Queer Folk Artist Gemma Laurence Talks Upcoming LP, ‘Lavender’

Queer, Brooklyn-based folk artist Gemma Laurence has had a wild year. Last year, she shared her single “Adrienne,” which is set to appear on her sophomore album, Lavender. Laurence just announced the new album on August 2, with a planned November release. Along with the announcement, Laurence shared the lead single and title track, an anthem for the queer and trans community.

Laurence takes inspiration from queer, femme poets and songwriters from the past and present. Laurence’s unique sound is a fusion of lively Americana, a hint of English folk, all centering on her poetic lyricism and stellar storytelling abilities. Now, she’s ready to share a new collection of tracks with listeners.

“I am so excited to share this record,” Laurence says. “I wrote it during the pandemic when I was holed up in my childhood home on the coast of Maine.”

According to Laurence, Lavender reads like a collection of vignettes, exploring queerness, sexuality, identity, and memory. She calls the record nostalgic, taking a look back on the people and moments that have changed her life.

“There’s lots of poetry references in the songs too, from Adrienne Rich to Frank O’Hara,” Laurence says. “It was also my first time recording with a full band and a producer—shoutout to Charlie Dahlke; he really did bring this record to life—so, the arrangements are a lot bigger and more cinematic than anything I’ve done before. It’s still folky but has some rock, country, and jazz influences too—We were really inspired by Big Thief, Courtney Marie Andrews, Phoebe Bridgers, Gregory Alan Isakov, Tomberlin, and Norah Jones, to name a few.”

Laurence says she was always inspired by other queer artists and writers, though she herself didn’t actually open up about her queerness in her music until recently. As an English major in college, Laurence wrote her undergrad thesis on Sapphic ventriloquism in 19th century poetry—basically, Victorian writers who took the voice of Sappho to explore their own queer desires that were otherwise repressed.

“That’s kinda how I started talking about my queerness in my music—looking to other queer artists for inspiration, and taking notes,” Laurence says. “My queerness has now become a huge part of my musical identity, and it feels awesome, like I can really be myself.”

These conversations are ever-present in “Lavender,” which Laurence wrote for her best friend in the midst of her transition. It’s a song about dysphoria, trauma, and the challenges of coming out. However, it also serves as an unapologetic anthem for the LGBTQ community—It’s a song for Lavender and a song for any kid, teenager, or adult who feels like they didn’t (or still don’t) have space to be their authentic selves.

“It can be so incredibly challenging to come out, to change your pronouns, to experience dysphoria, to maybe not feel seen even by those who love you,” Laurence says. “I wanted to write a song that would honor the hardships and the trauma of coming out and transitioning, but also celebrate the beauty of it too. So it’s a song for her, but I hope it can be an anthem for the queer community too.”

The LGBTQ community has also taken notice of her music, as Laurence says she was “floored by the overwhelmingly kind response” from queer folks after the release of “Adrienne” and “Lavender.” Her reach continues to increase, as Laurence was also featured on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon earlier this year. Laurence calls the experience surreal, and “hands down one of the best days” of her life.

“I was so nervous, but Jimmy was such a sweetheart and made me feel totally at ease. Truly still can’t believe it happened. I felt like I was floating outside my body for a solid week afterwards,” Laurence says.

As a folk artist, Laurence says that there is more space than before for queer voices within the genre, though there is still “a lot of room” for growth. While mainstream media is giving more of a platform to queer folks, Laurence says the artists who are elevated are often cis, white, young, able-bodied, and neurotypical.

“But what about everybody else?” Laurence poses. “There’s a lot of racism, ableism, ageism, and transphobia that is very much still embedded in the music industry today, folk music included.”

Laurence also says that it’s important to talk about the hardships of being LGBTQ, given the very real attacks on queer and trans folks today, along with uplifting queer joy and resilience.

“Because hey, we’re still here. We’re still fabulous. Despite the discrimination we face daily and on a systemic level, the queer community has this amazing capacity for resilience and Pride,” Laurence says. “Let’s honor that. Let’s celebrate that! Let’s drink to that. But let’s also not forget the real challenges of being queer, too. I think now, more than ever, we need to be talking about both sides of the coin.”

Laurence is mainly playing shows locally in New York City, though she teases that a tour might be in the works and that listeners should stay tuned. Lavender is slated for a November 2022 release.

For more from Gemma Laurence, find her on Instagram, Facebook, and Spotify.

Photos courtesy of Beatrice Helman