Laraw
Laraw is one-of-a-kind. I’m only discovering her music but she is definitely a true artist who brings versatility and authenticity into her art.
She has just released her brand new single “Scissors” and it’s a massive pop/rock record. Produced by Derek Hoffman, “Scissors” reflects on a toxic relationship. “‘Scissors’ is about the grief of having a loved one completely destroy you – knowing they will and just letting it happen. It’s for sure the most important song I've ever written and marked a new chapter of my life. I got to actually meet myself, grow and learn that the first person you should always love is yourself,” she explains.
The guitars in this song are incredible, Laraw’s vocals are sublime and the lyrics are poignant. “Scissors”is a hit record and it’s definitely a song that deserves to be heard live.
“Scissors” is out now !!
Photo credit: William Arcand
Introduce yourself - what's your story?
My name is Laraw. I studied music production and sound design because I wanted to work in the video game industry. After graduating I couldn’t find a job and started posting random songs with my friend. Some really nice people noticed me and the rest is history. I started making music and writing and singing about my questionable life choices and horrible dating life…I have a dog and I really like cows and McDonald's, which is very ironic, but what can I do?
"Scissors" is your new single - how does it feel like to release this new song?
Good! It’s weird to write a song about a breakup or any specific situation that’s hurtful and release it 7 months later. But it gives you time to heal and put things back into perspective. A lot has happened in these months but the best part is that I'm doing better now!! I feel like I found myself again and it’s the beginning of a new era.
Could you describe the songwriting/production process for this song? When did you start working on it? Who helped you create this project?
Last September I went to Toronto and I had my first in person sessions ever. Not only was it my first time traveling alone, it was also my first time making music with people who do this for a living. It was truly a life changing experience, I had time to reflect on my life and come to terms with the fact that the relationship I was in was making me really sad and stopping me from finding happiness. I met with Derek Hoffman and shared my story and we ended up writing and recording Scissors in a day. We kept most of the demo vocals because it just felt so raw and honest. In a weird way, this song was the first page of a new chapter of my life. A difficult but really beautiful one.
What did you feel when writing this single?
Really sad. I was coming to terms with ending a 6 year relationship, one that started when I was a teenager. I spent the beginning of my adulthood with this person and it really blocked me from growing and being myself. Looking back now that it’s been a few months, I’m so happy with how my life evolved and if I could give advice to anyone struggling to leave a bad relationship…JUST DO IT.
What's your favorite thing about this song?
It was so therapeutic to make and so important for my healing process. My favorite thing is that I turned a bad thing that happened to me into a song I'm really proud of.
What can you tell us about the music video? Where did you get the inspiration from?
I always say that my life feels like a movie so I wrote a 5 chapter story on grief, and tried to summarize it into a 2 minute music video. The music video is about coming to terms with a breakup and finding yourself more powerful in the end. There's also a hint of feeling absolutely crazy
As an artist, what is the hardest part? And what is the best part?
Being so vulnerable is hard but it's also the best part of it because I wouldn't be one otherwise. Music gives me this outlet to talk truthfully about my feelings and difficult moments in life.
What is the proudest moment of your career so far?
Honestly, just making my Mom and Dad proud of me. I don’t really care about anything else. My family and music are the top 2 priorities in my life.
What advice would you give to artists out there?
Honestly, I’m only just starting and I feel like I’M the one who needs advice because I have no idea what I'm doing :) !!
Besides music, what are you passionate about?
My dog. I love my dog. I also love coffee and I have a new profound love for Animal Crossing (I know, I’m late to the party).
In your opinion, what would make the world a better place?
I don’t really know… everything kind of sucks. I feel like if we were all a little kinder, that would be a good place to start.
What biggest life lessons have you learnt so far?
You forgive others for your own peace.
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