Lauren Archer: Live-streaming & multi-hyphening
INTRODUCTION
Lauren Archer is a 22-year old singer, songwriter, creative marketer and project manager. She creates soulful, alternative-pop, whilst running events, campaigns and creating content for a range of brands. Lauren is also head of marketing and operations for The Arena!
So far in her career she has racked up over 1 million streams of her music, been played on BBC Radio 1 and created campaigns reaching millions of people internationally.
What's your earliest memory of singing in front of an audience?
That really depends what you define as an audience! I would always, always be putting on shows at family and friends’ houses. We’d choreograph a dance, some jokes and a few songs, then force our families to sit and watch it! I must have been doing that since I could walk and talk really. In terms of performances for strangers, the small village I grew up in puts on a yearly talent show to a few hundred people and that was probably the first ‘show’ I ever played, I would have been about 11 or 12?
How have you found writing music during lockdown and what made you start ‘Lauren & Friends’ Instagram Lives?
It’s been hard. It’s been really hard if I’m honest. I’m such a collaborative person I really struggle to focus and create entirely on my own. It took me a long time to adjust to the situation and find any motivation to write. Everything just felt pretty pointless for a long time with gigs and releases postponed, so for a while I really neglected music, totally forgetting how important it was in my life.
I started to write again at the moment I was forcing myself to least, if that makes sense? There was no pressure, no deadlines, no distractions. I was reading a Matt Haig book in the garden and just headed to the piano.
The Lauren & Friends live stream gigs were a way to try and maintain a connection with my audience without real life gigs, but it was also an accountability thing! I knew that by going live at the same time every Sunday, I HAD to rehearse something new every week and put on some makeup and a nice outfit. And it was the highlight of my week!
I did the first few live streams on my own which was great for my confidence because I was so so nervous about ‘going live’ before that and I was not a confident speaker during my set at all. Then the ‘& Friends’ element came in a few weeks down the line to keep it fresh, to bring in a slightly different audience every time and also just catch up with some other great musicians who I love!
Lauren Archer - Lauren & Friends Live Stream Gig
You’re clearly talented in areas other than just music, are you hoping to progress your career in marketing as well? That definitely qualifies you as a ‘multi-hyphenate’!
Why thank you! Reading The Multi-Hyphen Method massively changed my perspective on my own career path. I always thought that one day I would have to make a decision between marketing and music. But in reality, that combination of experience makes me unique and as I’ve come to realise, is actually an asset to any company!
My music and my marketing hats only clash when it comes to prioritising workload, but for the most part, I think they go hand-in-hand really well! I’ve always aspired to be a fairly independent artist, that didn’t rely on a massive team to do everything for me. So I would strongly encourage other artists to learn this stuff for themselves too. Without my marketing hat on I don’t think I’d of come up with Lauren & Friends.
It’s also worth mentioning though that other than A-Level Business I never went to university or had any higher-education in marketing. Everything I know, I learnt just by asking questions. Whether that was asking my colleagues, friends in the industry, Google or YouTube, I just looked at something and thought “right, that’s cool, how do I do that?”.
“Everything I know, I learnt just by asking questions”
Do you ever find it difficult balancing your time between the two?
Everyday. I’m a ‘doer’ and I really pride myself in that, but the issue arises when it’s easier to ‘do’ marketing than it is to do music. Day to day it’s far easier to plan content, reply to emails and promote an event than it is to take half a day to ignore everything else on my to-do list and write a song. That’s why I work far better collaboratively when I’ve scheduled a day in the studio with another writer or producer to create with no distractions. But obviously, there’s no music to market if I don’t take the time out to write it!
Lauren Archer - Sofar Sounds 2020
‘Imposter syndrome’ is a pretty big issue amongst the design industry, is this something you have ever faced with your music?
1000%. I think it’s the same in every industry to be honest, but with creatives, it’s just so much more competitive and therefore the damage it does is far worse. On a daily basis I scroll past someone working harder than me, who’s a better singer, better writer, better looking! And there’s also a really unhealthy ageism that exists within the industry. For example, X-Factor calling out over 25s as ‘the overs’!!! Name me one other industry that would highlight a 25-year-old as past their best?!
Who are your top three favourite female artists at the moment?
Wow OK naming just three is haaaarddd… I’d have to say Sophie Faith (she’s been grafting hard for a long time and just has the most incredible tone and energy on stage), Olivia Dean (recently toured the UK from a converted truck, which is a sick, innovative way to perform this summer!) and Violet Skies (she’s such a great role model for up and coming women in the industry and passionately campaigns for gender equality within the industry).
Lauren Archer, shot by Max Smith 2020
Is it true that you failed Music Technology A-Level at school?
Ahaha I didn’t technically fail it, I got an E which still qualifies as a pass somehow. In my defence, it was a moderation issue with teaching and the coursework. But I think it does just reinforce the message of ‘creativity doesn’t fit into a mark scheme’, because that same month my music which I’d produced at home, on a crappy old mic with some ropey samples, was played on the radio through BBC Introducing.
Pursuing a creative career can often seem quite daunting, especially one as unpredictable as becoming a singer. What kept you going when your peers were off to university?
It was hard for sure, especially attending such an academic school where creative careers were not really spoken about, it took a lot of energy to go against the flow. I can only really thank my friends and family for keeping me going and believing in me. My personality type also totally conflicts with that of your average artist. I’m ambitious, but I’m not a risk-taker. I like stability and routine, not last-minute or ‘let’s play it by ear! But the themes of self-doubt and not-belonging make my songwriting mine and hopefully, a lot of people can connect with that.
FINAL ADVICE FROM LAUREN
Always be learning, developing your skillset and building your network. Surround yourself with people who share your passions and put in as much as you take out of any relationship.
Recommended reading
The Multi-Hyphen Method by Emma Gannon
Recommended listening
Creative Rebels Podcast by David Speed & Adam Brazier
Recommended follow
Follow Lauren
Instagram: @laurenarchermusic
LinkedIn: /lauren-archer
If you’d like to reach out to Lauren, drop her an email on laurenarchermusic@gmail.com or send her a DM on Instagram.
