INTERVIEW: Marina Laurendi

INTERVIEW:

Marina Laurendi

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FOR this interview…

I have been finding out more about the sensational and hugely talented Marina Laurendi. She brilliantly mixes elements of Indie Rock, vintage Pop, and singer-songwriter Folk that fits around lyrics that are both honestly personal yet accessible. With a dreamy soundscape blended with something edgier, her music is an intoxicating and compelling blend! A Western New York native, Laurendi relocated to N.Y.C. after college, where she initially worked as an actress Off-Broadway and the East Coast. Her music is heavily inspired by the rush and stories of the city, but I think her heart and soul pulls towards home. Laurendi finds inspiration from the music of the 1960s and artists such as Lana Del Rey, Hozier, and Phoebe Bridgers. I have been speaking to her about the video for her sensational track, Stay Mine, and the E.P. of the same name. Laurendi discusses her musical influences, how New York and Buffalo impact her music, what she has planned for 2023, and whether she might come to the U.K. and play soon. It has been a pleasure spending time with…

A truly superb artist.

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Hi Marina. How are you? How has your week been?

Hello! I’m doing well. This week has been busy. We’re going into the studio this weekend to record some new tracks - so it’s been a lot of rehearsing and planning on top of rehearsals for live shows.

Talk to me about your track, Stay Mine. There is a mix of desire and yearning together with something dreamy and vintage. What inspired you to write the track? Was it inspired by a real-life relationship, or was it more based around a more fictional wanderlust?

Well firstly, I really appreciate you picking up on all those things, because I think that was something I really wanted to get across in the production of the song. I have always had this sense of wanderlust and a curiosity for the world and different experiences. I’ve always been interested in traveling and it’s something I’m starting to do more but I’ve only scratched the surface so I find myself daydreaming about the places I want to go and the possibilities of what’s out there.

“It’s all about what could be”.

At the time I wrote the song, I was having these really interesting, deep intellectual conversations with someone who was really stimulating that part of my brain that just wanted to go live life and be free. We never dated, but I think those talks sparked the realization in me of wanting a big life that’s full of new traditions. I want to find my way with someone who shares the same values and spirit as me. A lot of the times when I’m writing I’m using my life experience as a springboard for my imagination to go crazy and tell a story. I like things that are rooted in truth and reality but have a sense of freedom and fantasy. It’s all about what could be.

I love the video for the song! What was it like working alongside director Luke Haag on the shoot? How involved were you in the storyline of the video?

Thank you so much. Working with Luke was so great. I had looked really carefully and for a really long time for the right person to shoot this, and I had seen a video Luke shot for Fernway, another Buffalo band, and I immediately thought the way it was shot was so aesthetically beautiful and perfect for this project. I always wanted the story to focus on this couple and this '“can’t live without each other” kind of love, and we both really liked the idea of performing the song in certain moments, so we landed on this concept of snapshots of a relationship, intercut with performance moments.

We talked about having that element of nostalgia and restlessness, so choosing locations like the perfect dive bar, an old motel exterior, and tiny campfires gave it an intimate feel like these two people are living in their own world. Luke used this special lens to warm and soften the shots to give everything that subtle old-fashioned feel. It was one of the best collaborative experiences I’ve had, between Luke and the rest of our little team. We all just clicked and had so much fun which is why I think it turned out how it did.

Your music has been linked to artists like Lana Del Rey and Phoebe Bridgers. Are these artists that you would say are influences? What kind of sounds and music did you grow up listening to?

I’m a big fan of both Phoebe and Lana. What I’ve always loved about Lana’s music is that it’s dark, feminine, and unfiltered. She’s got this sad, romantic sort of “stand by your man” theme across her music, and a lot of music today is more “independent woman”, you know, you don’t need a man. Which you don’t. But it’s innately feminine to be in your feelings and to be emotional, and I love leaning into that softness and vulnerability in music. And really taking a lens to masculinity and romanticizing the good parts that feed your feminine power - I love that, and I lean into that when I write.

I grew up listening to all kinds of music: The Beatles, Queen, Britney Spears, Taylor Swift, show tunes; so I had a lot of wildly different genres to impact my musical taste.

“I’ve spent the greater parts of my life in Buffalo and then New York, so they couldn’t help but find their way into my music in some form”.

I feel New York and specifically Buffalo are a big part of your direction. How important is the dichotomy of New York rush and the quieter Buffalo pace to your songwriting?

I think every place I go has an impact on my music. I just think of every place I’ve visited, and in the quiet moments there I would feel inspired not by my surroundings exactly. But I think it was the peace and calm of being somewhere new, where there were no expectations other than to show up, do my thing and not worry about the future or external stuff. I’ve spent the greater parts of my life in Buffalo and then New York, so they couldn’t help but find their way into my music in some form.

I really love the Stay Mine E.P. and have a new favourite song and moment each time I listen. Is there a particular track that stands out or you rank as your personal favourite?

I want to say Stay Mine, but I really have a soft spot for Upper East Side. It’s probably the most personal song I’ve ever written. I’m most proud of that song, because it felt like the end of a chapter for me and really letting go of something.

As amazing as you are as a solo artist, are there any artists that are on your dream collaboration list that you’d love to work with?

Hozier, The 1975, Phoebe Bridgers, Jack Antonoff, Lana, Lady Gaga - the list is endless.

The reaction to the Stay Mine E.P. has been very positive, and you have had a busy 2022. What do you hope to achieve in 2023?

I really want to travel more and fuel my life and music with energy and purpose. I want it to be the most intentional year, so I want to get clear about my intentions and get specific.

You are playing New Year’s Eve at Nietzsche’s in Buffalo. How does it feel to be playing to live audiences after the pandemic and lockdowns? What is it like seeing that immediate reaction to your songs?

It’s so cool. Someone told me recently that they didn’t know how songwriters got up there and performed their material, because if people hated it they’d be mortified. And I guess I just don’t think of it, because I’m having too much fun to care when I’m playing live. Watching someone have fun and be wild onstage makes you have a good time. I get to go up there and dance and throw my body around and jump and release all this pent up energy, and I love it.

I know there are people who would love to see you and venues that would house you in the U.K. Have you any future plans to come and play over here?

I would love to come play in the U.K. I don’t have an international tour planned yet, but one day.

This year has been an extraordinary one for music. I think that women have been dominating and leading the way. What has been your standout album of 2022?

I’ve been loving Taylor Swift’s Midnights honestly.

Finally, you can pick any song you like to finish. It can be an old favourite or a new song. What should we play?

Play So Much Wine by Phoebe Bridgers! It’s what I am listening to at this very moment, so no time like the present…