, like I could never go on stage.
00:27:06
Speaker 1: And perform, Like, yeah, I want to ask you, Lauren, like this is probably a bit of a wrap up question. But when it comes to you getting on those stages and you've done some of the big stages now, so you've done you know, you've done I think it was the Survival Day, Australia Day event at the Opera House. You've done stadiums for the State of Origin. Yeah, it's big stages, massive people, thousands of people in the audience, even more watching through those cameras at home. Before you get on that stage, what is it that goes through your mind and how do you put it to the back to be able to execute a performance?
00:27:43
Speaker 5: Yeah, I mean, I'm really passionate about performing and giving a good performance, and you're only as good as your last performance, so I try to keep the consistency there.
00:27:55
Speaker 4: But I just feel so so comfortable with it now that I know what I have to do and I'm prepared to the moon before I walk out on stage.
00:28:06
Speaker 5: But also like the thing that comforts me is knowing that everyone has that little voice that Brooke was talking about that insecurity that imposters in syndrome, and you know, one of the one artist that I completely and utterly look up to, you know, I ask them, what's your biggest insecurity and they said back to me, I'm worried that people don't think I'm actually talented.
00:28:29
Speaker 4: I couldn't fathom. I couldn't. I don't want to name. I don't want to I don't want to out.
00:28:37
Speaker 5: The insecurity because I'll tell you if they're definitely talented, definitely talented. And so for me, I think about all the steps that I've that I've taken to be in this moment in time, and all of the challenges that I've that I've overcome, you know, being a single mom, being a broke black follow being insecure within my body, and just growing into this person.
00:29:07
Speaker 4: That's comfortable, yeah, and.
00:29:11
Speaker 5: Able to perform. And I mean through those performances, you find the people who love you and respect you and see you for that. So that's that's what comforts me, That's what goes through my mind. Just being being the best I can be out there on stage and connecting to connection to people.
00:29:38
Speaker 1: It's so beautiful to see and it's so great that you know you're you. You've got the talent, you've got the love for what you do, and everything else falls into place. You know when you saw you at at at the Opera House and it felt like, you know, this massive, you know stage that was had all eyes on it, that you just got to a point in your where you're able to really nail something like that. And that made me really proud as your friend but also as a supporter. And I know that Charlie girl was there and she would be so proud of the woman that you are. And she's so lucky to have a mum who loves her so deeply and takes care of her and takes her along the journey. You know, she gets to experience this life with you, and I think that that's like super powerful but also testament to you as a mom. So yeah, it's beautiful to see Cis. Thank you, but thank you so much for coming on our podcast. It's been you know, it's been in the works for a little while, so I'm so glad to be able to have you here today. And if you want to listen to Lauren, where can the audience check you out of? No social media? But also where can they get your music?
00:30:44
Speaker 5: Lauren r Own music on the socials and I mean Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, pick.
00:30:51
Speaker 2: Your will put all of those aeron in the show notes for you guys, anyways to make it easier to get access to Lauren.
00:31:00
Speaker 4: I'd love for everyone to listen to hodown and if you love it, let me know. And if it's shit, don't let me know.
00:31:06
Speaker 3: If it's ship, send it to the hose and if you love it, send it to the hose. Well, that's all we have time for today. On first things first, if you love us, leave us a little rating, it a little review.
00:31:16
Speaker 2: And if you want us to cover anything, let us know on the pod reach or reach out via our socials. My handle is at brooktop Blot and then Maddie's is that It's Maddie Mills and Laurence is that at Lauren Ryan Music.
00:31:29
Speaker 4: All right, I'll see you guys.
00:31:30
Speaker 3: That's bye,
Speaker 1: Welcome to First things first, I'm Maddie Miles. My pronouns are he and him.
00:00:04
Speaker 2: I'm Brook Blatton and my pronouns are she and her.
00:00:07
Speaker 1: And before we get started, we'd like to acknowledge the custodians of the land on which we record and today that's the gaddigal people of the Urination.
00:00:14
Speaker 2: And for me it's a under people of the Colin Nation.
00:00:17
Speaker 3: Let's let's get into it.
