Written by: Keyali Mikaela

Indulge in the enchanting melodies and lyrical finesse of Lauren Mikki as we delve into the world of her debut EP, "These Feelings Are Fleeting." In this exclusive interview, we embark on a journey through the refined nuances of her sound, shaped by a blend of indie influences and the rich musical tapestry of Leeds. Join us as we explore the thematic depth of each track, from the introspective "Disconnect" to the intricacies of new love in "Anything (For You)." Against the backdrop of a rapidly changing music industry, Lauren shares insights into navigating challenges and embracing opportunities. With aspirations for live performances and a headline show in Leeds, she invites us to savor the fleeting moments. This is Lauren Mikki, an artist weaving elegance into the very fabric of her music.

Next Wave: Your debut EP, "These Feelings Are Fleeting," is set to release this week. Can you share some insights into the inspiration and creative process behind the EP?

Lauren Mikki: This body of work is a curation of small moments from my life over the past three/four years; moments which I wish to savor. Some themes of this EP are bittersweet (being unsure of how to react to such a perfect situation, or knowing that things are bad now but trusting they will get better). Despite this, they are all feelings that I want to hold on to, because they’re human, and they’re special. Creatively, this EP is a completely independent creation, which I feel speaks to the themes greatly. The work is about my life, and the people I love, so it felt fitting to create it with them. Using my friends and connections around me, I curated a sonic and visual world that reflects my own feelings, in the hope that it translates to others who might feel the same.

Next Wave: As an artist based in Leeds, how has your environment and diverse musical influences shaped your sound?

Having grown up in a household dominated by indie music, I feel like my take on R&B/Soul has a slight nuance to it. One of my friends told me they like my music because my voice/sound isn’t typical of the genre, but it still suits it. I really enjoyed understanding how other people hear my music, and I think that it’s really special to know that my parent’s music taste has a little place in the music that I make. Through Spotify playlists I discovered my love for R&B/Soul, which was only furthered by my choice to study music in Leeds. The city is renowned for its incredible, accessible, jazz/soul/R&B music community. Becoming a part of this has really opened my eyes to so much incredible new music which is constantly inspiring me. I feel really lucky to be a part of something so beautiful.

Next Wave: Having started 2024, what are your aspirations and goals as an artist for the new year?

My goals for this year are to be present and enjoy the fleeting moments before they’re over. I think we’re all guilty of striving for the next thing, when what’s in front of us is really beautiful. I want to take more time to be proud of how far I’ve come as an artist, and as a person. With this in mind, I want to keep making myself proud. Some things I’d love to do are: play my first festival, support some artists that I really love like Nina Cobham, work with lots more producers and writers that I admire, and do more work in London.

Next Wave: The title of the EP suggests a reflection on transient emotions. How do these fleeting feelings tie into your personal experiences over the past three years?

All of the songs are little windows into tiny (seemingly insignificant) moments in my life that I feel deserved to be felt for longer. ‘Disconnect’ is really about social anxiety, not feeling like I’m doing anything right and just preferring to come away from it all. Even though it’s not fun to experience in the moment, it’s beautiful to be able to enjoy your own company, and feel that pull to go home. It’s beautiful to have a safe space to find comfort in. ‘Anything (For You)’ and ‘In Flow’ reflect tumultuous, yet exciting times in early relationship stages. Similarly, these feelings are tense, but they’re so special because they mark the beginning of something, and they mark growth. ‘Mine’ marks the end of the struggle, and the surrender to hope and destiny. It’s the song that I’ve had written for the longest out of all of them, and whilst I’m not sure if I truly believe in manifestation or spirituality in general, this song has really guided me a lot, and helped me let go.

Next Wave: Are there specific artists or genres that have had a significant influence on your musical journey?

Ariana Grande has been one of my favorite artists for ages. My other influences include Sabrina Claudio, Victoria Monet, Lana Del Rey. More recently I’ve been inspired by Raye and B-ahwe.

Next Wave: How do you envision your music connecting with listeners, and what do you hope they take away from your debut EP?

Whilst my music is written about my experiences, I hope that listeners can find their own meaning in it. The concept of savoring ‘fleeting feelings’ is something that everyone can partake in, and I envision this EP being a soundtrack of nostalgia and gratitude.

Next Wave: "Disconnect" touches on nostalgic comforts and childhood sounds. How do these elements contribute to the overall storytelling in your music, and why is nostalgia an important theme for you?

I think that I’m quite guilty of moving too fast. Holding on to ‘childhood sounds’ and nostalgic comforts grounds me and gives me space to breathe. I think ‘Disconnect’ is the perfect opening song for the EP for this reason. The track ‘Disconnects’ the listener from social anxieties, expectations and daily discomforts, and transports them to a safe space in their own mind. From then on, the listener is invited to reminisce on various special moments, until they are left with a great sense of hope and excitement for more memory making in the future within the closing track ‘Mine’.

Next Wave: "Anything (For You)" explores the ups and downs of new love. Can you share a specific experience or moment that inspired the lyrics of this track?

This track was the one I wrote the most recently, but pulls on the earliest memory of all of the tracks in the EP. The lyrics explore the tensions and anxieties that accompanied the beginning of my relationship with my boyfriend. We were both in our first year of university, and shared a lot of the same friends. We kept things between us secret for quite a while because we didn’t want what we had to be ruined by opinions or observation. This came with its own set of complications, but beneath all of the stress and excitement, I trusted that our relationship was strong enough to work.

Next Wave: "In Flow" seems to reflect on surrendering to unexpected happiness. How do you balance personal storytelling with creating a relatable narrative for your audience?

In my songwriting I aim to keep things open to interpretation. So many lyrics I write have deeply personal meanings, but they only mean that to me. I prefer to not dwell too much on the initial intention of my music when introducing songs to my listeners, as I’m a big believer in finding your own way to relate to music. It is not for me to tell anyone how to feel, or how to interpret my words or music. I think that it’s a hard balance to strike in songwriting, there is no formula, and I am far from perfecting it. I just hope that my words make people feel something, but exactly what they feel is up to them.

Next Wave: Looking ahead, do you have any plans for live performances or touring to connect with your audience in a different way?

I have a headline in Leeds at Hyde Park Book Club on the 23rd of January. The set (which includes all of the songs from the EP), is completely performed live with a full band. All of the music sounds fresh in this setting, as it’s not the same as the recorded versions. I hope to book shows in other cities soon so that I can share my music further.

Next Wave: In a rapidly changing music industry, what challenges and opportunities do you see for emerging artists, and how do you navigate them?

I think Tik Tok has really had an effect on the way that we release and promote music. It’s become super over-saturated, and there’s a lot of pressure. For that reason I’m trying to only partake in promotion styles that really sit right with my vision for my work, and try not to get too caught up in trends/put pressure on my social media engagement.

Next Wave: "Mine" is described as the calm after the storm. How do you balance creating emotionally charged music while ensuring it provides comfort and resonates with listeners?

Music is such a broad tool for emotional communication. I don’t think you can ever quite ensure that something feels the same for a listener as it does for you. ‘Mine’, at the time of writing it, meant self-assurance and confidence in my decisions. Being the track that I wrote the longest time ago, it has come to mean so many different things to me since then. In the final stages of writing and production, it was important that the outro felt big, grand, and encompassing. Like you were being hugged by the music. I wanted this because, no matter what the song has meant to me, it has always been a big feeling. I hope that even if someone interprets the lyrics differently from how I intended them, that they feel comforted by the soundscape.

Lauren Mikki Unveils the Stories Behind 'These Feelings Are Fleeting

Written by: Keyali Mikaela

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