Words by Annie Barber
Photos by Beth Chamberlain
As Ernest Hemingway said, “All you have to do is write one true sentence. Write the truest sentence that you know.” This approach is likely similar to the one that guides the work of Lauren Mikki, the singer-songwriter whose work is intrinsically diaristic and radically honest. “There’s something about them,” she says. She is referring to cranes, which are splashed across the cover of her red journal in which her songwriting process begins. The graceful bird holds particular significance in her life. She mentions Solange’s ‘Cranes in the Sky’ and the fact that she’s recently read When the Cranes Fly South by Lisa Ridzén, both of which have had a profound impact on her. She elaborates on the latter, saying “that was such a beautiful book, and it kind of symbolises change and moving forward and acceptance, and I think that that’s what [cranes] represent for me.” Earlier this month, she released her second single ‘Enough’, an emotive indie soul track that touches on mental health, the pressures faced by women, and that very same idea of forging ahead through adversity.
While writing the song, Lauren says that she was inspired by the likes of Laufey, Eloise, and even Radiohead. “They’ve been a big inspiration of mine. I grew up listening to them. My parents introduced me to them since birth, basically. So I think a lot of my kind of more brooding and dramatic music is very inspired by them,” she explains. In particular, she says that the way in which many of her songs are “eternally building” up to a big crescendo is not dissimilar to many of the band’s tracks. “I think it’s the most random reference that I’ve probably put out there so far out of what’s inspired my music because maybe people might not make the connection between me and Radiohead,” she admits. Alongside these influences, she was drawn to orchestral arrangements, like those found on Joni Mitchell’s ‘Both Sides Now’ and Laufey’s live albums.
However, Lauren says that her lyrics are much more personal. In particular, writing the lyrics to ‘Enough’ constituted part of a healing journey for her. The song allowed her to free herself from society’s expectations and self-criticism, things which she now realises are universal. She admits, “the topics I’m covering are really relatable for a lot of people who struggle with their mental health and struggle with feeling like they’re enough. I think [they are] easy for me to explore because it’s just how I feel.”
Following years of songwriting, she has developed several habits and rituals. Of these, the most important is writing her songs in her journals. “I kind of like to think of my songs as journal entries almost because they actually physically are. I like write all of my songs now in my journals every year, and I have like a little New Year tradition of buying myself a new journal,” she reveals. When picking one out, she lets her gut guide her. Before her current journal, she had another with cranes on it which was instead orange and gold. She says that the bright colours spoke to her when she was emerging from a period of darkness in her life. Later, when she spotted the red one adorned with cranes, she recalls thinking “this is great. We’re continuing the healing for 2026 and continuing on this path.”
Having had support from BBC Introducing, been a recipient of the Youth Music Next Gen Fund, and garnered attention from Spotify, it is fair to say that she is attracting a lot of industry attention. Although she is grateful for any support she receives, she particularly likes to work with grassroots and community organisations and publications. She says, “as an independent grassroots artist, I really appreciate that we’re all kind of in the same boat. Like all these independent magazines and independent interviewers and journalists, all just trying to make their career and trying to further something that they’re passionate about. It’s really important to me to be engaging with these kinds of people.” Looking towards the future, her main goal is to share her music with as many people as possible. On top of this, as a fan of music herself, she has always hoped that she can provide for listeners what her favourite artists have provided for her. She says, “what I hope people will take from my music is, I think, a sense of hope and just like a sense of identity, and I hope they find something of themselves in it.” With frank songwriting like that on ‘Enough’ and her debut single ‘In Between’, it is likely that she has already fulfilled this dream.
Although Lauren writes her songs on her own and in her bedroom, she decided that she wanted the visuals for both singles to reflect her ambitions of being surrounded by fans. She says “I’ve imagined performing in these beautiful theatrical spaces, and it felt like a real performance.” She used her local town hall as the setting, which was not a conscious decision but a fitting one nonetheless. “It’s a space that I’ve been in a lot since I was really young in different contexts, and I’d always wanted to perform my own music on the stage. I guess I have, to an extent, by doing the music video [for ‘In Between’], but I guess the manifestation and dream that I have is that I’ll be back there with the seats filled, performing it one day,” she says. While on the subject of performing live, she admits that she is “quite prone to stage fright.” Despite feeling more at home in a studio setting, she loves performing live and being able to connect with her audience.
Finally, we turn to Karma!’s staple questions. For the first, ‘if you or your art were a colour, what would it be?’ she opts for a deep maroon red. “I think red is probably the colour that will flow through all of my music and all of my sounds in different ways… It feels [like] it’s got a darkness to it, but it’s also quite a rich, fun colour as well,” she says. As for her song recommendation, she lands on ‘Burn The Witch’ by Radiohead due to the formative influence that they have had on her.
Lauren is a rare talent: genuine, open, and a true songsmith. By revealing her deepest fears in her music, she has found strength in her vulnerability. As a result, she is sure to find herself an adoring audience and generate even more industry buzz.
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