(...continued)

An Awakening

To Gift A World

A Message

More Than Just a Cover

(Stay tuned for comments)

Loren Allred

A few notes of interest before continuing the journey of Loren Allred. I first want to express my gratitude for the kind emails. I quickly came to realize that those who follow Loren and leave comments on her uploads represent a community that's easy and comfortable to be a part of. Despite the immense diversity of followers, each seems to share an appreciation for the person she is, as well as the artist she has become, which speaks volumes about themself. To those who've reached out to me, your words and support are greatly appreciated.

I return to the subject of Loren Allred, the independent artist and businesswoman. Watching some of her current behind-the-scenes clips, I'm reminded of other entrepreneurial artists who have taken control of their careers and broadened their roles, such as Beyoncé, Jennifer Lopez, and Rihanna. Another example is Lady Gaga (Stephanie Germanotta), who is not only a savvy businesswoman but also crosses multiple genres in music as well as other media platforms. Loren has shown her ability to impress as a singer in multiple music genres, and will likely show that same ability in other roles as well. Now an independent artist, she hires talented production people, quality musicians, selects boutique labels for distribution, and chooses the most efficient pathways toward achieving her goals and ambitions. She literally just has to point her finger in the direction she would like to go next. To illustrate how easy she adapts to different roles, take a moment to enjoy these mini vignettes.

A gleeful spirit

A sophisticate

Brooklyn gal

In Part 1, just before the November 2012 TV appearance of Loren on The Voice, I mentioned my focus on the Summer Olympics in London. The opening and closing ceremonies featured performances by rising UK singer Emeli Sande. There are more connections between these artists than most would ever imagine. Know that Emeli's first name is Adele, but she chose to use her middle name (Emily) because rising star Adele was already known at the time. Adele's "Chasing Pavements" was one of the songs Loren had uploaded while still a music student, which led to her early signing with a label. A common thread linking all three artists was the early influence of Lauryn Hill. Adele's insistence on remaining herself strongly coincides with Loren's decisions throughout her journey. Emeli expressed a similar show of strength by adding a tattoo image of Frida Kahlo. To my knowledge, Loren has never commented on her ink. Then there is the fact that Emeli and Loren both entered the industry at roughly the same time, and both endured similar struggles within that process, but Loren's struggle involved more than just contracts, money, and production. By February 2012, Emeli Sande had debuted her first album, "Our Version of Things", containing the track "Clown", which portrayed those hardships and emotions experienced early on.

Aside from just interest, the connections above factor into the performance linked below, specifically the raw intensity and emotion seen and heard. The lyrics in "Clown" mostly reenact the struggles Emeli faced in trying to get signed by a label, but they aptly portray the puppeteering and manipulation that Loren faced after signing. The memory of those moments alone is enough to account for the intensity seen and heard in this studio release. But there may be an additional factor, which I'm left wondering about. Loren parted with her label after her final appearance on The Voice in November 2012. During a recent interview, which I can no longer find, she stated that she would be releasing re-imagined versions of The Greatest Showman songs, along with a song from her recording industry days that was promised but never released, and lastly an original song. Well, those Greatest Showman songs have all been released, in multiple versions. An original has yet to appear as of this writing. So that leaves only this cover of "Clown," suggesting it "might" have been the song once promised to her. But with no corroboration, it remains only a suggested possibility. Regardless, this release stands on its own, impressively demonstrating the power of a shared experience and what it can evoke. It's a display of emotion and intensity that seems to rise above just artistic expression. The black and white format was the perfect choice for this video.

"Clown"

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