Meet Lauren Tyler Scott | Songstress

We had the good fortune of connecting with Lauren Tyler Scott and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lauren Tyler, let’s start by talking about what inspires you?
I constantly find myself excited and inspired by a well-formed thought. As a songwriter, I favor lyricisim, and an eloquent turn of phrase can knock me off my chair. To me, lyrics can provide that “ah-ha” moment we are so often seeking as humans. I remember once listening to music on my way home, as you do, and I halted in the middle of the sidewalk, chills all down my arms, because I was like ‘hold on, WHAT did they just say??’ I had an existential realization in that moment all due to another person’s choice of words. A favorite songwriter of mine, Regina Spektor, wrote a song titled “Rejazz” and the opening line is – “I thought I’d cry for you forever, but I couldn’t, so I didn’t. Peoples’ children die and they don’t even cry forever”. That lyric stunned me. What a poignant way to describe the deep and irrational emotions that can accompany heartbreak. The way we think and feel as conscious beings – the way we converse with one another, the way we talk to ourselves – the fact that we are even capable of creative and thoughtful expression constantly motivates me to create work that is truthful, observant, and raw. I love the way we communicate as humans, and as a writer, I love examining our strange, shared earthly experience through the art of storytelling. The serenity of nature, the tragedy of loss, the precariousness of purpose – everything we can sense, feel, think, or experience can manifest itself in art and language, and I find that deeply inspiring.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I write songs as a means of therapizing myself. My art is cathartic for me; it is reflective and contemplative, and depending on the crowd, some would say a bummer, but getting the darkness out on paper actually means I found my way through that turmoil in reality as well. I once was told that my ‘Writers Voice’ is my internal dialogue. Some writers are epic storytellers, who paint a perfect picture for you with their words, whereas I, on the other hand, invite you into my head. It’s like reading my diary, and if that doesn’t make you too uncomfortable, then you may find my content surprisingly relatable. The hardest part of essentially sharing my diary as a career choice, is it’s difficult not to be precious with each song. These are my innermost thoughts and feelings, and training yourself to not care what other people deem as valuable, or relevant in your work, is a constant and exhausting task. I am absolutely still working on mastering this. I’m continually learning new lessons in my business. Each new song teaches me about vulnerability, every performance teaches adaptability and connection. I always have a plethora of ideas bouncing around in my brain, and I am excited about the songs I’ve been creating over the last few years. I am currently working on producing some of my own music, and plan to release more diary entries into the world in the near future.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
First stop on my tour of LA is going to be on the Westside – way west, I’m talking about Malibu. We’re going to start the day at Country Kitchen off PCH and devour one of my all time favorite breakfast burritos. Now it’s a bit of a drive, but an incredibly scenic drive, so from there we will keep heading west to a spot called Sandy Dune. It’s exactly what it sounds like – a big sand dune across from the water, and we are going to climb it and burn off those burritos. After that we’ll head back towards town to Santa Monica. Yes, we can spend some time at the beach, but we’re mainly here for Bay Cities Italian Deli and their famous sandwich, The Godmother. They also have an amazing market of imported goods, and their Spumoni ice cream is not to be underestimated. After that, we’re focusing on the Eastside. We’re eating at House of Pies (their pineapple cheesecake is insane) and roaming some of my favorite thrift shops along Vermont. Next we’ll catch a film at the vintage Vista Theater. I love this place because it’s like a time machine to Old Hollywood in the middle of LA. They even play old Looney Tunes cartoons before the movie instead of trailers. Following the flick, it’s taco time. Everybody has their favorite taco in LA, and mine is from a truck that resides in the gas station parking lot, next to The Three Clubs in Hollywood. They’re only there at night, but they have the most incredible Al Pastor tacos I have ever tasted. I used to go out at night just so I could get those tacos afterwards. On Sunday, we are without a doubt hitting Melrose Trading Post. It’s an open-air flea market with treasures abound – antiques, vintage fashions, house plants, you name it. Plus as an added perk, Magnolia Bakery is nearby and they serve up the best banana pudding. Period. For some of the tastiest Thai food, we’re hitting Night + Market Song in Echo Park, followed by Short Stop for Motown Monday. That’s where some of the best feel-good dancing takes place. If after, we find a street vendor out front selling bacon-wrapped hot dogs, we will indulge. Unfortunately, some of my favorite performance venues have permanently closed their doors in the last year, but I could tell you endless stories of the amazing shows that were put on at The Rockwell and The Satellite. Amazing bands, live theater, all-night dancing. You don’t have to search too hard to find amazing entertainment in this city (and if you can’t already tell, I’m pretty obsessed with the food as well).

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’m unsure what my life would look like had I not been born into a fervently musical family, so first and foremost, shoutout to the Scotts! To start, my grandpa enveloped our family in Roots music – Americana, Bluegrass, and Folk. My eldest uncle encouraged me to consistently create, and he always tested me on my music theory knowledge. Another uncle is one of my all time favorite songwriters, and I say that without bias. And my father taught me how to use my voice – loudly, with intention, and often. Without this family I may not have cultivated the creativity and artistry that I have, so to them I am grateful evermore. Now to the people who shaped me like an adolescent block of marble and sent me on my merry, singing way into professionalism – my collegiate A capella group, The SoCal VoCals. I can not over-emphasize their influence on me as an artist. This group helped me find my voice, my confidence, my musicality, my sense of commitment. Not to mention, most of the opportunities I landed after college were typically due to a connection from this group. The VoCals are still some of my dearest friends, and truly some of the most talented artists and performers I know, so an astounding, never-ending thank you to them as well!

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