00:00:20
Speaker 1: Well, this is super exciting because other than just brooken nights down the pod, we have the incredibly talented country music singer Lauren Ryan Nats.
00:00:30
Speaker 4: Yes, Lauren, Oh my god.
00:00:35
Speaker 2: This has been a long time coming. We've wanted to have you for a long time.
00:00:39
Speaker 3: I just I love the both of you together.
00:00:43
Speaker 4: It's really a joy.
00:00:44
Speaker 5: To you know, listen to and watch on social media all of the highlights and then you know, deep dive into the podcasts and I'm really proud of both of you and.
00:00:55
Speaker 1: Here is well we love you so much. Obviously us three are you well aware of who we are, and you know, we've had moments where we've hung out all together and it's just been like you know, firecrackers. The energy is unreal, so I'm super excited that you're in studio with us on our podcast, but also we're.
00:01:11
Speaker 3: Super proud of you.
00:01:12
Speaker 1: I feel like there has been, you know, such an incredible trajectory to your career this year that we can get into and talk about, because you know, you've hustled and you've put in the work for you know, over a decade, you've really you know, you've been grinding the gears in the background and also doing the country music circuit for years. But then you did have it. You had a shift from singing R and B and soul back in the day and always being Beyonce's number one fan other than me, So then moving into country. What inspired you to make that shift?
00:01:43
Speaker 5: My hometown really inspired me to make that shift. I come from Timworth born and raised Adam Gomorroy Country and you know, I'm surrounded by country music. And you know, when you're raised around mob and the music that they listen to, it's just country music all the time. Black community on a on a Friday night and you hear country music.
00:02:04
Speaker 2: It's so nostalgic as well, like there's not it's not just like the love of country music.
00:02:09
Speaker 4: I feel like there's a sentiment behind it.
00:02:11
Speaker 2: As well, like what we we interviewed Troy Cassa daily, he actually spoke so highly of you, Lauren.
00:02:19
Speaker 4: Yeah, and that.
00:02:20
Speaker 3: Was we got the cut out version. Don't worry about it was.
00:02:24
Speaker 2: Such a like, you know, growing up with Troy Cassa daily in your ears, in your household, like and then being able to interview was like such a little moment, full circle moment for me as a little as little brook and then hearing you know, how inspired he is by younger artists coming through and and and their talent, which was including yourself. It's like it's such a it's so beautiful and like wonderful to see that carry you know, that that generation carry on of like inspiration and aspiration and influence as well.
00:03:00
Speaker 4: Your song suddenly.
00:03:01
Speaker 2: Actually I don't know how I found it or how it came about, but it just takes me back to knowing where you've come from to where you're going.
00:03:11
Speaker 4: I don't know, and like I don't know it.
00:03:14
Speaker 2: Was I've incorporated into like a theater play that I'm like writing in my head and you know, maybe this will come to full fruition one day, and I'd love to use a song, but I just that's crazy, how like all of these worlds collide, and I think music is just such a powerful way.
00:03:34
Speaker 4: Did you always know that you were.
00:03:37
Speaker 2: Going to go into music or was it something that you just was all you were always drawn to or what was what's that relationship and how did it start?
00:03:47
Speaker 3: Yeah?
00:03:48
Speaker 5: I mean I've always loved music, and I grew up just surrounded by music. It was always on in my house. My sisters sang, my mom sang.
00:03:55
Speaker 4: Time, and yeah, I felt like it was it was.
00:04:00
Speaker 5: Something that I was just destined to do. Yeah. So yeah, I've never been so excited by anything else, just just music.
00:04:11
Speaker 4: And you weren't a sporty girl. Na, music is my thing.
00:04:19
Speaker 5: No, unfortunately very uncoordinated. Dancing is great if that was some kind of sport around.
00:04:28
Speaker 4: But sorry, we could dance.
00:04:30
Speaker 2: Remember when we all got together, we were dancing, were in the kitchen.
00:04:35
Speaker 4: Yeah, I mean dancing is a sport, isn't it.
00:04:40
Speaker 1: Well it makes you sweat, so whatever makes you sweat.
00:04:43
Speaker 4: Whatever's good cardio, Yeah, I dance like it's a sport. Yeah, we love that.
