LACES: OF MONIKERS AND MOVEMENTS

BY DENISE J. MALLABO

Singer songwriter LACES writes and sings about heartaches and relationships in its truest sense.

No matter how many times Jessica Vaugh changes her stage name, from JPOLND to Charlotte Sometimes, it won’t alter the fact that she’s passionate about her music. She writes from the heart, may it be wrecked or mended, she pens her verses truthfully. LACES, her present moniker, used her solitude during the pandemic to be more productive than ever. “I found the pandemic to be helpful in my career to be honest! I do well in isolation and felt inspired. I guess the hardest part was being alone with my thoughts,” says the 33-year-old Jersey native. Even though being in this industry that she loves so dearly is not a walk in the park for LACES, it was even at a time somewhat of a nightmare for her, she still stood her ground and continuously love the good side of it: creating music that expresses herself the most. Stronger than ever with her songs being played on hit TV series like Bridgerton and Lucifer, A Book Of spoke to LACES and asked her about her new track “Girlfriend,” writing music for other artists, and what she’s looking forward to from the remainder of this year.

Hi, Jessica! How are you? What were you doing before you started answering these questions from A BOOK OF?

I am doing great! I was in an A&R meeting for my other job (Head of Sync @ Venice/Q&A)

You have been in the music industry for quite a while now. What do you think is the biggest thing that you learned from it?

To keep my eyes on my own paper and not to get discouraged by the corruption of the industry. The only way to change it is to participate.

As Jessica, you have written tunes for different companies and artists. What’s the best thing about doing that? What would be the most fulfilling part for you when you work with different artists?

There’s less pressure when your name isn’t attached to the release or outcome of the work. It feels like a freedom not every songwriter & artist gets to experience. I love it, because I tend to do my best work when I don’t overthink it. Helping artists find their voice and understand how to articulate how they are feeling is a gift that I get the joy of achieving with them.

You’ve had different monikers. How do you choose them? Why LACES?

I never want to associate myself with any one project, because then my identity gets tied up in it. Once you lose your sense of self, it’s hard to feel rooted to the ground. I just ask myself what a project wants to be called and then see if it sits right in my body. LACES felt like tying pieces of me together, so it made sense that that would be my main project.

How is LACES different, sound and lyrics wise, as compared to the releases under your other pseudonyms?

LACES lives closest to my musical tastes. I also share more personal experiences with this project. It’s my most artist focused work. I tend to write from a very honest space and pull from my 90s singer-songwriter heroes as inspiration.

Do you write songs thinking about how would people relate to it or do you write songs for release? And why?

For this project, I usually look within and then might adjust a lyric so that anyone can attach their own meaning to the song. What’s the point of sharing my work if no one else can see themselves in it? I call that songwriting masturbation. When we release art for only ourselves, maybe it’s meant to live in our bedrooms.

What topics do you usually write about / your most comfortable expressing? Where do you get your inspirations whenever you create music?

I write about anxiety, being an outcast, and toxic love the most. I guess I am still working out my childhood issues - LOL.

Music is an extension of my humanity, so life is and always will be inspiring.

How was your thought and writing process like when you wrote your track “Girlfriend?”

I’ve been working on a TV series loosely based on my life and my partner and I were discussing my HS crush. At the end of the day, I poured myself some wine and sat at the piano and let this song flow through me. I actually never changed a lyric from the initial free write that I recorded on my iPhone. The music is much different though - it was much darker when I started it - almost like a Fiona Apple song. Tone Def (my producer) and I decided to make it a little more fun and I am so glad we did.

Will you be doing in-person gigs soon? What are your plans in promoting your upcoming music? What are you most excited for this year?

I would love to play again and my manager and I have been discussing when the right time is.

When it comes to promoting, I tend to do the work and stay out of the results. I am not attached to the success of what I do but that’s why I have an amazing team to yell at me and tell me to say something about my releases. I’ve been enjoying writing essays to accompany my releases.

I am the most excited to finish my new LACES LP! My first full record since 2008!

Is there an advice that you can provide to any aspiring creative individual who wants to break into the industry and establish themselves as a business?

If it doesn’t sit right with you, it’s not right. Always start with authenticity and build from there. Just because other people are playing dirty, doesn’t mean you have to.

If you were a book, what book would you be and why? (Open question. Could be a title/a genre/a made- up book/ your own book, etc)

Charlotte Sometimes… of course. It was my first moniker after all. :-)