Interview: Lauren Alaina

Lauren Alaina recently visited the UK for the Country2Country festival. With her sets sending Twitter into overdrive, we decided to find out what all the fuss was about. With a real powerful pop edge to her country sound, we too were impressed and couldn't resist a chance to catch up with Lauren.

It has been a few years since your debut album. We understand you took time out for family matters and also vocal surgery. How are you doing now?

It ended up being the best thing ever as it doubled my range pretty much. I have way more of a range than I had, so I'll take it. But it was just a difficult couple of years, as you can imagine. It made the perfect country album though. It gave me a lot of material. I wrote nearly 100 songs in that time period. I have lots of music about my family and my Dad's alcoholism. There are happy songs and sad songs.

Do you think the difficult times have given you a fresh perspective?

It taught me more about me, which is exciting. I am so much sure of who I am as a person and as an artist. When something like that happens, it is horrible and sad, but you find out how to deal with things. It shows you who you are. It is shown in my songwriting. Most people see a therapist, but I just get my guitar out and write a song about it. It is all very personal, so I am looking forward to seeing how people receive it. It is a lot more personal that I ever expected to get. It's been a challenge, but it is the best work I can create as an artist.

The response has been amazing. Did you anticipate the reaction to the EP?

It is so reassuring for me as I have an EP out right now, which has five songs on it. History was a promotional song we did for American Football, so I wrote that pop song for that promotion. I wouldn't normally write that for me. The other four on the EP give a good idea of what the album is going to be. At C2C people were singing along and we sold out of all our EP's, which made me feel so special. It is amazing to be in a country I have never been to and to sell out of my music and have people asking me to come back. I am so thankful to everyone and we are so excited.

Has the UK trip altered your ambitions?

I don't know. I feel like I have definitely decided I have to come here. I had always dreamed of that but I never thought my music would do well over here. It has taught me not to limit myself. I have to come back and do more shows. It was really good bonding experience for me. I can go out of my comfort zone. I just hope people continue to enjoy my shows like they did the last two shows.

Did you get a chance to check out any UK country?

I got to see The Shires, I was really impressed by them. I got to spend some time with them and they are lovely. David Nail was here, I am big friends with him and I have seen him do quite a bit. Other than the acts from over here, I knew them all already. We are all from Nashville. It was like we were all on vacation together. I really hope to come back for it again next year, but maybe also in the fall.

Lastly, we know the EP has only just come out - but when can we expect the album?

We don't have a release date just yet in America. I don't know if you'll get it the same time. The EP is just coming out here, but it came out in September in America. I don't think there will be that much of a delay though. A lot of the tracks aren't finished yet and we have to do the artwork, but hopefully sooner rather than later.