Music Star Lauren Jenkins: The Power of Flexibility; How I Was Able To Pivot To A New Exciting Opportunity Because Of The Pandemic

Failure also isn’t the worst thing. It’s good to fail. Fail and then try and fail again and keep going. That’s what the creative work requires of you.

The COVID19 pandemic has disrupted all of our lives. But sometimes disruptions can be times of opportunity. Many people’s livelihoods have been hurt by the pandemic. But some saw this as an opportune time to take their lives in a new direction.

As a part of this series called “How I Was Able To Pivot To A New Exciting Opportunity Because Of The Pandemic”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Lauren Jenkins.

Texas native, Lauren Jenkins, is an Americana singer-songwriter and actress. She has been named an “Artist to Watch” by the New York Times, Billboard, Rolling Stone, Pandora and more. Residing in Nashville, TN, Lauren is now a fully independent artist.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we start, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your childhood backstory?

Thank you for giving me your time! My childhood was a bit unusual, mostly because I was independent and self-reliant from a very young age. I left home at 15 to pursue a life of “storytelling” (as I like to think of it). Up until the pandemic my “home” and life was spent on the road. I’ve been very fortunate to live a life doing what I love. Songwriting, performing, film making, and telling stories is what has always inspired me.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

It changes all the time, but for the past two years this quote by Mary Oliver has stuck with me.

“Instructions for living a life. Pay Attention. Be astonished. Tell me about it.”

It’s such a simple instruction, and yet it’s so easy to get caught up in the speed of life (especially prior to the pandemic). What I do for a living requires you to be present and pay attention. Lately I think my skills of being mesmerized and finding joy in the small, tiny, beautiful things has sharpened. I’m grateful for that.

Is there a particular book, podcast, or film that made a significant impact on you? Can you share a story or explain why it resonated with you so much?

How much time do you have? Haha. Bruce Springsteen’s “Born To Run” autobiography is beautiful. It’s pure poetry and I recommend it even if you aren’t a Springsteen fan. He really is a master storyteller. The way he tells his story with such honesty and vulnerability inspires me to do the same. I think we could use a lot more honesty and vulnerability as a society.

Books: “Tiny Beautiful Things” by Cheryl Strayed is also one I highly recommend. “The Goldfinch” by Donna Tartt is one of the best novels I’ve ever read. Period.

Podcasts: “We Can Do Hard Things” with Glennon Doyle. “WTF” with Marc Maron. “This American Life” hosted by Ira Glass.

Films: I’m a big Coen brothers fan, so “No Country for Old Men” is one I return to. The cinematography, story, and performance is truly a work of art.

For something lighter but full of good humanity… I think everyone should watch the series “Ted Lasso”. It’s good for the soul.

Let’s now shift to the main part of our discussion. Can you tell our readers about your career experience before the Pandemic began?

When I started on my career path I didn’t have any mentors or professionals to help me navigate the entertainment business. So a lot of my journey has been figuring it out as I go. I started playing gigs wherever I could when I was 15. At that time I also started working in film and tv both in front of the lens and behind the scenes. I moved to New York when I was 19 or so to go to acting school.

At 21 I signed my first major record and publishing deal and moved to Nashville. Since then the pace was pretty intense. Touring, writing, recording, making music videos and a short film and navigating the entertainment industry.

At the beginning of 2020 things felt like they were lining up to take me to another level career wise. I had just come home from an incredible Europe / UK tour and then everything came to halt.

What did you do to pivot as a result of the Pandemic?

The pandemic was the first time in my adult life that I couldn’t do the things I had dedicated my life to. Traveling, touring, recording, meeting people and telling stories all wasn’t safe to do anymore. It was mentally and emotionally a really challenging time. Eventually I decided that if I couldn’t be on the road then I would tell stories and connect with people via live stream living room concerts. In the beginning I was doing a live stream almost every day.

Can you tell us about the specific “Aha moment” that gave you the idea to start this new path?

The first couple of living room live stream concerts I did felt… bizarre. It was out of my comfort zone for sure. But once I started getting messages from people all over the world about how much it was helping them get through a dark time I decided to stick with it. To make it more meaningful, I would pick a different charity every “show” and donate part of the virtual tip jar proceeds. I’ve always been an advocate for “paying it forward”…. Whether that’s kindness, money, or awareness. These virtual shows allowed me to connect on a deeper level with fans and pay it forward.

How are things going with this new initiative?

