Music Star Lars On The Five Things You Need To Shine In The Music Industry

An Interview With Guernslye Honoré

Don’t wait on other people for things that you want to make happen. In the end you have to do the hard work.

As a part of our interview series with leaders, stars, and rising stars in the music industry, we had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Lars.

Singer/songwriter Lars never sought fame, but it’s finding him thanks to a small, but loyal online following which has since grown into a global fanbase. For almost four years, the artist has made music using the alias “Yaeow,” but recently delighted fans by revealing his real name in a video companion for “Everything to Me,” the second single from his yet to be released debut album.

The Swedish native’s original songs have been streamed millions of times and repurposed by thousands of fans in countless posts and videos across every major social media platform. Now, living in Los Angeles, Lars gives us the first, exclusive interview since revealing his identity, sharing the tragedy which set him on his musical path, best advice for aspiring musicians, and what’s next for this rising star.

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Before we dive in, our readers would love to learn a bit about your “origin story”. Can you tell us the story of how you grew up?

Thank you for having me! I grew up in northern Sweden, with my mom, dad and two siblings. The house was a sports house, but music was always playing in the background. As I grew older, music became more and more important to me.

What inspired you to pursue a career in music, and how did your journey begin?

My journey began after I had a bad skiing accident in the Alps when I was 18. During my year of rehabilitation, when I had to learn to walk again, I started playing guitar and singing in my room. That is where I found music, or you could say it found me. It kind of saved me, too. I had a really hard time with myself growing up. I think there was so much I felt like I couldn’t talk about, and music became the only place where I could do so. That further inspired me to hopefully reach people who feel the same as me and it could help them in any way.

Can you tell us the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?

That’s a hard question because there have been a lot of interesting things that have happened, but most recently, my song ”Favorite Lesson” entered the viral top 50 charts and reached top 12 in both Indonesia and Philippines. I was ahead of Taylor Swift! That is unbelievable to me. Over 60 thousand videos of people around the world used my song and made their own videos on TikTok relating to it. I started from zero less than four years ago. I am so grateful.

It has been said that sometimes our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

Yes, true. I think one of the funniest mistakes I’ve made is when I was working on a song of mine called “I Need U” and accidentally sped the song up. I realized that it was so much better that way. It’s my second most streamed song! What I learned was that there are so many things that you could try to explore with a song. You just never know what will work and not until you try it.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

There are a few, but one that I will always be eternally grateful for is the owner of a YouTube channel called “The Bootleg Boy”. He was the first person to share my songs to his audience and the first person to believe in me. He truly has been a big part of my success story. I also have an anonymous fan who helped me make a huge step. On an Instagram Q & A, the fan said I should work with Kina and tagged him. That led to “wish I was better,” a song with over 80 million streams. My biggest song to date.

What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now?

First, I decided late in the summer to step out from behind my “animated self” and do a reveal video, as Lars. It was a little scary but mostly exciting to take that big step. Now, I’m almost done with my debut album. Soon, I’ll do my first live shows and have new merch! I have never felt more excited, more connected, and prouder of my music than what I’m working on now, and I can’t wait to play live and meet my fans face to face for the first time.

We are very interested in diversity in the entertainment industry. Can you share three reasons with our readers about why you think it’s important to have diversity represented in music, film, and television? How can that potentially affect our culture?

The world is a complicated place, and finding where you belong is never easy. Honestly, I struggled with that through most of my teens and twenties. Seeing people you can identify with being successful is so important. It allows you to dream big, too. You realize that you might be able to be part of the industry. Inclusiveness is important to me. I love to collaborate, and I work with people from all walks of life. It is amazing what you can do in the creative process by just being open-minded and open hearted. My last reason is to make sure that we all feel equal, no matter what we look like or where we come from.

As a successful music star, you’ve likely faced challenges along the way. How do you stay motivated? How do you overcome obstacles in your career?

For me I think a lot of personal growth and patience have played a big part in how I’ve been able to keep myself going through setbacks and challenges. I usually try to remember how hard I’ve worked to get to where I am and that I do this because I love music. I know it can be very tricky, but for me these things have helped a lot to keep me motivated and move forward.

What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why?

1 . People in the industry will “promise” you a lot, but that doesn’t mean that it’s going to actually happen. Don’t sign your life away without very carefully considering what’s at stake. You can succeed independently first. Then, you have more to offer and to negotiate with.

2 . Don’t wait on other people for things that you want to make happen. In the end you have to do the hard work.

3 . Every day there are plenty of opportunities that could change your life.

4 . Focus on your craft and make the things that you want to make without being affected by what you “think” other people would want.

5 . Social media is a great way of connecting and keeping up with how things are going with your career, but don’t look too much into numbers. They only says so much. And as Taylor Swift reminds us, haters gonna hate — you have to block that out.

Can you share some insights into your creative process? How do you approach songwriting? How do you approach musical collaborations?

My creative process is very spontaneous. Usually, it comes randomly and at any time of the day. I mostly use songwriting to capture a feeling or thought that is present in my life and turn it into a song. When it comes to musical collaborations it can be a little different depending on who you are working with since you must think of the other person as well. It usually just makes the process even better and more efficient when you have someone to go back and forth with. It is a great way of reaching new people and expanding your own writing skills.

Your music has resonated with so many fans worldwide. What do you believe sets your music apart?

I think the rawness and pure emotions in combination with the honest and “simple” lyrics I make resonated with a lot of people. Even if you might not fully understand everything, you can feel it. That’s what I try to express in all my songs.

How do you connect with your audience?

Mostly through my songs, but I also try my best to get back to as many as possible who reach out to me through social media to make sure I see them and hear them as they have done me. Playing live is the next step in this kind of connection. I can’t wait.

With your busy schedule and demanding performances, how do you prioritize self-care and maintain a balance between your personal life and career in the music industry?

I think as soon as I feel overwhelmed or “over worked” I like to just take a day off. Usually be offline from all social media. Be outside, take care of my wellness, work out, have a good meal and just watch some movie or TV series to give myself a break from everything. Long walks are great to clear my head, and I have started playing tennis. It’s so fun! I’m never far from music, but it’s good to take breaks.

You are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)

That’s a hard but good question. A song of mine like “Not Your Fault” really says what I believe: it is about resilience and self belief, even if “kind people get taken advantage of.” Still be kind, but be wise. Know that your voice has value.

Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them. :-)

Kacey Musgraves for sure. I just love her music and the songwriting is an inspiration for me. I also think she seems like a very kind and sweet person. I would love to work with her.

How can our readers continue to follow your work online?

On all social media platforms @yaeow

This was very meaningful, thank you so much! We wish you continued success!

About the interviewer: Guernslye Honoré, affectionately known as “Gee-Gee”, is an amalgamation of creativity, vision, and endless enthusiasm. She has elegantly twined the worlds of writing, acting, and digital marketing into an inspiring tapestry of achievement. As the creative genius at the heart of Esma Marketing & Publishing, she leads her team to unprecedented heights with her comprehensive understanding of the industry and her innate flair for innovation. Her boundless passion and sense of purpose radiate from every endeavor she undertakes, turning ideas into reality and creating a realm of infinite possibilities. A true dynamo, Gee-Gee’s name has become synonymous with inspirational leadership and the art of creating success.