Laura Meets Musicians

Brian Bacon A creator to his core, Brian Bacon ’s dressed up style of folk rock finds an almost miraculous balance between nostalgia and bold originality. At age 50, Brian left Cleveland, Ohio where he had lived for over 20 years raising daughters and moved into a tiny home in Nashville found on Airbnb to record an album with a producer he met on Instagram, the result was his second album, "Murder of Crows" .  Produced by Nick Bullock and performed by a band of professional studio musicians in Nashville, "Murder of Crows" is a ten-song road trip into a woodsy Midwestern Gothic storybook full of poetic character stories like something you would expect from a rock opera or modern musical. Listening to the whole album you'll have the feeling of being seated in the front row of a Broadway Musical, captured by the storytelling and the engaging rhythm. Its intricate arrangements of vocals, synths, guitars, strings and horns reminds me a lot of 80s pop/rock music that

Lyla DiPaul (photo by Chloe Bergman) Lyla DiPaul has only ever had one dream; to sing and play guitar. In 4th grade, when her older brother began to teach her to pick out songs by Taylor Swift and Green Day, Lyla knew she was hooked. Inspired and indulged by the artsy DC suburb of Takoma Park, Maryland where she grew up, Lyla began performing original music at local festivals by the time she was 11 years old.  Although passionate about songwriting, Lyla felt hesitant to pursue a career in music. A mostly self taught musician, Lyla recalls feeling like she wasn’t good enough to make her dream a reality. It wasn’t until entering college at Loyola University New Orleans that she found confidence. " I was scared that I didn’t have enough experience or understanding of music theory to really take the leap. When I arrived at school I was all set to study Environmental science. Very quickly I noticed the number of people around me who were boldly pursuing their dreams ". By her se

Luna Keller Growing up between two cultures and surrounded by music, Luna Keller is a singer-songwriter with a unique perspective fuelled by her curiosity and a deep connection to her emotions through songwriting. Her family moved from Germany to Spain when she was just 6 months old. As a result she grew up far away from most of her family and traveled often from a young age. Music was always a part of her life starting with her parents singing and playing the guitar for her to fall asleep and leading to her eventually falling in love with songwriting. Through it she found a true connection to herself, going as far as calling her songs "friends" that help her process life. Strong messages, honest lyrics and emotional vocals define Keller’s sound. I had the pleasure to interview her on Instagram about her journey and her latest album. Luna is definitely the most inspiring and prolific songwriter I've ever met - she enchants the listeners with her lyrics and her voice, g

ARREN ARREN is a Dublin based, Limerick born artist who intends to blend the scale of iconic 90's rock bands with the intimacy of singer-songwriter, having inspirations including Radiohead, Oasis, Hudson Taylor and U2. ARREN also combines his music with strong visuals using lyric video visualisers, music videos and acoustic session videos, all of which accompany his new indie pop-infused rock single "It Takes One to Know", released in early July. "It Takes One to Know" is an anthemic, summer rock hit that combines the highs of a sunny blurry holiday with friends with the lows of heartbreak in your early 20's. In this song, ARREN paints a picture of a rollercoaster emotion-filled summer. The captivating sound and the powerful vocals create an "out of time" atmosphere, perfect to forget the present and enjoy a time journey in the past summer holidays. The lyrics and the rhythm are fresh and catchy, and instrumentally it features great drums and r

Jeff Petescia (Photo Credit: Kris Khunachak) Jeff Petescia is a singer-songwriter, guitarist, and 1/3 of the indie alt folk band Cold Weather Company . Their music is pretty original and distinctive, definitely a one-of-a-kind sound that combines excellent instrumentals with smart songwriting. Since I've met Cold Weather Company back in 2021, I had the opportunity to feature them various times on my page ( Interview on Instagram - YouTube video ). I was amazed to discover that the members of the band have their own solo music journeys too and I'm excited to introduce to you the talent of the guitarist Jeff Petescia today. Saying that Jeff has a great talent with guitar is quite an understatement: he is able to play it upside-down while bouncing a soccer ball on his foot, to say the least. He rocks an impressive personality in fingerpicking complex melodies - his hands seem to have a life on their own!  Jeff pairs this incredible ability with a dreamy and pretty clever songwri

(Photo credit: Holly McCandless-Desmond) Natalie Shay is one of the most exciting singer-songwriters emerging from the UK indie-pop music scene. Having performed at the world’s biggest festivals for new music SXSW and The Great Escape, as well as well-renowned festivals like Reading, Latitude and Victorious, the North Londoner is making her way across the globe, turning heads with her explosive live performances. Picking up the guitar at the age of five and attending the prestigious BRIT School in her teenage years, music has always been a part of Natalie’s life and her passion from a very young age. Known for her honest and relatable songwriting, Natalie is creating songs that empower and support, from infectious heartbreak anthems to up-beat tracks on love and friendships. She also doesn’t shy away from topics, speaking openly about mental health and anxiety.  CHAMPAGNE is Natalie’s new six-track EP, described as her favourite collection of songs yet. It encompasses who the artist