Laura Reed

At first glance, those nine words may seem like the kind of affirmation that you would jot down on a Post-It note and put on your bathroom mirror but it’s actually the lyrics to a song. One that is co-written and performed by a woman who, upon first glance, you’d probably never expect that her small frame and signature locs would actually be the outer wrappings for an amazing gift.

 

To say that Laura Reed can sing is a major understatement.

 

One could probably attribute all kinds of reasons behind Laura’s incredible voice---one that has the uncanny ability to sound truly distinctive while simultaneously being reminiscent of artists such as Erykah Badu, Nelly Furtado, and the late Amy Winehouse. Perhaps it’s because she was born in the Motherland (South Africa, to be exact) or that she grew up in the Southern hospitality of Raleigh/Durham, North Carolina. Or maybe it’s due to the influence of some of her greatest musical inspirations; including Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, Billie Holiday, Joni Mitchell, Bob Marley and Lauryn Hill. It also might be because of just how willing she is to be artistically vulnerable, both on the stage and off, as she strives to both learn and teach about love and life. All the while evolving into the artistic force she’s destined to become---something that translates very clearly in her voice as well as her lyrics.

 

It is words like “brilliant”, “encouraging” and also “empathetic” that Laura uses to describe her creative experiences with Shannon. “Shannon often refers to my rough songs or ideas as raw wood,” says Laura. “In essence, I have a lot of raw wood. Shannon has a way of identifying what is special or ‘big’ and translating it. I enjoy the results of our artistic chemistry. It’s unique and incorporates my spirit.”

 

So yes, it would appear that “Wake Up” is a poignant way for even more people to get to know Laura Reed being that, on many levels, deeper parts of her inner self are doing just that: waking up. Thankfully, we are able to have a front row seat to the amazing evolution.

 

“I write a lot about love and being open to it coming into our lives,” says Laura. “I also write about realizing dreams and people being in control of their happiness. I am artistically focused on positively impacting people and the world with music,” says Laura. “This has always been the mission.”