Above all else, Lauren Oxford wants to let you in. She crafts songs that reward close listening, with lyricism that pushes the boundaries of what it means to be open, pulling universal revelations from personal excavations and weaving them alongside imagery that unfolds like a painting into the room. She uses alternate tunings to create unexpected chords and colors in her music that feel like their own kind of imagery, and isn’t afraid to stretch the limits of a voice that sounds like the earth after rain. Lauren’s trademark strength, however, is the ease with which she throws open every door and window of her soul, wielding a rare and arresting vulnerability like a beacon of light. Her goal is always to create a space for listeners to feel seen, loved, and safe enough to step in alongside her. For those who do, the result is a powerfully cathartic, healing experience that feels like group therapy.

Lauren Oxford, her 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. As a solo performer, she has played shows from Seattle to Atlanta, from the Bay Area to Chicago, in the United Kingdom, and in & around her home in East Tennessee.

Lauren is also one fourth of queer Appalachian folk band The Starlight Darlins, along with Sage Christie, Gray Buchanan, and Emily Johnson-Erday. Their studio EP, Skyline, will be released in February 2025.


PAST APPEARANCES INCLUDE:
2024, Triple Time (Buxton, Derbyshire, United Kingdom): International Guest of Honor
2023, Ohio Valley Filk Festival (Columbus, Ohio): Toastmaster
2023, Folk Alliance International (Kansas City, Missouri): privately showcasing artist
2022, WindyCon (Chicago, Illinois): Music Guest of Honor
2022, Consonance (Milpitas, California): Toastmaster
2020, GAFilk (Atlanta, Georgia): Toastmaster
2019, Conflikt (Seattle, Washington): Interfilk Guest

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, KLOF Mag

“…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 NOMINATIONS:
2023: Best Writer/Composer
2021: Best Performer
2020: Best Performer
2019: Best Writer/Composer
2018: Best Writer/Composer