This one has been stuck in my head for a few days now... no complaints here. Fresh from releasing anthem after bop after god damn tune (honestly, obsessed) Lauran Hibberd has signed to Virgin Music and shared her first single with the label, Charlie's Car. If you like what you're hearing (obviously) then check out her Goober EP here while we all eagerly await the debut album. Soon please!
On the new track, Lauran shares... "I think everyone has a 'Charlie' in their life. It's ironic that this totally unreasonable behaviour is something I find myself thirsty for. WHAT'S WRONG WITH ME? This track is definitely just a down spiralling array of unhealthy events that I find myself (as always) coating in infamous comedy."
It might be obvious from my latest playlist update, but right behind the new Dizzy EP another current obsession is the latest single from Lauran Hibberd. I'm not quite over the recent collaboration she shared with The Regrettes' frontwoman Lydia Night (it is seriously brilliant and well worth 3 and a half minutes of your time here) but this one is worthy of just as much love. Bleugh is taken from her upcoming Goober EP, due July 30th. I can't wait!
Lauran on the track..."'Bleugh' is the only sound that sums up my adult reaction to my pre-naive self. It's about always being attracted to people who've nothing going on, nothing to offer you, yet it's that hamster wheel you can't quite jump off. You'll probably find these people in bands called something like 'broken cyclists' or better yet in moody solo projects called something pretentious like 'bora boring'. It's my favourite track of mine, and I've been sitting on and incubating this girl for a while. It feels really good shouting 'Bleugh' btw, I recommend you try it out."
I'm deep in the inbox, sifting through today's new releases (so much brilliant new music out today - lots on my office stereo playlist here if you fancy!) and taking a little break from getting angry about the all too familiar un-diverse festival line-up announcements to write something here. Feels like a perfect time to share a track by two artists who I would love to see at a festival (or indeed, anywhere)... I'm a little bit obsessed with this new track from Lauran Hibberd, featuring Lydia Night of The Regrettes. It's maybe my favourite of Lauran's tracks so far... seriously a brilliant collaboration. How Am I Still Alive? is taken from Lauran's upcoming Goober EP, due July 30th, and sees Lauran teaming up with producer Suzy Shinn (Panic! At The Disco, Fall Out Boy, Weezer) once again.
"How Am I Still Alive? toys with the bleakness of everyday life and makes it sound more entertaining than it actually is. Michael (Cera) becomes the focus point of getting through the mundane but plays on the idea of if I actually had him I probably wouldn't want him anyway. That, and the everyday celebration of making it through another day pretty much sums up the last year of my life."
On working with Lydia, Lauran shares: "Doing a collaboration was something I'd always wanted to do. I've always felt it really important to work together with similar artists instead of working against them, especially in these times. I am super stoked to have Lydia sing on the track; I toured with The Regrettes in 2019 and THEY ROCK. It was so much fun, and I took so much from it, and Lydia is bad ass so YEAH!"
A sure-fire way to pique my interest in your EP... name it Everything is Dogs. From what I've heard so far, Lauran Hibberd is on to a winner, with her EP due for release on 20th September. She first came onto my radar a few months back with Sugardaddy and later Hoochie, both of which I enjoyed. Since then, she's clearly been building a name for herself performing at various festivals and gaining radio support. Taken from the upcoming EP, new track Frankie's Girlfriend follows the same trajectory - it's a confident and charismatic piece of indie rock.
Talking about the track, Lauran explains that it shows "why it can suck to be a nice person. This track is a story, based on true events and exaggerated for selling millions of (aka 600) records. It's honestly a pal of mine Frankie, I had a dream about him, like a weird one. And it spiralled. His chick at the time was a nightmare, I was lucky enough to witness that first hand. For me, it's my darkest track yet. But not dark scary, dark as in three-week holiday to Mexico."
With an EU support tour alongside Hippo Campus coming up, Lauran also has her biggest headline shows to date coming up this Autumn. Tickets here!
8th Oct: Hare and Hounds 2, Birmingham
9th: Think Tank Underground, Newcastle
10th: Poetry Club, Glasgow
12th: Neighbourhood Festival, Manchester
30th: Boileroom, Buildford
31st: Komedia, Brighton
1st Nov: The Anvil, Bournemouth
2nd: Mirrors Festival, London
While I'm not always one for musical comparisons and saying things like "if you like ____, you'll love ____" I must say that in the year that has brought us the wonderful debut from Stella Donnelly there is most certainly space in my musical heart for Lauran Hibberd. I loved her track Sugardaddyearlier in the year but never got round to sharing - so I'm getting on this brilliant new track pronto!
Described (accurately) as "humorous, infectious and charismatic in equal measure" Lauran hails from the Isle Of Wight and is very quickly creating a name for herself locally and further afield. Having just supported Hippo Campus on a UK/EU tour she's releasing the single ahead of her biggest headline shows to date and appearances at a bunch of festivals including Live At Leeds and Glastonbury Festival, where she'll be performing on the BBC Introducing stage.
Talking about the track, Lauran explains that "'Hoochie' is a 90s slang term for a bit of a 'loose' woman. It's also the name of my new hamster. For me, this track is kind of that three-month period, after you've stopped hanging out with someone and you realise that actually they were kind of a tool, and that maybe you are alright. I think there's a confidence in this track lyrically that I'm yet to filter through to my actual life. I'm looking forward to this happening."
Among a bunch of festival slots this Summer, Lauran Hibberd is heading on a three date headline tour in May, taking in Joiners in Southampton (21st), Jimmy's in Manchester (22nd) and TheLexington in London (23rd) - tickets and full live dates here!
