The moment she said that during our interview over the phone, flashbacks of her Fifth Harmony days came running through my mind and how she and the group helped me heal from my first heartbreak with their music. “Miss Movin’ On” in particular was on repeat on my iPod Touch for a week. Their captivating aura and empowering presence got me through what I thought was one of the hardest moments in my life. But of course, at the young age of 14, you’ll never really learn until you’ve gone through it all first hand. “I think that the experience of vulnerability or the experience of the more mellow sides of being are always going to be a part of my existence. I've gone through a deep healing phase and in a lot of ways,” she said, responding to my question about how her healing process has been since solidifying PRELUDE. While our stories are polar opposites, I completely resonate with Lauren’s concept of experiencing vulnerability and how it will always be a part of us.
''I THINK THAT THE EXPERIENCE OF VULNERABILITY OR THE EXPERIENCE OF THE MORE MELLOW SIDES OF BEING ARE ALWAYS GOING TO BE A PART OF MY EXISTENCE. I'VE GONE THROUGH A DEEP HEALING PHASE AND IN A LOT OF WAYS''
However, after enduring the aftermath of the situation, Lauren was able to connect with herself more. “It’s ironic because at first they used to isolate me for being myself and I didn't have thick enough skin to move through what people would project onto me about what they've perceived. I was really young and very insecure – when you're 16, you're going through all kinds of things,” she shared. “As I've grown and walked even further into who I am as a woman, the more that I get to know myself and ground myself in my own truth.” Throughout our 30-minute conversation, Lauren radiated a welcoming energy and vibrant personality – just like what I’ve observed through a digital screen for the past nine years. Having started her career at the young age of 15 when she auditioned for The X Factor U.S Season 2, I’ve always been drawn to Lauren’s husky yet sensual vocals, as well as her confident presence onstage and off. However, it wasn’t until 2018 – when Fifth Harmony disbanded after six years – that she was able to discover her own sound as a solo act. Influenced by a mix of genres including electronica, pop, Latin music and more, Lauren released her own original songs – "Toy", "Inside" and "Expectations" – and even performed them live during Halsey's Latin American leg of her Hopeless Fountain Kingdom World Tour.
“IT'S DEFINITELY GOING TO BE AN EXPLORATION OF ALL OF IT AGAIN BUT NOT ONLY THE DARK PARTS – IT WILL DEFINITELY EXPLORE A LOT MORE OF THE LIGHTER PARTS AS WELL.”
LARUICCI Satin Dolls Ring
LARUICCI Mosaic Ring
On top of that, being vulnerable and open are Lauren’s main drives when it comes to conceptualizing her work. Now that Lauren gets to be her own woman and artist, her work has become a medium to those who are still figuring out who they are. “Art has always been a way that I can express my inner world and make sense of it a bit more,” she said. “It's just part of the vulnerability that comes in that exploration because you have to be pretty open to discovering yourself, and it's not always beautiful stuff that you're going to discover. A lot of the healing process is about uncovering the shadows, working through them and working with them to create something beautiful out of them and transmute them.”
Often tapping into her divine feminine and sacral chakra, Lauren fuels her soul and mind through those two mediums. “I feel like that's the central focus of a lot of my work because art for me is like a spiritual practice too,” she mentioned, adding, “I would listen to songs and make dances to them, and I would always do them very interpretatively. A lot of those songs were very sensual – ‘90s pop, ‘00s pop and R&B. A lot of the women of that era were also very much exploring their intuition, independence and sensuality. I feel like that really influenced me a lot.”
“A LOT OF THE HEALING PROCESS IS ABOUT UNCOVERING THE SHADOWS, WORKING THROUGH THEM AND WORKING WITH THEM TO CREATE SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL OUT OF THEM AND TRANSMUTE THEM.”
In May 2017, she earned the title of Celebrity of the Year at the British LGBT Awards in recognition of her championing equality. During the peak of the pandemic, Lauren managed to maintain her spirit and heart of Pride despite the trials and tribulations humanity has faced these past two years. “I think our community is stronger than ever. Everything that we've gone through as a collective has really shed light on who's walking around with soul and who isn't. I think that it's awakened a lot of people and brought a lot of people towards conscious awareness of the way that they move in the world,” she expressed. “The queer community solidified and deepened my roots in who I truly am and what I stand for and the people I stand for.”
“THE QUEER COMMUNITY SOLIDIFIED AND DEEPENED MY ROOTS IN WHO I TRULY AM AND WHAT I STAND FOR AND THE PEOPLE I STAND FOR.”
“I think that the experience of vulnerability or the experience of the more mellow sides of being is always going to be a part of my existence,” she shared. “I speak from my heart and connect with my heart. It drives me through a lot of different kinds of passion projects, as well as gives me strength and likeability to just grow as a person.” When I asked if there was ever a defining moment where she decided to let her guard down, she candidly replied, “I don't write music for other people, I really do it for me. I've always been really open as a person. I'm a Cancer and I think it really resonates with me – I have a lot of depth in the way that I process life. Naturally, it just comes out in a society where people run away from their feelings and try to be topical about things. I think that it seems extra vulnerable for someone to explore their truth.”
“I SPEAK FROM MY HEART AND CONNECT WITH MY HEART. IT DRIVES ME THROUGH A LOT OF DIFFERENT KINDS OF PASSION PROJECTS, AS WELL AS GIVES ME STRENGTH AND LIKEABILITY TO JUST GROW AS A PERSON.”
“Colors’ is about reclaiming a love of self and calling myself out essentially in front of a mirror of just getting myself back from where I had been taken or where I had let myself go. ‘Scattered’ is about dealing with those demons that would keep coming up.” Towards the end of our call, I wanted to get a sense of what she would say to those who aren’t able to be open with their true self: “Your safety is important and it doesn't invalidate who you are. If it's unsafe for you to express yourself as truly as you would love to, it doesn't invalidate your experience or your identity. We are real, our stories are real and historical. Being yourself is radical as hell. Loving and healing yourself and moving away from toxic structures, as well as finding community are just as valuable. Hopefully, you find that one day and I pray that you do.”
Source: https://hypebae.com/2022/6/lauren-jauregui-summer-digital-cover-interview-editorial
Credits:
Photographer: Baz
Creative Director: Celina Rodriguez
Videographer: Jordan Sakai
Video Editor: Kayla Gibson/Hypebae
Producer: Pauline De Leon/Hypebae, Marielle Sales
Assistant Producer: Alison Jang
Stylist: Raz Martinez
Assistant Stylist: Chloe Siegel
Fashion Market Assistants: Celine Azena, Aja Gilles
Makeup Artist: Leo Chapparo/Opus Beauty
Hair Stylist: Castillo/Opus Beauty
Nail Artist: Karen Jimenez/Opus Beauty
Tailor: Leni Brechner
Interviewer: Pauline De Leon/Hypebae
Location: Blackheart Studio, Soho House
Designer: Yenna Chang/Hypebeast
