Lauv on Losing Yourself and Finding the Strength to Come Back
by Gabriela Margarone
Photo by Sam Fisher
In the face of honesty, struggle, and the exploration of the mind, multiplatinum chart-topping singer, songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Lauv has released his highly anticipated album, All 4 Nothing. Ease Up sat with Lauv to talk about his writing experience for his new album All 4 Nothing and how the record takes on subjects such as mental health and healing, and how the two intersect to create an upbeat, but melancholy, blend of songs.
Self-described as a mix of partying, healing, and working with the inner child, All 4 Nothing presents a song for every mood. Creating this balance derives from the singer leaving it all on the table; “The process for this album, I felt like, not that I was filtering myself before, but I felt like I really, really didn't filter myself.” says Lauv. “So in some of the songs, just some of the stuff I was going through and talking about, it’s very straight up…It’s all there for people to see in a way that's not trying to be polished for a pop record.” While fans are used to seeing a different side of Lauv, he has delivered his rawest, most personal piece of music yet. Lauv takes the walls down and allows his fans to understand what he went through in order to enable them to understand themselves.He describes that he has always felt driven to talk about mental health, as well as the process he went through to get to this point in his career. “It was a huge confidence-building journey for me. When I was starting the album, I just remember feeling very anxious all of the time; I didn’t trust myself, and I didn't really think I deserved happiness inherently; I was always chasing something. I think this album was this process of like, let me find the confidence inside of me, let me find the peace, the gratitude, and that calm.” Going through a mental health journey alone is brave in itself, but bringing this journey into the light and allowing it to flow into songwriting and culminate an entire album is what makes Lauv so special.
Lauv refuses to hide away from the negative parts of himself any longer and allows them to blend with the positive, creating the overall theme of the album, as stated by the singer himself: “The overall story is pretty much me being in my mid to late 20s, kind of realizing that I had this big dream in my life that I chased…I reached a certain level but I felt really empty on the inside. It’s basically me on a journey of trying to find my own inner light again and the ups and downs of trying to find that after feeling really out of touch with my true self. There's a positive side to that, and a less positive side that make up the album.” With the growing pains of chasing dreams, getting older, and realizing it may not pan out the way you want it to, Lauv offers a universal experience that listeners can relate to.
One of his most personal on the record, “Hey Ari”, really leans into destructive habits that we may take on once we begin a downward spiral in a struggle to take back our mental health. “Speaking for myself, I feel like we are kind of ashamed of the parts that are darker…having a spotlight, you only really want to show the parts that are lighter” Lauv describes his life as “50% healing and 50% partying” stating that those were the two things he was doing to “cope with trying to find groundedness in my life” Lauv puts how we feel on a daily basis into words; sometimes we want to heal in a way that is healthy, other days, we divulge in unhealthy habits. “Molly in Mexico” and “Bad Trip” are songs off the record that also get personal; addiction to relationships, as well as drug use. Lauv shows us the struggle of knowing that what you’re doing to cope with the issues that you are facing is overall making them worse, but also being unable to stop yourself.
Coming forward and being so open about these things allows for wider acceptance among those who are struggling, as well as a non-judgemental environment. As he came into understanding himself, as well as others, in a much clearer light when looking at mental health and how it affects us all, Lauv felt increasingly more drawn to speaking up about his own experiences “I was naturally driven to want to talk about it because I'm like, this is everywhere, we are all experiencing some version of something that is of the mind.” While his experiences may not have been pretty, even describing himself as reaching “a new low”, Lauv refused to shy away from that version of himself in order to break the stigma surrounding seeking help, both on your own, as well as professional help such as a therapist or psychiatrist.
There is also a connection to the spiritual side of facing your mental health on this record. “It became not only just talk therapy and medication, but meditation” When the subject of meditation was brought up, Lauv explains how he wants to connect with his fans in the realm of spirituality. “I want to find a way to do more…like guided meditations…I really love guiding meditations. I feel like it could be really amazing” Since we’ve sat with Lauv, he has launched “LAUV’S MEDITATION CLUB”, a hotline where fans can call and get guided meditations, as well as hear new music. The number is 762-CLB-LAUV, which only further shows his dedication to helping others both inside and outside of his music.
The new album allows us to take a new, fresh journey with Lauv, while still holding onto his signature sound. All 4 Nothing is a brave, inspiring journey that will make you get up and dance, but also gives us the courage to strive for better for ourselves. All 4 Nothing is out now on all streaming platforms.