00:04:50
Speaker 1: I want to go back to like when I first heard you, because I feel like you probably don't even know this, But Lauren came to my school at pill High and she sang in front of the school and I don't know what it was, like what song it was. It might have even been the national anthem back in the day, who knows, But you sang this, she said it shed She absolutely did, because I walked out of there feeling like ill Simon Callen X factor pressing my red button.
00:05:15
Speaker 3: Yes. Absolutely, but I remember thinking, you.
00:05:18
Speaker 4: Just have a golden buzzer.
00:05:19
Speaker 3: Yeah, golden buzzer. That's it. I remember just thinking like, this girl has it, like she has exactly.
00:05:26
Speaker 1: What is needed to like, you know, make it in the industry. And you know, it's you're finally having your moment when you think about how long, you know, it's taken for you to get to this point, how much work. You know, in one of your songs you say you paid your juwsy you fu can absolutely have. So it's like, what does it feel like to now reflect on you know, all this work, all this you know, effort that you've put in, and he's sitting in this moment where it's like you're having your moment and people are starting to fully hear you around the country.
00:05:53
Speaker 5: You know, Oh, it feels incredible, and I can't believe you remember that gig. Yeah, I sang at a lot of schools and that was, you know, really.
00:06:00
Speaker 4: Where I've first started out.
00:06:02
Speaker 5: And to you know, have that journey from from then to now and have a moment that I've been able to kind of create for myself because people look at it from the outside and think, oh, it's like it's magical.
00:06:16
Speaker 3: But you've worked so hard, and.
00:06:18
Speaker 5: You plan things so far in advance, you know, two three years sometimes and you've got all your releases planned and the looks for the releases, and the color scheme for the releases and the video clips, and yeah, it's just it's so much goes into it, and I just feel I feel like it's incredible and I feel so empowered to be able to say what I want to say and make the music I want to make. And I also feel like it's a constant, uncomfortable feeling that growth.
00:06:53
Speaker 4: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:06:54
Speaker 2: Well, I say you have to get comfortable with being uncomfortable and think in this industry because there's not with I guess music and any creative industry, it's not always like.
00:07:05
Speaker 4: A smooth journey.
00:07:06
Speaker 2: It's like constantly like two steps forward or four steps back, like you know, it's kind of always like back and forth.
00:07:12
Speaker 4: Or the gigs, they all sort of.
00:07:15
Speaker 2: Work together to elevate where you're going, if not inspire you more, what is your biggest inspiration? Like obviously you sow you know, country music, family, community, culture. What is your biggest inspiration for doing this and being in this industry?
00:07:36
Speaker 5: Oh?
00:07:36
Speaker 4: For sure.
00:07:37
Speaker 5: My biggest inspiration, I would say, is my daughter and my culture and my mob. And I've always wanted to make the people around me proud, the people who have helped me, the people who have dedicated time and energy toward me, you know, reaching certain goals and achievements in my life.
00:07:57
Speaker 4: How what is your daughter? My baby is.
00:08:00
Speaker 3: Six years old, Wow, six years old.
00:08:02
Speaker 5: She just started kindergarten.
00:08:04
Speaker 4: Charlie Charlie.
00:08:08
Speaker 5: She sees that name very well. She's a little cheeky Charlie.
00:08:12
Speaker 2: Charlie's angels yes, forever in my Beyonce Disney's childish exactly.
00:08:19
Speaker 4: But I feel like, you know, both of you are so ambitious.
00:08:22
Speaker 5: I've known Maddie for so long and to you know, do the things that you've done within your career and end lif your own platform. Uh, it has been incredible. And Brooke, I know you're highly ambitious as well, and the things that you do, you execute everything that you do with such like beauty and grace and thank you.
00:08:45
Speaker 2: She is she.
00:08:49
Speaker 4: Wasn't yesterday.
00:08:50
Speaker 2: I can tell you that I was horizontal and looking like a homeless person.
00:08:55
Speaker 4: At smoking Mirors Baby.
00:08:58
Speaker 5: I thought it was going completely.
00:09:00
Speaker 3: I don't drinkool.
00:09:02
Speaker 4: No, we meant to be hyping you up.
