Multi-hyphenate powerhouse Lauren Marcus is releasing her latest single, “Skinny & Blonde,” on all streaming platforms this Friday, October 27. Additionally, fans can catch her live performance of the song at Rockwood Music Hall on Sunday, November 12th at 7pm. Tickets are available for purchase here.
The single’s release will be accompanied by a thrilling music video, timed perfectly for Halloween excitement, set to premiere on Monday, October 30th on Lauren’s YouTube channel. In the spirit of the season, the video playfully delves into the theme of authenticity in identity by experimenting with different looks with wigs and wardrobe changes, adding an extra layer of Halloween fun to the experience.
In addition to the Broadway-caliber vocals that fans have come to expect from Marcus, “Skinny & Blonde” also features a timeless message in today’s age of social media: conforming to others’ expectations comes at a steep cost. The song’s core message is about staying true to oneself, and Marcus encourages listeners to celebrate their authentic selves rather than striving for a diluted version of someone else. Her message is rooted in her personal journey.
“You’re only screwing yourself over in the end. Whether that’s about your body, your art, your morals — you’ll pay a price for it,” says Marcus. “I wrote this song when I was actually at my skinniest and blondest, and I mean that just as much metaphorically as physically. The idea of ‘skinny and blonde’ to me doesn’t have to literally mean skinny and blonde. That was just sadly, at one point in my life, an ideal I strove for and a look I thought would absolutely change my career and, ultimately, my happiness. Surprise! It didn’t! And it actually made my life infinitely worse!”
“Skinny & Blonde” was produced and mixed by Ian Kagey, mastered by Oscar Zambrano, arranged by Charlie Rosen and recorded at NYC’s Power Station. The track features guitar by Mike Rosengarten, bass by Matt Scharfglass, drums by Jeremy Yaddaw, piano by Rob Rokicki, saxophone by Josh Plotner, trumpet by Danny Jonokuchi, trombone by Becca Patterson, wurlitzer by Lauren Marcus, lead vocals by Lauren Marcus, and backup vocals by Amara Brady, Katie Lee Hill, Hana Slevin, and Natalie Walker.
The “Skinny & Blonde” music video was shot and produced by Halleloo Creative on location at Sound View Hotel in Greenport, NY. It was directed by Nathan Chang with creative direction by Max Friedman, produced by Shelby Smith, executive produced by Corey Sheppard, shot by Steven Bailey, edited by Derek Johnson, and features makeup/hair by Rachel Estabrook, and car/extra support provided by Will Roland and Steph Wessels.
Pre-Save Skinny & Blonde on Spotify https://show.co/Cq3oq9A
About Lauren Marcus
“Take all the female rock stars you have known and loved and roll them up into one. Take, for instance, Linda Ronstadt’s soul, Tina Turner’s sexiness, Pat Benatar’s grit, Debbie Harry’s defiance, and all of the Go-Go’s playfulness, mix and bake at 350, then frost with a five inch thick layer of The Icing of Originality, and you’ve got Lauren Marcus.” -BroadwayWorld
Hailed as “fabulous” by the Boston Globe and a “powerhouse” by the Chicago Tribune, Lauren Marcus is a multi-hyphenate actor-singer-writer whose work has been seen on stage, screen, and across acclaimed music venues throughout New York City.
Usually joined by a party of 12 onstage, Lauren has held multiple residencies at the legendary Rockwood Music Hall. She is currently completing her debut full-length album after the 2016 release of her debut EP, Never Really Done With You, and also currently trying to figure out how the hell to add a string section into the stage plot of her next gig.
While she considers her live shows half-party/half-therapy, Lauren’s sound is inspired by the effervescent melodies of 1960s pop, the lyrical poetry of 1970s troubadours, and the electric edge of contemporary indie rock…and usually includes a healthy dose of theatricality. Her sound is at once a throwback and completely forward-thinking.
Well-known to theater audiences for recent performances in Broadway’s Be More Chill and Off Broadway’s White Girl in Danger as well as Sarah Silverman’s The Bedwetter, Lauren passionately leans into the celebration of self-expression and self-love while remaining unflinchingly honest about the stuff that gets her (and a lot of the world) down, making “her voice and style…unmistakable, her stage presence and emotions irrepressible, her talent and personality irresistible.” -DCMetroArts
