At 2000trees 2024, we sat down with Lauran Hibberd to discuss her latest album Girlfriend Material and what’s changed since she last headed to Upcote Farm.
Hi Lauran, how are you today?
I’m doing good, how are you?
We’re really good! You played Trees before and it was great fun, now you’re back here playing in the Forest!
I’m so excited, I love that stage. The Forest is awesome.
It’s really magic isn’t it?
It’s so cool, it’s a special stage.
For people who don’t know who Lauran Hibberd is, can you sum up your sound in five words?
Rock for dads and daughters. My theory behind that is I have that image of like when you’re young and your parents has to take you to a gig and they stand at the back and you’re at front with your mates. You want the girls at the front to be loving their lives but also their dads at the back toe tapping. I like this. Rock for dads and daughters. Parental guidance rock!
No swearing.
Occasional swearing, but they’ll turn a blind eye!
You’ve had a really wild couple of years, we remember when you did a socially distanced show in Southampton during lockdown.
Oh my god, that was crazy. Like I didn’t remember that happened until you just said.
Now you’re doing shows with All Time Low, a US headline tour but how is it for you to be living it?
It’s so crazy. It’s like one of the weirdest things being in this industry and having the opportunities to do this. You just never know what’s going to happen. It’s been amazing, I’ve had so many pinch me moments like over the last few years so I’m just trying to soak up every little thing that happens. It’s been so fun, I love it.
You released your second album Girlfriend Material earlier this year, how have you found the reaction?
It’s been great, it’s been so fun. It was my favourite thing to make as I felt like there was no pressure, all of that kind of went with my first record and this one kind of fell out of me. It was so exciting and I don’t have kids but it’s kind of like I imagine how having a second child feels, slightly easier as you know what’s expected.
That’s so interesting as everyone says the second album is the tricky one.
I know! But the second one just fell out, I think it’s the opposite. The first you don’t know what it’s going to be like, you’re learning stuff as you go. The second one, I was like ‘I know what I’m up to now’ and I was just writing.
You’ve just gone against what everyone seems to say!
I know. They’re all wrong. Everyone is wrong.
Your sound has definitely and understandably changed over time, do you feel like you’ve found you now?
I think so, but I feel like it does keep changing and I feel like that just happens in life as people change and I think that always follows suit musically. I feel like with this second album it felt so much more like I found my sound and who I am with it.
Do you have any funny album stories from when you were recording it?
I have so many funny album stories, I recorded my album in Nashville so that was just crazy anyway as I was like ‘Why am I here?’. I recorded it with a guy called Aaron Gillespie who is single handedly the funniest man I’ve ever met in my life. We couldn’t get anything done, we were just laughing it was really funny. When I think about it now, I can almost hear it in the record that we were like having that much fun. It’s not that funny but a continuously funny thing which happened in the studio was either the hottest room you’ve ever been in in your life or it was freezing cold. The air con was either so cold or you were dying of sweat, it wasn’t a nice combination the outfits were getting interesting as we were kind of preparing for the up and down of the temperature so it became a really funny gag throughout the album. Like a woolly hat and some shorts!
(Both laughing)
Do you have any stand out tracks or lyrics from your first album, second album or anything in between?
I feel like I Suck At Grieving is always going to have a really special place in my heart. That song really changed things for me, it was such a moment in the studio. My friend Jess came with me to record the album and she plays guitar in my band and on the record and I remember finishing the last vocal take and turned around and her and Aaron were just crying. I’ve never had that effect on anyone before and it was a really big moment and it felt like I’d made something special.
How do it feel to perform songs like that live when it’s so personal?
It’s crazy, you can see other people’s reactions and it gets me. I feel like I’ve managed to put it kind of in a little box for myself when I sing that song to kind of get through it really but when I see other people reacting to it, see someone start crying I’ve got to really try and control myself as I’m like ‘I’m gonna go!’. It’s amazing to see and people have been so lovely about that track, I normally write songs about like dumping boyfriends so it’s nice to have something with a bit more of a punch really and talk about even more real stuff.
Everyone can connect with it in some way. So what are you better at than when you last played 2000trees?
I feel like I’m better at performing. I feel like when I last came to 2000trees I was a bit nervous as I was a bit like ‘am I okay to do this?’ I feel like I’ve learnt a lot as I’ve been on a few tours now and been out with All Time Low. I feel like I know what I’m up to now. So I’m excited to get in the crowd and really give it everything.
It does feel really mad, we’ve seen you go from playing with The Vamps to being out on tour with All Time Low.
It’s a weird trajectory!
They’re very different
Eleven year old me would be very, very happy with my life.
You’ve covered all the bases here.
I really have, rock for the girlies!
We’re at a festival so we need to know, what’s your dream festival line-up with you on it?
I’d always have Weezer as the headliner, they’re just the best band ever and so much fun. I’d get Avril Lavinge as everyone needs to hear Sk8tr Boi, that just needs to happen. I’d probably throw in like Beyonce, I need that choreography, that Single Ladies singalong.
We think we need this festival as we’d definitely go, you’re going to have to arrange this!
I’ll sort it out.
Finally, alongside the tour what’s next?
I’m working on some new stuff and I’m super excited about it. We’re out in America as well, UK and Europe as well. I’m just going to keep writing and working on some exciting stuff.
Interview by: Nicola Craig
Lauran Hibberd‘s Bring Your Own Girlfriend tour across the UK and Europe kicks off his month, see her live at the following dates:
September
Mon 16th – MANCHESTER – Academy 3
Tue 17th – GLASGOW – King Tuts Wah Wah Hut
Fri 20th – LEICESTER – The Soundhouse
Sat 21st – LEEDS – Key Club
Sun 22nd – SOUTHAMPTON – The Joiners
Tue 24th – BRISTOL – The Louisiana
Wed 25th – OXFORD – The Bullingdon
Thu 26th – LONDON – Underworld
Sat 28th – PARIS – Supersonic
Mon 30th – BERLIN – Privatclub
October
Tue 1st – HAMBURG – Hakken Klubhaus St. Pauli
Wed 2nd – COLOGNE – Helios 37
Tickets for the shows are on sale HERE.
