Lolo, aka Lauren Pritchard, is an American singer-songwriter who originally hails from Jackson, Tennessee. Steeped in music since she first began writing songs as a 14 year old musical prodigy, the gifted pianist and lyricist moved to the UK after her 17th birthday, at which point she signed a deal with Unviersal/Island Records.

Hot on the cusp of her second album after 2010’s Wasted in Jackson, FAULT caught up with Lolo for an exclusive shoot and interview in London’s Holland Park.

FAULT: So tell us a bit about your background, how did you get in to music?

Lolo: I grew up in Tennessee, I lived there until I was 16 and then I moved away from home to start this whole musical journey. I grew up really close to Nashville where there’s a lot of Country music. My mom had some friends who were writers in Nashville and I would go up watch them write, that was my first introduction to “Oh you can actually do this for a living?” That’s when I was like yep that’s definitely what I want to do!

I also lived in England for a little over 3 years, did a bunch of touring and made a record that came out under my given name (Lauren Pritchard) which came out in October 2010 on Island Records.

With this record I wanted to make songs about strength and being your own person and having balls, not being afraid. Not just from a woman’s perspective but just for anybody, everybody.

 

Who inspires you?
I always listen to a really wide range of musiic – classical, traditional Broadway, rock and R&B – some soul in there too.

The first album I ever bought with my own money was TLC – Crazy Sexy Cool, another tape that was always in the car was Alanis Morrisette, it was a real wide variety but all music that was very soulful and very honest writing.

 

Is that honesty something that comes across in your own music?

I think so, I write a lot and I like to write in metaphors too, there’s a song that’s out on iTunes called ‘Weapon For Saturday’ and it’s all of these different people who are just like the best of the best in their class, so sometimes it’s pretty literal writing. Songs like ‘Heard It From A Friend’, that’s a bit more of a metaphor but still very real, I wanted to make a song that was about being strong and not shying away, and being proud of it, so yeah I’d like to think so.

 

What can we expect to hear on your new album? Is it a change-up in terms of style?

Very much so! It’s still piano based, that’s the main instrument that I play, but to quote Spinal Tap, this one “goes to 11”; it’s VERY loud. My first record was not polite in any way, it was very honest and there was nothing cutesy about it but there’s definitely, absolutely, nothing cute about this record at all. I knew that I wanted everything to be playing at 100%.

 

You recently collaborated with Panic! At the Disco. Who else would you love to work with?

I have a lot of collaborations that I think over time I’d love to see happen. Some of those are super folky and some are really fucking hip-hop, it kind of varies.
The collaboration with Panic! At The Disco has been excellent, they’re absolutely ace people. It’s one I never could have predicted, they’re a band that I’ve always loved and they’re super nice guys.

Eminem is sort of my hero; he’s definitely someone I would love to do a collaboration with, He’s capable of so many things so I feel like that would be really interesting.
Another band that I have loved for a really long time is Foals. I think they’re an amazing band.

My sort of newest obsession of this year is Laura Mavula. I just think she’s amazing, there’s a couple of songs from her record that make me feel like a million dollars…

I don’t really know what any of those collaboration would sound like!

 

If you weren’t making music, what would you be doing?

I would DEFINITELY be a lawyer, if I didn’t do this I would go in to criminal justice law. It’s my secret obsession, something I study on my own anyway, it’s a weird thing to be obsessed about but yeah, forensics, all that weird gross shit.

You should combine your two passions, great concept album…

Oh my god can you imagine, that would be the most disturbing thing, I don’t even know what the fuck that would be about… it would probably scare me!

 

What is your FAULT?

Oh, which one do I list? I’m trying to think of which one I want to say…

Probably my biggest fault is that I try to do everything. I will agree to do so much, to the point where it becomes detrimental to my personal life or my health. But not like “yes to everything”, in the sense that I’m a pushover; I’m just straight-up a workaholic.

 

Lolo’s latest single,  ‘Year Round Summer of Love’, was released yesterday – 4th November ’13.