Indie Songwriters: Laura meets Rory D'Lasnow

Rory D’Lasnow is a singer-songwriter from New Jersey. Heralded as a "golden-voiced troubadour" and one of the "32 N.J. bands and artists you need to hear in 2022" by NJ.com, Rory D’Lasnow picked up his late father’s guitar upside-down and backwards at the age of six. Despite never turning his guitar right-side up, Rory’s unique contemplative sound has propelled him on to perform at some of the nation’s most distinguished venues and festivals from Mercury Lounge and Rockwood Music Hall in New York, Hotel Cafe and The Viper Room in Los Angeles, and The Atlantic City Beer & Music Festival in his home state of New Jersey.

His penchant for evocative and vulnerable storytelling has earned him international radio airplay, opening slots for The Early November, Knuckle Puck, American Idol Winner Lee DeWyze, Actor/Musician Drake Bell, and John Corabi of Mötley Crüe/The Dead Daisies, and has garnered praise from the likes of American Songwriter and Atwood Magazine. 

This year, Rory is touring nationally in support of his new EP, entitled "Songs From An Empty Room" which was produced by Hidden In Plain View guitarist/producer Rob Freeman (Gym Class Heroes, Armor For Sleep, Cobra Starship, Hit The Lights), mastered by Grammy nominated mastering engineer Mike Kalajian (All Time Low, Circa Survive, Saosin, Straylight Run), and is available on all streaming platforms now. 

Rory D'Lasnow has been one of the first NYC songwriters I met online more than one year ago and I suddenly loved his sweet voice and his incredibly powerful and emotional lyrics. He is very talented in songwriting and he's also one of the most busy musician I know, working hard in making his voice heard wherever he can. He always brings emotions to the people who listen to his beautiful songs. Aside his most recent EP, I suggest you to check also his previous music - it will seriously be worth it!

Photo by David Ross Lawn

A little chat with Rory D'Lasnow

What does music mean for you? When did the music break in your life and which role had your family in it? Do you remember the first song you've written?    

"Music is everything to me. It’s a language that transcends every possible obstacle between people. It can comfort you when you’re hurting, amplify every positive feeling you when you’re thriving, and capture all of the most subtle details of the human experience when words alone seem insufficient. I think music has been in my life since the day I was born. I like to say that I've been playing guitar since it was bigger than I was. There are home videos of me playing my father’s Ovation (acoustic guitar) in my childhood living room and banging on the strings upside down and backwards and not much has changed! I do remember! The first song I ever wrote was called "Nana’s Still Asking For Milk" a song about my grandmother’s frustration with a failed trip to the grocery store. It’s all been downhill from there".

Have you a favorite music genre? Which are your main musical influences and what are you listening most at the moment?

"It’s hard for me to pick one genre! I grew up pretty much exclusively on music from before my time - The Everly Brothers, The Beatles, Billy Joel, Queen, Foreigner, Yes, and Rod Stewart were always playing growing up. That’s already kind of a weird mix. Then I gravitated toward Pop Punk and Emo a lot during my teenage years - like Fall Out Boy, Panic at The Disco, Paramore, Taking Back Sunday, Jimmy Eat World, Say Anything, The Used. But I like it all - Tool, Avenged Sevenfold, Regina Spektor, Dodie - weird combinations of things. I also have a soft spot for straight up pop music and a lot of Broadway show tunes. I try to mix it up. I think a lot can be learned from all different stuff. Currently, I’m pretty obsessed with Hozier and Carly Rae Jepsen, naturally. And a ton of local stuff. The NJ/NYC music scene doesn’t mess around".

Does the inspiration for a new song come to you immediately or it takes you much time to put together lyrics and music? What would you like to transmit to your listeners?

"It really depends for me! Sometimes songs take forever to piece together and sometimes they come together almost instantly. I know "Power of My Love" came to me very quickly in almost one piece. Other songs take a while. Music usually leads the way before lyrics because I find that to be the more challenging part of it. I really like the idea of being able to provide hope through songs - whether a song has an overtly positive message or touches on the more challenging aspects of life - I hope that people can hear the song and feel a little less alone".

Are there things that you would change in the music industry? Which is the most difficult thing to cope with being an indie musician?

"I’m going to jump on board with what’s likely one of the most common complaints from indie musicians - just everything about streaming. A lot of people are frustrated with the unfair compensation by streaming services. I’m not in this for the money, but what really bums me out is the way that streaming numbers are weighted. I think it’s something like 1500 streams equals one album sale. It just feels sometimes that it’s become a far more difficult landscape for newer artists to make headway in the increasingly digital world. The most difficult thing to cope with as an indie musician though is having to wear ALL of the hats though. Digital marketing, for example, requires a totally different skill set and it’s extremely difficult for me but extremely important. So many aspects of building your music career are totally unrelated to actually making music, which I think a lot of non-musicians sometimes find surprising".

How do you feel when you play your music live? Are you satisfied by the results of your musical efforts so far and what is your next goal?

"I am always my toughest critic, but my goal is always to just connect with new people and hopefully make people feel something. When people tell me that my songs have resonated with them - it means the world, so I try to forgive myself for a few wrong notes if the message is still getting across. My goal is to just keep branching out - especially around the east coast - and connecting with new folks. People, more than anything else, are what makes music so rewarding for me".

Rory D'Lasnow talks about his music

 

Rory recently released the YouTube video of "Power Of My Love", with which he honors his father in a beautiful and emotional way. Rory says: "It's a song about persevering through loss. I had written this song about Darren Drake, my friend’s cousin, who was tragically killed in a terrorist attack in NYC. I went to a memorial in his honor and was touched by the impact he had on the lives of people around him (please check out the Darren Drake Foundation). After my father passed, this song began to really resonate with me on a personal level. This song is for anybody who’s lost someone. The release of the video is maybe the most special thing I've ever been a part of".

"My most recent EP, Songs From An Empty Room, is essencially a collection of songs about love and loss. The first song, "Where You Belong" is a love song I wrote when I was in college for my then girlfriend. The second song "Forgotten" is a song that was inspired in part by the clients in my other line of work - mental health. I’ve worked with so many wonderful people who have struggled with pervasive mental illness - often along with substance abuse issues in the picture. Unfortunately it’s resulted in a lot of people becoming estranged from their families. No situation is black and white, but this song is essentially intended to be about the fleeting nature of life and how important it is to say what’s on your heart before it’s too late. The third song, "I Won’t Do Anything" is essentially about suicide. My mom passed away when I was fourteen and my father, who has since also passed away, was living very far away and I just was feeling really isolated and alone. It’s a feeling that I think a lot of people stumble upon at points. The title refers to both the idea of not being able to get out of bed when you’re depressed but also the idea of reassuring the people around you that you’re not going to hurt yourself. The final song "Happy" is about coming to terms with a new dynamic between former lovers and being at peace with the past while aiming to move forward".

Photo by Kenny Bieber

Instagram: @rorydlasnow

Linktree: Rory D'Lasnow