Lauren Gottshall has been living in the music scene for pretty much her entire life, starting at the age of three. The moment she recalls solidifying the dream to pursue a career in music was when she was seven and starred in a production of “Les Misérables.” She said, “I think that’s when I was like, ‘Oh, I really want to just sing for my life.’” From a very young age, she knew what she wanted to do, and I always think that it’s so fun to hear because I know my journey to entering the music industry as a concert photographer was not quite that straightforward. Gottshall started at three and participated in musical theatre when she turned five. She says since then she has not left a stage. 

Gottshall mentions how her songwriting process involves a lot of collaboration with others, which really helps her draw from her feelings. A co-writing process that often starts with a song title and uses the word or words to create new music. Gottshall says, “The title could be simple or complex, but it’s fun getting to pick each other’s brains about what we think it means and what direction we think it’s going.” I asked if there was an example in one of her current songs where the process started off with naming it before the writing began, and she says that’s sort of how “Camouflage” came to life. She walked into a session, and someone on the team was wearing camo pants, “Camouflage would make a really cool title,” and a song spiraled out of that. 

I absolutely love learning about the songwriting process because I know that no two artists will ever give the same response. It’s a neat thing to learn about how they think a song should come together for them, and it gives a glimpse inside their brain of how they think. She notes how “Ocean’s Deep” and “Born of the Broken Heart” were from when she was sixteen, going through some tough battles in life, and are special to her. But her current favorite song is not quite out yet, titled “There’s Love, There’s a Liar.” No exact release date has been unveiled yet, but it will be coming eventually. Her look back on the earlier two is that she was really sad during that time in life, but it was her perspective, and she likes to think of herself as having this older soul, but looking back at the progression she’s made is super cool. I know artists always change and grow, as we as people do the same. Just because you felt or thought something one way does not mean that is how you perceive things from now on. Change and growth are good. 

While Gottshall does not have set tour dates or releases for new music, all of that is coming. So the best thing you can do is follow her everywhere to join her journey to see what else she’s got in store for us.