Fifth Harmony may be on a hiatus, but its members are making major solo moves.
The latest of which is Lauren Jauregui.
As reported, the sultry-voiced songbird recently inked a deal with Sony’s Columbia Records and is now setting the wheels in motion for her musical arrival.
The 22-year-old electrifies in a striking cover shoot for NYLON magazine and within its inner pages opens up about the direction of her own material.
Pics and quotes below…
“Every single ounce of what I went through in Fifth Harmony prepared me for this moment, to be this person I am now, to have the career opportunities I do now, to have creative freedom,” she says.
It’s this last thing that is the most significant: Jauregui has total creative control on her debut solo project—something that was missing in her past ventures. Being part of one of the biggest girl groups since The Spice Girls had its benefits, of course—namely, the industry clout which afforded her the opportunity to helm her own solo project on her own terms. “Most people have to compromise a lot, and I haven’t compromised once,” she says. “[Industry people] are really attentive to my needs and my voice, and that’s the coolest feeling in the world. That’s something that I hadn’t experienced as of yet.”
The music is soulful and lively. In some ways, it’s unexpected, as the sound is a noticeable deviation from the bops and bangers customary to Fifth Harmony. But in actuality, the style makes total sense for Jauregui as a solo artist—the songs are expressive and honest. Her smoky, mature vibrato carries the depth and sensuality of Amy Winehouse, while the composition contains hints of Lauryn Hill’s minor harmonies and pulsating hip-hop beats. Some tracks are brimming with Latin influence, her own Cuban background emblazoned in the beats’ rhythmic twos and threes. Lauren Jauregui has clearly come into her own with this solo project—she wrote every song, and the lyrics are direct reflections of her character and experiences.
“That was my favorite one,” I say after a fiery track about girl-on-girl love. Knowing that I’m gayer than Cate Blanchett in Ocean’s 8, she squints at me and says, “Obviously.” In her new music, Jauregui writes openly about her romantic history with both women and men. “My art is just self-explorative,” she divulges. “I’m gonna talk about whatever it is that I’m going through, so if what I went through, I went through with a girl, you’re gonna hear about it from that perspective. If what I went through, I did with a man, you’re gonna hear it from that perspective, ‘cause I just love souls.”
It took numerous sessions with inspiring producers and songwriters for the singer to truly blossom. On the upcoming album, she worked with producers like Illangelo, a longtime collaborator of The Weeknd, Jeremy Lloyd of Marian Hill, and King Henry (Beyoncé, Justin Bieber). About one song she played me, Jauregui proudly said, “This song was made by three women”—herself, songwriter Ilsey Juber (Shawn Mendes), and Alex Hope (Troye Sivan).
We’re all sorts of amped for Lauren’s debut – especially when the music sounds like this…