00:09:06
Speaker 2: It's so beautiful because Maddie and I talk about how sorry Maddie, I didn't want to cut you off, how we had this like this feeling that we have been on this planet together before or something where we've met and we we have this weird like we think the same we say the same thing, and we've we've met or like we're siblings that got lost in translation or something like. And I've generally felt the same like similar connection to you and your music as well. Like I feel like it's I don't know if it's culture, if it's community, or if it's mob or whatever. It's like this this knowing of like yeah, like you just know each other without knowing each other, if that makes sense. And I think that's the beauty of your music as well, Like it's so relatable and it's so it just takes me back. It's actually just so nostalgic as well.
00:09:56
Speaker 1: You let me tell you something because this song that we're hit talk about, which is Hodown, is going to be so relatable to you. You're gonna be blaring this song. You're gonna have it on.
00:10:07
Speaker 4: The hoe part or the down part.
00:10:08
Speaker 3: I giving it's both. I just know that you and the gymney driving down.
00:10:13
Speaker 1: You know, the streets in Melbourne are going to be cranking this song. It's called Hodown.
00:10:17
Speaker 3: It is out on July July fifth.
00:10:21
Speaker 2: Oh, you got only a couple of days, okay, so this is exciting.
00:10:24
Speaker 1: Yes, So July fifth is Hodown. Tell the tell the listeners what is this song about? And and what bitch bitch's neck are you coming for?
00:10:34
Speaker 4: I was like, where are you going with that? I was like what again? Yes?
00:10:38
Speaker 2: Please, I need to know more about this song. I haven't heard it obviously, and I'm so excited.
00:10:43
Speaker 4: Hold down.
00:10:44
Speaker 5: We we want to dance, but holdown also we want to like slap.
00:10:48
Speaker 3: Yeah, hold down.
00:10:51
Speaker 4: You know what I've be slapping all them hols.
00:10:55
Speaker 3: It is so good starting with everyone.
00:10:58
Speaker 5: Everyone has been like who is this song about it as well? And there's a lyric in it, you know, if the boot fits.
00:11:05
Speaker 4: Oh yeah, she fits. There you go, I'm.
00:11:09
Speaker 5: Not calling you a bitch, but if the boot fits, those are some lyrics in the song. And I feel like the boot is really fitten for some people, and they would know.
00:11:22
Speaker 3: I am living. I am living for this.
00:11:24
Speaker 2: I kind of live for that type of drama through music where it's like, you know, even just with other artists, like in the industry, you're always like, I know who that song? You know, Like Taylor Swift is one of those examples, like she sings about, you know, all of her past breakups and stuff like that.
00:11:38
Speaker 4: Beyonce, you know, with Lemonade, like that was like I was a.
00:11:41
Speaker 3: Slap is giving?
00:11:43
Speaker 1: Lemonade is giving you know, it's giving baseball bat down the street?
00:11:49
Speaker 2: Yeah, okay, that's fine, Okay.
00:11:53
Speaker 1: But ho doown the writing process. The new sound, their avenue that you're going down is it's exciting, it's brand new. This country hasn't really heard this, this elevation of country music. I would say, to this point, it's a different angle for this country. So how do you feel it feel like it's going to be received.
00:12:12
Speaker 5: Oh yeah, I definitely would say that it's a new sound. It's carving out a new sound for Australian country music. I think it's going to be received well. I think Australia is ready for this sound. The country music industry is quite small, but the fan base is huge.
00:12:30
Speaker 2: Well we've seen that grow so much, like Morgan Wollen, Luke Holmes, like you know, we were always into Luke, but like he's come real and not I'm not you know yeah, Like and then obviously Beyonce has also gone back to her roots, which you know, it's such a perfect time, Like is this not perfect?
00:12:53
Speaker 4: Do you think? Like it works?
00:12:54
Speaker 2: The world works in such a way that you're like, yeah, this is it.
00:12:58
Speaker 1: You know, it's so funny, like the world has like created this moment for you, like just a Beyonce fans, we're.
00:13:06
Speaker 2: Ready for you, Lauren, Like we're ready for good time.
