Tampa, FL, is home to singer-songwriter Laverty. Producing a fresh and unique sound as a songwriter, Laverty takes the trauma, pain, and recovery she has been through in her life and expresses it through her musical creations. Using her words as a reflection of her soul, she is inspired by her spiritual awakening among the musical influences that motivate her works such as Bob Dylan, Carol King, Stevie Nicks, and Lorde.
Harmonies are Laverty’s best friend as her wide vocal range produces layers of unforgettable timbres. Exuding her trademark vocalization in her most recent single “Such a Shame,” we get to feast upon the deluxe resonance that radiates from her poignant lyrics, as she uses the minimalistic instrumentation as a canvas to grace.
“Such a Shame,” has you falling deep into the waves of a musical structure built off of mellow guitar riffs, shadowy synths, and bright percussion hits. Cascading with the dark hues of Laverty’s delicate voice, you get a best of both worlds scenario as there are illuminating elements in the overall composition that peak their way into the passion-fueled performance.
Lyrical motifs such as “I sit around and wonder, am I the same, am I to blame for it?” assemble the record's narrative in a way that has Laverty speaking on the reminiscent thoughts she has when cleaning up the aftermath of an impactful situation.
Bringing life to the vivid imagery she shares through an intrapersonal lens, we can hear her spiritual awakening that greatly influences her music to speak wonders in “Such a Shame.” Ready for whatever she chooses to bring our way next, Laverty has us fully engrossed in the captivating essence of her songs.
Welcome to BuzzMusic, Laverty, and congratulations on the release of “Such A Shame.” We love the entire spirit of this song! What inspired the meaning behind this piece?
Hey! Thank you so much! I'm glad you all enjoyed it! This song was written during the summer of 2020. The ideas for this song came into fruition when I started regularly going to therapy and dedicating more time to my mental health and spiritual growth. I started going inward and it was through meditation and self-reflection, that I recognized the parts of myself that were toxic/negative. I realized that I had the power to change my negative habits and patterns and create the life I have always dreamed of. The song is about recognizing the trauma and the pain and using it to grow and learn from your mistakes. There is no way to move forward in life if you do not heal from the past.
Was this a fairly easy subject to write about? Could you please share a bit of the creative process that you endured when bringing this song to life?
I think, at first, it was definitely a challenge as an artist to put my personal thoughts and trauma out into the world but after releasing my EP, 'Energy,' I gained more confidence in sharing my story. This song was fairly easy to create and with the help of my incredible producer, Austin Burdi (Burd Studios), I was able to create this track into what I had envisioned it to be - a pop disco song about recognizing how important it is to heal from the past. My creative process is different depending on what kind of song I've written. This song is a little more light-hearted than some of the other songs I've written, so it was definitely a lot easier to work on.
How do you allow your musical influences of Bob Dylan, Carol King, Stevie Nicks, and Lorde to speak into the music that you create? Do you also find that the music scene in Tampa, FL has any influence on your sound?
Bob Dylan and Carol King have always been huge musical influences for me. I grew up listening to their music and they inspired me to convey my true thoughts and feelings in my lyrics. I decided when I started writing and releasing music that I wanted to be the most authentic version of myself. I wanted to write about my life in an honest way. Lorde is also a huge influence on me. Her album "Melodrama" helped me tremendously during a dark time in my life. My sound is definitely more inspired by Lorde, Lana Del Ray, etc. I really love pop/alt music but I love the writing styles and honesty of Bob Dylan and Carol King. The music scene in Tampa is fairly large and there is so much incredible talent coming out of Florida right now. I am very happy that I'm located in Tampa because I think it is a really unique scene. I am definitely excited for shows to start happening again when it is safe to do so. I am ready to dance and play/hear loud music again!
Through your artistic career this far, what has been your proudest moment?
The release of my new single, "Such a Shame" was definitely one of my proudest moments. This song is definitely one of the best pieces I've ever written and I am just elated by the response from others! I am creating the music I have always dreamed of creating and I have a beautiful community of people who support me. I am just so grateful and I can't wait to see what the future holds.
What's next for you?
I am currently writing, demoing, and recording new songs for my upcoming EP. I don't have any release dates yet but I will most likely have a new single out in the Fall. This new EP is focused more on my childhood and generational trauma. This EP will go in-depth about the struggles of my youth and the trauma I experienced from growing up in a strictly organized religion. I am incredibly excited for what is to come and I can't wait for the journey of it all!