Singer, songwriter, and producer **Laklan** is set to release his new EP, **_CLUB MATRIX_**, an eight-track collection crafted entirely in GarageBand. Centered around themes of confronting inner demons and embracing self-acceptance, the project fuses dark, atmospheric club energy with bold, heartfelt pop sensibilities. Mostly self-produced—featuring two co-productions with **m.e.g**—_CLUB MATRIX_ emerged from Laklan’s search for a true musical identity and creative home. Alongside five brand-new songs, the EP includes fan favorites like “I Would,” reflecting the evolution of his artistry and his commitment to authenticity.
A Chicago native and Belmont University graduate, Laklan fuses infectious club rhythms with cinematic pop sensibilities to create a sound that’s both dynamic and deeply expressive. Stepping into the spotlight as both singer and producer, he channels raw emotion and irresistible energy into every track. *CLUB MATRIX* celebrates self-acceptance—embracing imperfection and owning one’s truth. Dropping October 31st on all major streaming platforms, the EP marks Laklan’s bold debut in the underground pop scene and signals his drive toward broader collaboration and success.
What first drew you into the world of music?
My earliest memory of how music impacted me was listening to Celine Dion’s My Heart Will Go On for the first time. To this day, I still think it is one of the most beautiful songs ever written, produced, and sung. It provoked such an emotion out of me when I was young, and I always found it so fascinating that someone could have the power to create something that could make people actually feel something. I would say that moment was the start of my journey as a young creative.
I also have to mention early 2000s pop like Britney Spears and NSYNC. The energy and inspiration during that time were out of this world, and it impacted me so much.
Who inspired you most when you were just starting out?
100% Lady Gaga. She was a big part of my life when I was younger, and if it wasn’t for her story and her message, I don’t think I would’ve known how to tap into my creative side. She made me feel that whatever I wanted to do in life, I could do it my way. As a songwriter now, I hope I can instill that same sense of drive and inspiration in others.
Where do you find inspiration for your songwriting?
Inspiration for my songs comes in a lot of different ways! I had a music teacher tell me to always keep my creative antenna up. Once you train that muscle to always be on guard, you can find inspiration in the littlest things. I’m naturally inspired by personal experiences, either from myself or other people. I like to find the issue or reason why in a scenario and try to explain that through song. There are a lot of different ways to tell a story, and I like to play around with different versions of what the truth can be.
Can you walk us through your creative process when writing or producing music?
My notes app on my phone has all of my random ideas! It ranges from potential song titles, quotes, concepts, or lyrics that I think of. Most of the time I have a melody in mind, and I’ll sing it into my phone to save for when I’m making a track. A lot of the times, I’ll start building a track based off of a song that I have an idea for. I always write the lyrics/melody of my song around the track that I create because it’s easier to write once you have a rhythm going. I find that writing verses is easier for me than writing choruses. If the chorus doesn’t naturally fly out of me, then I usually save it for last and sleep on it until something feels right. Production has been a muscle I continue to train, and it’s been such a fun journey learning different techniques and finding my sound.
What’s the core message you hope fans take away from your music?
To anyone that likes my music and follows it, thank you so much. I hope that through my music you can find the confidence in yourself to go after the things you want in life. I feel that art is a reflection of a dream that somebody has, and the final result of that art is proof that you can accomplish your goals.
What’s one piece of advice you’d give to someone breaking into the industry today?
Don’t pursue this industry if your main focus is to become famous. Although there is nothing wrong with that outcome, the journey of self-discovery, authenticity, and inspiring others is what will give your work purpose.
What’s been the biggest challenge with your latest project?
With my earlier work, I would write and produce the song but would not sing on it. I would have other artists sing on my songs because I lacked the confidence to do it myself, even though I really wanted to. With this project, Club Matrix, I really wanted it to be from me. The production, lyrics, and vocals. The biggest challenge was overcoming my fear with performing and being authentic in that kind of way. When making my songs, once I have a final demo, I would bring it to a professional studio and rerecord the vocals there because they have all the proper equipment and technical stuff that I don’t have. So when I rerecord the vocals, I do it in front of other people who are in the studio, and it is really intimidating. But I knew I had to get over that fear if I wanted to grow as an artist and make my art the way I wanted to. Once I conquered that fear, I loved how the songs were turning out, and I had a new level of confidence unlocked. Now when I go into the studio to record a new song, I don’t even think about it anymore.
What’s your go-to comfort food for a date night?
Italian! Pasta, chicken parmesan, you name it—it’s my favorite. Always have a bottle of red wine with it or else what’s the point?
If you had to describe yourself as a flavor, what would you be?
Espresso chocolate chip—I’ll leave that to the imagination.
Which fictional character do you wish existed in real life?
Olivia Pope from Scandal! I love her character so much.
What’s something that always makes you feel nostalgic?
Watching old Disney Channel original movies from the early 2000s. Sometimes my friends and I will have a Disney movie night with wine, and it’s the best nostalgia.
If you could ask your future self one question, what would it be?
Are you happy and content?
If money were no object, what job would you choose to do anyway?
Songwriting! To be able to make music and write songs all day would be the best. I work a couple different jobs now to pay the bills. I have a main corporate job and a bartending job on the side. I purposefully carve out time to do my music stuff. I love to be constantly busy.
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