Lauren Presley Drops “Trade Secrets” and Connects With Us for a Deep Dive Into Her Creative Evolution
- STAFF
- Aug 30
- 9 min read
By: Staff
“Trade Secrets” is a dazzling, emotionally fearless triumph that radiates vulnerability and sonic brilliance.
There’s a certain shimmer to "Trade Secrets", the latest release from Lauren Presley, that stops you in your tracks. A haze of downtuned guitars and velvet-smooth vocals, the track unfolds like a secret whispered in confidence, equal parts romantic confession and pop-rock defiance. We spoke with Lauren about the story behind this standout single, but what we uncovered went far deeper than just the making of a song.
This isn’t just another love song. It’s a turning point. An artist known for raw, unfiltered lyricism and emotionally charged themes has stepped into new territory. Lighter, brighter, and unexpectedly vulnerable. In our conversation, Lauren reflects on the fears she overcame to write something so intimate, the influence of finding love, and the creative freedom that’s come with learning to trust her voice.
From her roots in small-town Texas to carving out a space in Nashville’s “come as you are” scene, Lauren’s journey hasn’t followed a straight path. She opens up about the weight of independence, the unpredictability of building a career from the ground up, and the deeply personal experiences that shaped her earlier work. With over 24 million views on YouTube and a growing, deeply connected fanbase, Lauren isn’t just creating music. She’s creating space for honesty in a polished industry.
What happens when an artist known for emotional gravity dares to be joyful? When the walls come down and the truth gets lighter? "Trade Secrets" might be her happiest song to date, but don’t mistake it for simple. There’s complexity in its intimacy, strength in its softness.
Dive into our full interview with Lauren Presley where she shares her creative process, musical evolution, and what’s coming next, including the songs she says are her favorite work yet. This is an artist who’s just getting started, and every answer feels like a thread waiting to unravel something bigger.
Here’s how it went:
Begin Interview:
Hello Lauren Presley, we’re thrilled to have you here for this interview! We've had an amazing time exploring your music and diving into your creative journey. Now, we’re even more intrigued to get a deeper look into both your brand and your personal and professional inspirations.
Q. We absolutely loved "Trade Secrets"! The bass-heavy, downtuned opening guitars, combined with your beautiful vocals and the up-close, intimate production, really set the tone for the entire track. When did you first discover your voice, and what was the moment that shifted it from something personal and intimate to recording with the intention of sharing it with a global audience?
A. The last few years, I really feel like I found my voice, and it’s just been a matter of honing in on my specific sound & narrowing down what I want to say to the world. When writing ‘Trade Secrets’, I went into the session wanting to write a love song. I had never really written a love song before, I’m not really sure wh,y other than they scare me a little because they can easily come off cheesy, I guess. So that was kinda a challenge in my mind. And then we started writing it (me, Rich Harris, and Kendall Goodman), and it just flowed out, and then I remembered thinking like ‘oh, why was I so scared to do this?’ I did write it for me, but I love how it turned out so much, I was like ok, other people need to hear this too!
Q. You mentioned that “Trade Secrets” is the happiest song you've ever written. What was it about this specific moment in your life that allowed you to embrace that vulnerability and create such an upbeat anthem?
A. I don’t really know of a specific moment, I think it’s just I had previously released my EP ‘Hanging In The Balance’, I had wrote and talked about a lot of really hard and heavy things during that process and i’m glad I did because it was so healing but I think I just kinda needed a lighter song as like a ‘breather’. Also, I’m married to someone I’m super in love with, so yeah, I was just like maybe this is a good time to write about that!
Q. Growing up in Redwater, Texas, and now living in Nashville, how has your environment shaped your music, both in terms of sound and the stories you tell?
A. I think it’s not so much about the locations and more about the journey over the years that’s really shaped me into who I am now. Being an independent artist is very, very hard sometimes, so I’ve struggled with a lot of self-doubt and the lack of security/consistency that comes with this career, which I really opened up about on my EP.
Also, being in Nashville, the culture really is just ‘come as you are’ which I love, so I think that helped shape my sound. I’ve learned to literally just do what I naturally like and what I think sounds good, and other people will like it too.
Q. You’ve said you’ve always been scared to write a love song for fear of it sounding “cheesy.” How did it feel to finally take that leap, and what has the response been like from your fans?
A. It felt good to let go of that fear and just go for it. I was surprised how easy it flowed, and am so glad it turned out the way it did. I think it’s been a nice change of scenery following the EP, for me and fans as well!
Q. You’ve been open about how songwriting is therapeutic for you. Can you tell us about a particular song or lyric that helped you process a difficult moment in your life?
A.Yeah, there’s been several, but one main one would be ‘People Leave’. I think I never truly processed how having a broken family at a young age affected me, and honestly, that’s kinda what the song is, basically me processing those real thoughts, out loud. And the amount of support I received from people and people telling me their stories, I was just blown away by how much people resonated.
Q. Artists like Halsey and Maggie Lindemann have influenced your sound. If you had the chance to collaborate with one of them, what would that look like musically, and what would you want to explore in that partnership?
