Five Questions with Lahrel

While not yet known to many locally, UK-based singer Lahrel is making a name for herself abroad. Lahrel, whose given name is Carlene Laurel Simms, is always surrounded by great Caribbean music. Her childhood was set to the soundtrack of greats like Dennis Brown, Garnett Silk, Luciano and other reggae and dancehall heavyweights. Though toiling away as a songwriter for years, Lahrel burst on to the scene with her 2017 single, Crazy Love.

After becoming musically acquainted with local superstar Omi, the pair has toured and collaborated on several projects, including their latest pop ballad, Witness. Now pushing her latest single Woman No Cry, Lahrel sat down to give The Gleaner a walk-through of her journey through music in this week’s Five Questions.

When did you realise that you wanted to pursue music?

I would say at the age of five, literally. My dad was in the music business and he would have a lot of famous bands at the house, and I would just be in the middle of the living room just performing. And then in church I was performing, and then I ended up going to stage school. I ended up studying music so it’s just in me, I couldn’t escape it.

What has been your biggest trial in the music industry?

It’s not been easy. Just one, not even being able to make money from music. Not knowing how to even fund studio [time], not knowing when it’s gonna be your time. Just being with various different organisations and having to wait for days and years and months and not knowing when your opportunity is gonna arise. And it’s really hard, and then it’s just finding your place and the pressure and the anxiety. So there’s a lot of things that come with it, that’s not easy.

How have you overcome your challenges?

I have great people around me. I pray. I’m really heavy into my praying and my religion. I work and on the flip side of the coin, as much as there [are] adversities and there are issues, music brings me so much joy, it’s my escape. So when I am working, it helps me to overcome. I also have a great team around me, I have a great manager who’s always mentoring me, Ryan Dylan. So that really helps and really teaches me about business and the game because that creates less stress. The more you know, the more you understand how to navigate through the business.

How would you describe your own music?

I would definitely say it’s pop fusion. It’s a melting pot. Being from London, you know I wake up [in the] morning and I will see Asian people, white people, black people, Arab people, different races, different religions, and that has heavily inspired my sound. And then travelling the world is just like a no-brainer so it’s pop-fusion with elements of different genres.

You toured with Omi, what was that like?

Oh my God, that was amazing. First of all, I had never done a show before. My first show was China, in front of 10,000 people. I was very nervous but it was the biggest experience that I will always remember and is so grateful for. It was amazing. I had arrived on location and did a sound check, didn’t know what I was doing, and walked on to this amazing set and it was just amazing. It was phenomenal.

shanel.lemmie@gleanerjm.com