00:13:09
Speaker 1: Okay, Beyonce is going to make country you know cool again, cool again, and now it's time for Lauren to inject yourself to the massive.
00:13:17
Speaker 2: But it was always cool for us mob like you know, we love you know, we were Troy Casa Daily says, you know, we love a love story, you know, or like a heartbroken The more heartbroken the cowboys.
00:13:30
Speaker 4: The better.
00:13:32
Speaker 2: But you know I'm always like, well, the more stronger than cowgirls, then yes, get it.
00:13:41
Speaker 5: And I love I love Beyonce stepping into this world. And I feel like that's a massive help and a big part of the reason I wrote this song is because I was going through lots of racism, lots of racism and in this you know, small industry, you can't afford to burn bridges or be the angry black woman, you know, come back too strong on certain things. And I've had like public humiliation and private apologies, and I just feel like those don't match up.
00:14:13
Speaker 1: And you write those lyrics down into your phone place. Public humiliation and private apologies, they don't match.
00:14:21
Speaker 4: That's a lyric.
00:14:22
Speaker 3: That's a lyric.
00:14:26
Speaker 5: After there was an instance where I was publicly humiliated.
00:14:30
Speaker 6: But because I'll go bash them right now, it was sit in a room full of about one hundred influences, and so they were all shocked, and there were whispers all around.
00:14:41
Speaker 5: The room, and this certain person really humiliated not only me, but all of the Gomory people. And it was very racist, and I went to leave the room and they called me out and sort of said, oh, where are you going. I was just about to say something really nice about you, and so I had to then stand in the room for even longer.
00:15:05
Speaker 3: Well, they.
00:15:06
Speaker 5: Continue to find something nice to say about me after they just really insulted me. So there's just there's a lot of different things. There's been people ask me like how black I want to be for certain things within the country realm, and yeah.
00:15:23
Speaker 3: It's wild.
00:15:24
Speaker 5: It's while there have been people who didn't want me to speak at certain things because they didn't want me to say anything about like black follows, and so I feel like co Doown is a combination of all of those.
00:15:37
Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, there's a frustration there, right. It's like the thing is, you know your worth, you know what you have to offer, and people trying to curate your sense of identity within the industry is a really tough thing to come up against, because Brook and I get it all the time. You know, Like, even with this platform, it can be hard to have an authentic voice on this channel, not because of our team, but because of what people expect from us, you know. And I think that the industry is shifting, but the country music industry and that part of the industry, that corner is still way behind.
00:16:12
Speaker 5: You know, yeah, at points it is. But also in saying that, with Beyonce stepping into the country world and lifting artists like tener O'Dell and Shaboozi.
00:16:23
Speaker 4: Shaboozi who's got like.
00:16:24
Speaker 5: The number one song in Australia right now with a remix of a very hip hop song, those people are accepted and received so well, And yeah, I just I feel like Hodown could be received really well also. But then there are some people who who'll just block, they're racist.
00:16:46
Speaker 1: And they'll control of delete because they want to log off from being accountable and looking at themselves, you know. So like I see that in the industry a lot. You know, you put something out there or you do something, the people who don't want to interact with that, it's a lot of the time becare self reflection. They're not strong enough to go there within themselves.
00:17:02
Speaker 3: So it's like, yeah, you know you're.
00:17:04
Speaker 1: Going to you're going to get that. But I'm excited for the masses to hear it. I'm excited for this song to be Like, I really feel like this song is a.
00:17:10
Speaker 3: Great radio hit.
00:17:12
Speaker 1: I think that people will you know, enjoy it while while they're in their car and have an emotes a feeling, you know, of empowerment.
00:17:21
Speaker 4: Yeah, yeah, definitely.
00:17:22
Speaker 5: I definitely wanted to give that for people to step into their own power the way I've stepped into mind on this song. And yeah, just really just really tell people how it is and stand up for yourself. And in all those moments that I just described, I felt like I didn't stand up for myself and now I'm just like fed up.
00:17:43
Speaker 4: It's enough.
00:17:46
Speaker 3: Well, Hodown have been. You know, we'll be birthed, will be birthed very soon. It's you know, you're all welcome to the label.
