Who are you? (Tell us more about what you do in life, where you live, your age, your real name, what elements could define you, …)
I’m Lars, but most people know me as Laurentius. I’m a 22-year-old pop music producer from a city called Zwolle, in the Netherlands.
I’m studying International Business, working in Sales and doing something music-related every second that I am not doing something else. Most close friends and relatives describe me as ‘the guy that is always smiling’. I’m always happy and always positive, and believe that smiling and a positive attitude is the best medicine man can have. I also try my best to spread this message throughout my music by incorporating happy melodies with inspiring messages and helping people through beautiful melodies.
What is the meaning of your artistic name?
It’s pretty stupid, but I literally Googled the origin of my first name, Lars, haha.
Basically, the name Lars comes from the name Laurens, and Laurens is a descendant of Laurentius. And I thought; hey, that’s a pretty good name. Since that day, the name stuck with me.
When did you start producing music?
I started making music around 2012. I was 14 years old at the time.
How did it all start for you?
That’s a funny story. My father actually got me into music production – sort of. I remember my father downloaded this application called ‘FL Studio’ on his computer, and it had this text-to-speech function on it. It had many voices and I screwed around with it a lot, just for fun. One day, I started discovering that you could make music on FL Studio, and the text-to-speech function was simply a minor, minor thing in this HUGE studio software. I started learning and playing around with melodies, samples, and styles, and I basically never stopped screwing around since then.
Which style(s) of music are you currently producing?
I produce pop music, mostly focused on a tropical, warm, and happy fashion. Though recently I’m also getting into analogue music production techniques, along with a fresh ‘80s themed style. The first example of this style is already released and called ‘Stay The Night’, together with my hubby from NYC called ‘Victor Perry’. We’re currently exploring more sounds in that style, so there’s more to come.
Why did you choose it?
I love music that makes you smile, and warm, tropical melodies usually lift me up instantly. The same goes for the ‘80s disco style. These songs make you instantly wanna step on a dancefloor, looking at your feet along with the biggest smile you can imagine. I love having the privilege to put that smile on people’s faces.
Why are you producing music? And more globally, what does “music” mean to you?
Music is more than just words and a melody, in my opinion. Music is also emotion, inspiration, love. Music is a powerful spiritual journey compiled in 2-3 minutes. Music is a way of expressing yourself, which makes it such a powerful tool to spread your message as an artist. I love the feeling of being able to express my deepest, inner thoughts to people and help them understand or feel better. There’s not a better feeling in the world!
Where do you get your inspiration?
It’s tough to say for sure. I produce and write music differently every day. I get my inspiration from experiencing life.
What is one track that never gets old for you no matter how many times you hear it?
I have to confess that I’m a big sucker for rock music. Most people don’t know this about me, but rock music is basically all I listen to. I have one song that ever since I’ve heard it has been my all-time favorite song in the whole wide world, for as far as I can remember. That song is; Red Hot Chili Peppers – Californication.
If you listen closely to the way I write melodies, you can hear a close resemblance to the way rock music is compiled. You tend to take a lot of inspiration from the music you connect with, which basically influenced the way I make music.
According to you, what is the best way to develop a business in the music industry?
You have to be in it for the love of music. If you think you are able to leech off of creative individuals for the money, you’re in the wrong business.
My advice: Keep true to your values, missions, and vision. It might be hard to generate a following at first but never walk away from what you believe in. The true following will come, trust me.
What has been your favorite gig (show) so far?
I think my performance was at ‘Bevrijdingsfestival Overijssel’. My city hosts the biggest liberation day festival in the entire country, with hundreds-of-thousands of visitors every year. I had the privilege to perform a set at one of their stages.
Do you live from your musical activities? If not, do you plan to make a living from music in the future?
As long as I will still be able to make music, I will be happy. I’m not really focused on being able to live off music, I’m more focused on the music itself.
Do you have stuff in preparation, future collaborations, or personal projects?
I can’t spill the beans too much, but 2021 is going to be a crazy year! A lot of huge deals and amazing music is coming this year!
And for the producers out there:
In what Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) are you currently working? And why that one?
FL Studio and Logic Pro X. I’m convinced that the DAW does not contribute to the quality of music, but simply contributes to your workflow, as a producer. And I’ve come to understand that my workflow tends to be most efficient in those two DAW’s. Although this might be different for someone else.
On average, how much time do you spend in the studio on a typical day or week?
All the time I can. I do have to maintain work, school, girlfriend, family, and social life, but I still manage to get in at least 30 hours a week to do music-related activities. Though, that might also include the business side of music, instead of studio-time.
Do you have any technical tips to share with us (composition, sound design, mixing, mastering, or anything else…)?
I’ve struggled with mixing for such a long time. But I’ve come to realize that I was relying on the spectrum analyzers in certain plugins WAY too much. My advice is to not pay any attention to the sound wave and spectrum analyzers that some plugins such as Fabfilter Pro Q3 offer, but instead listen carefully and use/train your ears to hear what certain plugins do and what effect it has on your sound.
Let’s talk about “Dutch Vibrations”
What was your inspiration for this mix?
I wanted to give the listener a feel for what an underground club in the Netherlands might sound like, hence the title ‘Dutch Vibrations’. I wanted to create a guest mix that keeps you from standing still and grooves all hour long. Especially in these uncertain times, I think it’s such a cool concept to bring the dancefloor feeling to the listener, instead of the other way around.
Finally:
Any important people in your life you wanna mention, thank, or talk about?
Hard to single out anyone, really. I want to thank everyone equally. I’ve come to meet so many wonderful people and have been supported by so many loved ones, I can’t even begin to start mentioning them. Every single play, comment, or share is as important to me as the next one.
Anything you wanna add to end up this interview?
Love you guys! <3
Thank you very much for your time!
Thank you for the amazing opportunity guys. I had so much fun selecting and mixing the songs in this guest mix! Cheers to an amazing 2021!
Check out Laurentius’s socials:
Leave a Reply