– press & epk –

PRESS KIT

lauren oxford, a woman with medium-length brown hair, straight across bangs, brown eyes, and black-framed glasses, looks directly at the camera with a neutral expression. she's sitting on a wooden stool with her right heel on the edge of the seat, which props her bent knee up. her chin rests on the back of her hand, which rests upon her knee. she is wearing a pair of cotton palazzo pants with a burgundy, dark green, and gold plaid pattern, along with a sleeveless, lace-patterned ivory blouse. the old-style body oh her banjo that she holds with her other hand rests upon her left leg and against her chest.

Lauren Oxford is a confessional songcrafter and folksinger. Her background in poetry yields lyricism that pushes the boundaries of what it means to be open, blending striking imagery and turns of phrase with deeply personal excavations from her own life. She isn’t afraid to stretch the limits of her unadorned yet earthy alto voice and loves composing in alternate tunings on both guitar and banjo, embracing unexpected chords and colors in her music. Lauren’s trademark strength as a performer, however, is the ease with which she throws open every door and window of her soul. She wields this arresting vulnerability like a beacon of light, always with the goal of creating a space for listeners to feel seen, known, loved, and safe enough to step in alongside her. This often results in powerfully cathartic, healing experiences for audiences.

Lauren’s self-titled debut album was released in 2022 and features instrumental contributions from many of her dearest friends, which give her songs the lush, orchestral backdrop that allows them to truly shine. She is also one fourth of folk “queertet” The Starlight Darlins, along with Siena Christie, Gray Buchanan, and Emily Johnson-Erday. The strength of their first EP, recorded live at the Walnut Valley Festival and released December 2022, has led to two separate tours in the Southeast and Pacific Northwest.

UPCOMING APPEARANCES INCLUDE:

Triple Time (Buxton, Derbyshire, UK) 2024: International Guest of Hono(u)r


PAST APPEARANCES INCLUDE:

Ohio Valley Filk Festival (Columbus, OH) 2023: Toastmaster
Folk Alliance International 2023: privately showcasing artist
WindyCon (Chicago, IL) 2022: Music Guest of Honor
Consonance (Milpitas, CA) 2022: Toastmaster
GAFilk (Atlanta, GA) 2020: Toastmaster
Conflikt (Seattle, WA) 2019: Interfilk Guest

PRESS

reviews:

“From the off, the beauty of the melodies never drops, not one iota; the arrangements remain consistently elegant, and Lauren’s pure voice enunciates every word with crystal clarity. Believe me, this is an entrancing listen, and that it was laid down in 12 days as a debut from an artist who appears to have arrived fully formed in her mid-20s makes it all the more remarkable.”

– David Morrison, Folk Radio UK

“…a gorgeous, stark folk affair that hits all the right notes. In particular, ‘Paint Myself Trying’ is perhaps the most brutally honest song about mental health struggles I’ve heard in a decade.”

– Jeff Raymond, If It’s Too Loud

“…a masterpiece in gentle Chamber Folk.”

– Eamonn MacNeill, Real Music Net

accolades (for excellence in filking):

PEGASUS AWARDS:
2023: Best Writer/Composer


PEGASUS AWARD NOMINATIONS:
2021: Best Performer
2020: Best Performer
2019: Best Writer/Composer
2018: Best Writer/Composer

Lauren Oxford looks directly into the camera with a slight smile while playing her banjo. She is standing outside against a backdrop of lush green and blue mountains. She wears her trademark compass necklace, a black hat with a wide brim, an ivory crocheted vest over an ivory, long-sleeve blouse, and a black skirt patterned with white daisies.

videos coming soon!