00:17:54
Speaker 1: Yeah, but this is your first single post star Maker, so it's a bit of a different sound to Homecoming. It's more I feel like more you know, in your bag as you say, or in the vein of who you.
00:18:11
Speaker 3: Are and what you want to say.
00:18:13
Speaker 1: What does the rest of this era look like? Is it down this same avenue? Are we going down? Authentic voice?
00:18:19
Speaker 3: Fuck you era? This is how I really feel. Are they the vibes?
00:18:23
Speaker 4: Oh yeah, there's.
00:18:24
Speaker 5: There's definitely more. I feel like it's I feel like it's the bounce Back Hoedown series and there are more, they are a more to follow that. It feels like this kind of outlaw dancing on the on the outskirts of you know what might be considered appropriate to say on songs.
00:18:45
Speaker 3: Or things like that.
00:18:46
Speaker 4: Yeah, it's it's going to be really clever.
00:18:48
Speaker 5: It's going to be I have a lot of inspiration from like rap. It could have rappers featured that I'd love to bring into the country space and start doing that. I don't think we've had a rapper feature on a country song. I know Briggs did the shows on the Hill on the Hill with Uncle Troy, which I which I loved, But yeah, I'd love to do I'd love to do a release a moone with with a rapper. One in particular comes to mind, female rapper.
00:19:21
Speaker 2: Oh yeah, Can I ask who is who do you dream of working with in the industry?
00:19:28
Speaker 4: Like what is maybe? Do you your top three?
00:19:31
Speaker 5: Oh? I dream of working with Tanner Adell, who's just featured on The Cowboy Bunny Fake cow Girl apparently, but yeah.
00:19:45
Speaker 4: I'm there too.
00:19:47
Speaker 5: Yeah, definitely Tenor Adele and then Barker, who I absolutely love. I'd love to work with Barker. I'd love to work with.
00:19:56
Speaker 4: Stunning. We've seen him, like, can.
00:19:59
Speaker 3: You mob do ballad?
00:20:00
Speaker 1: Soaring vocals vibes? Because like, as much as I love the idea of you doing a fuck you song with Barker like that is like one hundred percent on repeat for me, I also want to hear your voice with Boudera. Yeah, Like You've got such a beautiful range and such a beautiful tone that you guys together.
00:20:19
Speaker 4: I wish I could sing. I'm so delous say this.
00:20:23
Speaker 3: I think I feel like tune, but I just can't, Like I'm just not the singer.
00:20:28
Speaker 4: Actually, can I ask him some advice around singing, Lauren? Because you're such a beautiful artist.
00:20:34
Speaker 2: So someone who is in their like new music era, what advice would you give them starting out?
00:20:41
Speaker 6: Yeah?
00:20:42
Speaker 4: Or what would you even give your younger Lauren? What would you say to her now?
00:20:48
Speaker 5: I would say, you know, each and every aspiring First Nations artist is on the reader. Don't ever count yourself off the reader. You're special, something.
00:20:58
Speaker 4: To say and something to give.
00:21:02
Speaker 5: So I would just say, you know, figure out everyone says this, figure out what makes you special? I would say, figure out what makes you feel something and run with that, and.
00:21:15
Speaker 4: What showcases you the best?
00:21:18
Speaker 2: You're you're like your authentic voice, like not what you should sound like because someone else sounds like finding your genuine voice.
00:21:28
Speaker 3: Yeah yeah I would.
00:21:29
Speaker 5: I would definitely say.
00:21:31
Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, yeah, I mean I'm finding my genuine voice.
00:21:35
Speaker 4: If I'm being honest.
00:21:39
Speaker 2: When my friends are like musicians, I like love that they can just get on the guitar, get on the piano, and it's just music brings everyone together, Like, come on, it's just the best.
00:21:50
Speaker 4: Yeah.
00:21:50
Speaker 2: Who was the person that you looked at was like they taught you to give permission to yourself.
00:21:58
Speaker 5: For me, it's my daughter. Yeah, she's completely opposite to me. She's an extravert. She has no shame, none, no shame.
00:22:10
Speaker 4: We need to get rid of that word. I'm over it. I'm over it. Fuck shame.
