Lara is a 20-year old keys player, singer, songwriter, and producer born in Berlin, Germany and residing in Melbourne, Australia. For the last 2 years, she has been studying music production and performance on scholarship at Berklee College of Music in Boston. Classically trained in piano since the age of 8, Lara has since diversified her style into R&B/soul, funk, disco, contemporary, and electronic genres.
Her latest single, “Drifting,” is quite the departure from her previous releases. Her late 2020 releases, “Wall,” “Better Now!,” and “Circles” are alternative pop/chill with strong harmonies, drawing on influences from a range of artists, particularly female pop artists of the 2000s.
“Drifting” takes a different turn in the sense that it’s more downtempo, trip-hop, and electro-pop than previous singles. It was written as a reflection on the consequences of COVID-19: Lara had to return home to Australia and felt adrift from those she used to spend everyday with. The song captures feelings of change and impermanence, while also feeling stagnant at the same time.
It starts with gentle ambient synths over the subtle drone of crashing waves, similar to something you would hear during a relaxation class. The tranquility doesn’t last for too long, however, as more synths swell and layer over percussive beats. Despite the more intricate sound production, the song still remains smoothly leisurely. Lara begins her reflective lyrics in an unassuming tone that complements the peaceful instrumentals, but her vocals pick up more strength and emotion. She reflects on missing people she misses and reveals how she feels like she’s just drifting through the days as the song picks up more electronic elements, creating a trippy atmopshere. Her vocals become more ethereal to balance the new soundscape which sounds like a whirlpool of her emotions and ambient electronica.