A.First of all, I would just DIE if that collab opportunity came up! Halsey’s music literally got me through high school. With her, I’ve always admired how unique her sound is, both musically and vocally, so I would definitely want to focus on doing something that feels new & fresh & unique with her. Maggie Lindemann, I also love, I would love to do a collab that's maybe still in the pop-rock world but definitely heavier on the rock side. That’s where I’ve been leaning recently anyway, and she just kills it in the rock world.
Q. Your fanbase seems to really resonate with your raw and authentic lyrics. Do you ever get nervous about how personal your songs are, or is sharing your truth part of your creative process?
A. Yes, of course, it’s been very nerve-racking at times, like ‘am I being a little too honest?’
But I think that’s the thing that makes it cool, and what makes people connect with it. So even though it’s scary, if I’m even asking myself that question, I think that’s a great sign. So I just go with it, & hope people resonate!
Q. You've been performing live, including opening for Huron John and DBMK at Cannery Hall. How does performing in front of a live audience compare to the studio recording process, and what do you enjoy most about it?
A.Doing live shows definitely introduces the nerves (unlike in the studio), but the part I love about it is seeing people come together through music and just have fun!
Q. With over 24.8 million views on YouTube and growing industry recognition, do you feel a sense of responsibility to represent a certain message or community through your music?
A. A little bit, yes, it definitely has made me think about the words/ideas I’m putting out into the world. And what my goal is with that. I think I’ve decided my goal is to just show people that even though I (and a lot of people on social media) look like we’ve got it all figured out, nobody truly does. Everyone’s going through something, so you don’t ever have to feel the pressure to be ‘perfect’. I’m definitely not, and that’s okay. Also, sharing your truths and being vulnerable might help somebody else, and you don’t even know i,t so you don’t have to be afraid.
Q. What do you hope "Trade Secrets" says about you as an artist at this moment in your career?
A. I hope it shows that I have another side to me, the lighter, more pop, kinda romantic side. I’m a lover at heart, i’ve always worn my heart on my sleeve! Musically, I was a little worried it’s too ‘pop’ and too different from the more dark/rock EP, but I think it’s important to just do what you like and don’t sweat the small stuff like that. I said it before, but as an artist, my thought is just do what you like & you will find other people that will like it too!
Q. Do you ever find yourself resisting current trends in music to stay true to your sound, or do you feel that the current music landscape encourages more room for innovation?
A.Yeah, because I’m such a music lover, I really love all music, so there will be trends where it's like EDM is the thing right now, or country, or now it seems to be the Gracie Abrams soft pop vibes. But I try not to be influenced by ‘what's the current sound’ and just trust in the sound I have. But don’t get me wrong, it’s totally normal to evolve as an artist over the years. As long as that's coming from within, and not being influenced by the outside.
Q. What do you want people to remember most about you after hearing "Trade Secrets" and reading this interview?
A. Just that even though some of my songs are more pop, and some more rock, the common theme is they’re all honest and will hopefully make you feel something.
Q. Can you tell us the story behind how you landed on the title for “Trade Secrets”?
A.Yeah, we were in the session talking about how we're going to write a love song that’s not cheesy and has a little bit of a unique element to it lyrically. We wanted to capitalize on the vulnerability of a loving relationship, so we had the line ‘you could break me into a million pieces’ and after messing around with some rhymes for that, Kendall said ‘what about trading secrets?’ Like you tell this person everything & you’re just completely open with each other, no question marks. And I just thought it was such an intimate concept!
Q. Let’s build a summer playlist around "Trade Secrets." What three other tracks absolutely have to be on it, and why?
A. Oh, such a cool question! Hmm, I’d say ‘Attached To You’ by Fletcher, ‘Beautiful Things’ by Benson Boone, and ‘Ordinary’ by Alex Warren. I think all 3 have such a fun, feel-good, romantic, summer vibe.
Q. Now that your fans have had the chance to learn more about your work, let’s dive into something just as important—your name. For those meeting you for the first time, is “Lauren Presley” your given name or a stage name? As we’ve seen, your fans are sure to become deeply invested in your music, and they’ll likely be curious about the meaning behind everything that makes up your artistic journey. So, when it comes to your artist name, how does it connect with the music you're creating? What’s the story behind it, and what does it represent to you and to the fans who are just getting to know you?
A.‘Lauren Presley’ is my real name! I think keeping my real name as my stage name is just another element to me being so raw & open, like what you guys see is the real life me!
Q. And finally, we can’t thank you enough for sharing these intimate details! So, what's next? Can you give us the inside scoop on your upcoming projects and what fans should be excited about? We’d love to be the first to share the news!
A. I’ve been trying to lean into living life more. In the past, I’ve kinda hunkered down and was like ‘artist artist artist’ 24/7 because I want this career so much, but I kinda forgot that I’m a real person too, with wants and passions outside of music also. So travel is one of those passions, so I’m doing that more & trying to just enjoy the life that I have currently. I have lots of writing sessions coming in the next few months as well, so I think going into those with a fresh mind and new experiences always helps the creativity! I also have some songs lined up to be released soon, which are my favorites I’ve made so far, so I’m very excited to show you guys that!
Lauren Presley, thank you so much, we appreciate you taking the time to talk to us!
End Interview
We’re happy to have shared Lauren Presley’s exciting journey with you and uncovered such inspiring insights about their creative process.