00:22:14
Speaker 5: Sometimes I look at her and think, how are you like this? Just brave and outgoing and so confident, so confident, And I think, if she can do that at the age of six years old, me, at the age of a little older than six years old, I can do that.
00:22:37
Speaker 4: Yes, exactly.
00:22:38
Speaker 2: We draw inspiration from our children and our inner self and our child You probably see yourself so much in her, even though you know you guys are opposite, so you're like, oh my god, yeah, like that's.
00:22:48
Speaker 4: The best part of it.
00:22:49
Speaker 3: She's your courage.
00:22:51
Speaker 2: Yeah, she is.
00:22:52
Speaker 5: She is you. I feel like her personality is what my personality is behind those doors. Yeah, but she's brave enough to bring that out.
00:23:03
Speaker 4: The mine stays lock, the.
00:23:04
Speaker 2: Lif Yeah, but that's the shame. That's and that's what we need to eliminate. I think we're learning as adults, especially in this journey that we're in in societies, that inherently we've we've inherited this shame. And you know, we've named it intergenerational trauma, but yeah, it is that, of.
00:23:26
Speaker 4: Course it's that. But this this is shame.
00:23:28
Speaker 2: Like there's this cloud that hangs over us all the time where we want to do something, but we stop ourselves and we think, oh, that's just like a filter, But it's the shame. Like when we look at it, it's like, no, we're not filtering ourselves, we're just stopping ourselves. Generally, like, when it's a limiting belief that we've just inherited, and I think when our younger generations show that we're so inspired by that, and I'm like, oh my god, because it's the same Like I've got like eleven year old girls that are just like don't give a shit, and I'm like, oh god, I would kill to be like that or like do that again. But it actually makes you feel like, oh, like I am that too. Like there's moments where I'm like, I have no shame.
00:24:07
Speaker 3: And I just reminded me of a moment where I had shame. The other day.
00:24:12
Speaker 1: I was at a gig, right and I had shame for no reason at the start of the gig, just imposter syndrome, thinking, oh, why am I the person to be hosting this?
00:24:20
Speaker 3: Why am I in this room? The room was very Caucasian, mind you, and that brings them the shame.
00:24:26
Speaker 1: So I was looking around at all these white people and I was like, why am I here hosting a you know, an event like this with these really high profile people, and the shame was there. Next minute, I get on stage and there's a painting that is on stage and I knock it over. I knock it over so it tumbles off the stage, a full us painting, and I was like, that is the difference between at the beginning I had shame for no reason, and then there's shame for a reason after yea fucking like, oh that was the most embarrassing thing I've probably a done on stage, and that shame was granted.
00:25:02
Speaker 3: This shame before that was not.
00:25:04
Speaker 4: That's exactly it.
00:25:05
Speaker 2: It's kind of being like able to realize the voice, that voice, that shame voice, and being like, oh, I don't need you right now, Like yeah, it's that thing kind of comes.
00:25:14
Speaker 4: From our childhood and it's there to protect us, which is so good.
00:25:17
Speaker 2: And I'm sure that's come up in your career and your life when you've got out on stage and you've or you're like, oh, like this is not good enough, you know, and you kind of get in your head about that imposter syndrome that Maddie was saying. But it's like I love the thought now and I think this is one I want to teach my children to is Yeah, that voice is there to protect you, but you don't always have to listen to it, and you can be like, hey, look, you've served me, you know, and I know I'm here and you, but I don't need you right now or I will next time, or like just be quiet for a little bit of a moment, okay, Like and you just tell it to shush and then you're like, okay, moving on to the next thing. I love. I'm learning that, Like if you visualize that, like, yeah, it's a voice, and it comes in, it's like, oh my god, I'm so shit like and it starts spiraling like stop spiraling, stop catastrophizing, being like, hey, look, just shut up for a minute. Okay, Like and I'm not getting rid of it completely because I used to think that you have to get rid of that voice completely, but the voice actually is a great protection, like you know, she he, whatever you want to put on it, like is there to protect you.
00:26:23
Speaker 4: And I think when we.
00:26:23
Speaker 2: See ourselves and our little kids, they're also going to have those voices too, and I don't want to teach them like, yes, you can listen to it, but you can choose not to listen to it, and like thrive. Sometimes wish that I was a bit more extroverted to sometimes because I feel like I.
