We met up with Lauren Sanderson at a skate park in East Los Angeles on an overcast afternoon a few weeks ago to shoot some Polaroids and get to to know her a little bit better. Lauren is a laid back, determined, wonderful, independent human who has purpose embedded in her every move. She was instantly down to go for it and have not only a good shoot but one that was creative and fun. Her music speaks for itself- with her new song Upset being a beautiful, vibey, sure fire way to get you feeling some sort of way. With an Album dropping sometime next year she is set to make some waves. Get to know Lauren’s views on authenticity, purpose, and so much more below and be sure to checkout the photos we captured.

Who are you?

I am Lauren Sanderson, I'm 23, and my goal is to empower as many people as I possibly can to be themselves. period

What does authenticity mean to you?

to me, authenticity means breaking down any internal barriers/outside noise to be the most you that you can be. if you're creative, be creative. if you're loud, be loud. if you want to dye your hair green and get a tattoo on your forehead, do that. it's all about conviction and being bold about it. even if the rest of the world doesn't agree or understand.

Why music?

it's my truest form of expression. when I was growing up, I didn't have siblings or a consistent friend group. I was a loner most of the time. I’ve written poems since i was like 8 years old just as a way to get it out. music always spoke to me man - always. it's the realest way I can convey what's inside of me and feel completely at peace with what I said and the way I said it. I truly believe I was born to do it.

What does deja vu mean to you?

deja vu is when you are exactly where you're meant to be. almost to the point of "wait have I been here before?". when the universe perfectly aligns. don't question that.

PS I put out "deja vu" as a Post Malone and Justin Bieber cover like 4 years ago. somehow a lot of people thought it was mine. lol. nope

What does vulnerability as an artist mean to you?

the scariest but the most important thing you could ever do for yourself. I learned a lot about vulnerability in 2019 when i realized almost every girl I ever dated told me i ran from my feelings too much. i didn’t believe them until i saw a therapist and actually realized "damn, they're really fuckin right". I had to heal from my fear of vulnerability and realize that I am safe to express myself and my thoughts. cause even though i have always been very open and real with the world, sometimes i am not as real as I should be with myself. and that means facing your REAL feelings, even when it's the hardest thing to do.

Biggest lesson you learned this year?

if you're not right with yourself, you won't be right with anything or anyone else in your life. sometimes when we're stressed about a friendship or a relationship or your career, whatever, you always point to external reasons as to why you feel that way. a lot of the time, there's something you're actually not dealing with or communicating about what is happening inside of you. that took me awhile to realize i am the only person in control of the way I feel. the things happening around you will never stop, but how you handle them is totally up to you. I don't rely on anyone to make me feel a certain way anymore. life’s better that way.

Favorite lyric of your own?

I have a new song coming out on my album called "goodnight". it's a song about manipulation and what it feels like to realize you are actually being controlled or emotionally abused in your relationship with someone. one of the lines is "you make me feel so problematic, I say 'goodnight, ill see you in the morning'. that's not what you like. but i don't care anymore... goodnight". it's saying goodbye to something you realize was toxic all along. and you're saying goodbye for the sake of holding onto yourself. damn I can't wait for that to be released.

What does purpose mean to you?

I believe we are all on this earth for a very specific reason. I believe my purpose is to be a channel for the souls who feel alone. alone in their beliefs, alone in their thoughts, alone in their passion. I believe I was meant to have a specific energy that makes the people around me realize their "wholeness" and realize they aren't so alone after all. I feel lucky to know that. because I also believe some people never know their purpose. that's the hard beauty of it. some peoples purpose is to feel deeply and love hard. some people's purpose is to be nurturing. some people were born to embrace darkness and write about it. however a lot of people pair the word "purpose" with your career/success and I don't agree. our purpose is internal. our channel is external.

Favorite place in the world?

3220 N. Anthony Blvd

Fort Wayne, IN 46805

What's next?

album. tour. hopefully festivals. hopefully a worldwide tour someday. and I want to release a book sometime soon maybe in 2020 or 2021. big plans. not gonna stop til we get em.

Talent: Lauren Sanderson @laurensanderson

Photography: Weslee Kate @wesleekatecreative