I never anticipated the “live from home” virtual shows still being a thing in 2021, let alone 2022. Although I don’t do them as often in 2020, I still have them in 2022. We are still technically in a pandemic, even though part of the world is opening up. I haven’t been able to get back over to Europe and the UK to tour, so I’ll probably keep doing them until I’m back in a full time touring mode.

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?

My acting teacher, the late Bill Esper, is the closest thing I’ve had to a mentor. Bill was incredibly gifted and he put the upmost importance on truth. That lesson has carried over from acting into songwriting and telling my story. I think humans can sense when they are getting the truth or not… and I think we need a lot more of it as a society. Honest connection can change your life.

I’m also a big fan of therapy. My therapist has helped me immensely over the last two years.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started in this new direction?

I think the living room live streams helped me get really comfortable with being honest with people online. I recently had a total hip replacement and decided to honestly share my journey with people. The amount of messages I’ve received from other people (especially younger people) that are going through or about to go through the same thing is staggering. I’ve personally emailed at least a dozen people to offer up my advice and support. It’s crazy to think that just sharing your honest journey and what you’re going through has the potential to help other strangers heal. Music can do the same, which is why I’ve always been drawn to songwriting.

What are your “5 things I wish someone told me before I started leading my organization” and why? Please share a story or example for each.

Everybody’s journey and goals are different. But these are some things I wish I knew sooner.

1. Its up to you

Once I signed a record deal I got mixed messages, but a lot of the messages were “they get to make this decision, not you”. I now know that anything I want to create, achieve, or experience is completely on me. If you wait around for other people to give you permission or to make something come to fruition you could be waiting forever.

2. The “popular” thing doesn’t mean it’s right.

I think for awhile I tried to toe the line of what I wanted and what people in the industry told me would be successful. Trying to chase “popularity” can be so toxic. I’ve found freedom in pursuing what I love and what feels right over the day’s “trend”.

3. You can’t do it ALL by yourself.

I’ve always been self-reliant, but some of my most beautiful experiences have come from collaborating with other people I respect and adore. You can’t do EVERYTHING alone, so you have to learn how to be a good collaborator.

4. Actually take care of yourself

I don’t know why this is last on so many of our lists when it should be first. Its so important to be in tune with your body and mind and give it what it needs. For me that sometimes looks like saying no to certain opportunities. It can also be as simple as recognizing that I’m tired or thirsty and drinking water or letting myself rest. Sometimes it’s dissolving a toxic relationship (business or otherwise) that is negatively impacting me.

5. Success and failure are relative. You get to define what success is.

Everyone’s version of “success” should be different. For me, success is getting to do what I love for the rest of my life. I may not ever sell out Madison Square Garden or win an Oscar, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t found success on my terms.

Failure also isn’t the worst thing. It’s good to fail. Fail and then try and fail again and keep going. That’s what the creative work requires of you.

So many of us have become anxious from the dramatic jolts of the news cycle. Can you share the strategies that you have used to optimize your mental wellness during this stressful period?

Therapy, therapy, therapy. There are virtual options if you don’t feel comfortable going in person. I think everyone should go to therapy.

Usually when my anxiety sets in it’s because I’m having tunnel vision on just the overwhelming thing. To “zoom out” I turn to nature, music, journaling, my dog Cooper, calling a friend, making lists and unplugging from social media.

You are a person of great 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?

I think bringing good to people starts in small ways. If I can help one person going through a hard time with a song I’ve written then to me that’s beautiful. That’s why I’ve shared with others my journey of healing from hip replacement surgery…. It may not sound like much, but I know that I’ve helped other people by sharing what I wish someone had told me before surgery.

Small actions and acts of kindness can be practiced everyday. I’ve always wanted to leave the world around me a little better than I found it. I don’t think that work ever stops.

Is there a person in the world whom you would love to have lunch with, and why? Maybe we can tag them and see what happens!

Cheryl Strayed, Glennon Doyle, Brandi Carlile, and Meryl Streep.

All four of these women are honest storytellers across multiple mediums. I have a lot of respect for the work they have created and the lives the seemingly try to live.

How can our readers follow you online?

Website: LaurenJenkins.com

Instagram: @iamlaurenjenkins

Twitter: @Lauren_Jenkins

Facebook: @iamlaurenjenkins

Music on all platforms: Lauren Jenkins

Youtube: laurenjenkinsmusic

Thank you so much for sharing these important insights. We wish you continued success and good health!