00:26:38
Speaker 3: Would have do you with the same energy, by the way, yeah, but no, no, I know.
00:26:42
Speaker 4: That's why I feel like it's like talking to a sister.
00:26:45
Speaker 1: I'm the extroverted one and you mob, the introverted one extroverted behind closed.
00:26:50
Speaker 2: Doors is the scale right, like botha but you know I could never do this is the thing, Lauren, Like you do what I could never do too, Like in a musician, like I could never go on stage.
00:27:06
Speaker 1: And perform, Like, yeah, I want to ask you, Lauren, like this is probably a bit of a wrap up question. But when it comes to you getting on those stages and you've done some of the big stages now, so you've done you know, you've done I think it was the Survival Day, Australia Day event at the Opera House. You've done stadiums for the State of Origin. Yeah, it's big stages, massive people, thousands of people in the audience, even more watching through those cameras at home. Before you get on that stage, what is it that goes through your mind and how do you put it to the back to be able to execute a performance?
00:27:43
Speaker 5: Yeah, I mean, I'm really passionate about performing and giving a good performance, and you're only as good as your last performance, so I try to keep the consistency there.
00:27:55
Speaker 4: But I just feel so so comfortable with it now that I know what I have to do and I'm prepared to the moon before I walk out on stage.
00:28:06
Speaker 5: But also like the thing that comforts me is knowing that everyone has that little voice that Brooke was talking about that insecurity that imposters in syndrome, and you know, one of the one artist that I completely and utterly look up to, you know, I ask them, what's your biggest insecurity and they said back to me, I'm worried that people don't think I'm actually talented.
00:28:29
Speaker 4: I couldn't fathom. I couldn't. I don't want to name. I don't want to I don't want to out.
00:28:37
Speaker 5: The insecurity because I'll tell you if they're definitely talented, definitely talented. And so for me, I think about all the steps that I've that I've taken to be in this moment in time, and all of the challenges that I've that I've overcome, you know, being a single mom, being a broke black follow being insecure within my body, and just growing into this person.
00:29:07
Speaker 4: That's comfortable, yeah, and.
00:29:11
Speaker 5: Able to perform. And I mean through those performances, you find the people who love you and respect you and see you for that. So that's that's what comforts me, That's what goes through my mind. Just being being the best I can be out there on stage and connecting to connection to people.
00:29:38
Speaker 1: It's so beautiful to see and it's so great that you know you're you. You've got the talent, you've got the love for what you do, and everything else falls into place. You know when you saw you at at at the Opera House and it felt like, you know, this massive, you know stage that was had all eyes on it, that you just got to a point in your where you're able to really nail something like that. And that made me really proud as your friend but also as a supporter. And I know that Charlie girl was there and she would be so proud of the woman that you are. And she's so lucky to have a mum who loves her so deeply and takes care of her and takes her along the journey. You know, she gets to experience this life with you, and I think that that's like super powerful but also testament to you as a mom. So yeah, it's beautiful to see Cis. Thank you, but thank you so much for coming on our podcast. It's been you know, it's been in the works for a little while, so I'm so glad to be able to have you here today. And if you want to listen to Lauren, where can the audience check you out of? No social media? But also where can they get your music?
00:30:44
Speaker 5: Lauren r Own music on the socials and I mean Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, pick.
00:30:51
Speaker 2: Your will put all of those aeron in the show notes for you guys, anyways to make it easier to get access to Lauren.
00:31:00
Speaker 4: I'd love for everyone to listen to hodown and if you love it, let me know. And if it's shit, don't let me know.
00:31:06
Speaker 3: If it's ship, send it to the hose and if you love it, send it to the hose. Well, that's all we have time for today. On first things first, if you love us, leave us a little rating, it a little review.
00:31:16
Speaker 2: And if you want us to cover anything, let us know on the pod reach or reach out via our socials. My handle is at brooktop Blot and then Maddie's is that It's Maddie Mills and Laurence is that at Lauren Ryan Music.
00:31:29
Speaker 4: All right, I'll see you guys.
00:31:30
Speaker 3: That's bye,
