Clyde and Gracie Lawrence are the true definition of a dynamic duo. Being brother and sister, the two grew up listening to the same music together at home. Clyde and Gracie eventually started playing music together, and as adults, the two decided to take all of it to the next level by inviting some college friends along for the ride.
So basically, that’s how Lawrence formed.
If you’ve ever heard a Lawrence song, you know how they’re practically bursting from the seams with positive energy, soul, and a little special something that will keep you going for the rest of the day. Lawrence recently returned with their new single “Don’t Lose Sight,” a reminder to keep your eyes on the finish line despite the road blocks one may face along the way. (Sounds especially relevant for 2021, right?)
Here’s some words from Clyde and Gracie about the song, what it truly means to not lose sight, and more!
Can you share the story behind “Don’t Lose Sight”?
G: The day before we wrote this song I found out that after months of waiting and auditioning, I didn’t get an acting job that I really wanted… I’m used to not getting parts (brag?) since that “failure” is all part of the game, but for some reason this one hit really hard. When we started this writing session the next day, Clyde started messing around with these super fun, gospel chords and Jorgen Odegard (one of the producers on the song) started building out the beat, and it was clear that the song that was being built was going to be upbeat — not a ballad about giving up, which was sort of the mood I was in. So when I snuck in my idea about wanting to write something about what I was going through, we made it about that experience but change the angle on it to not giving up which in that moment might have been the opposite of what I was feeling, but what I secretly hoped I would feel soon.
After all we have endured over the past year, what are some of the things that have kept you from losing sight of your own goals as artists?
G: Over the past year our careers have obviously been altered because we couldn’t tour or connect in person with the people who listen to our music. But in other ways, it really highlighted the power of being connected by music and nothing else to people I don’t know… we gained a lot of new listeners over the pandemic when we put out new music and it made me feel a little less isolated or alone. Also, I think it brought Clyde and I closer as siblings, living together the whole time and complaining about who should do the dishes — and ultimately I think that might make the music better. Lastly, the time gave us the opportunity to listen to more music and watch more good movies than we ever do. We watched Godfather 1 and Godfather 2, like every other person who hadn’t before the pandemic, we wrote more songs, and we had the time to try out new creative pursuits. I think the thing about art (goes through a pandemic, comes out a fake philosopher) is that oddly it’s one of the only things that can’t really be messed with or made worse by strange or hard times… it kinda just goes with you wherever you go and that brings me a lot of comfort.
Do you feel as though the “down-time” during the pandemic provided you an opportunity to grow as artists and performers? Did the time change your approach towards your craft?
C: It’s definitely been difficult not being able to tour and see our fans in person. That being said, so much of our music is inspired by our family life and the idea of home. Our first EP was called “Homesick,” then our albums “Breakfast” and “Living Room” were named that way because they are both things that remind us of home, and our upcoming album “Hotel TV” is sort of referencing the idea of trying to create a home for ourselves while on the road. We spent the entire early part of the quarantine together with our family in our childhood home, so in some ways there was something nice about that which reconnected us creatively with our childhood.
Lawrence was the first band to be signed to Jon Bellion’s label. Two years later, how is your relationship with Jon playing a role in your creative process?
G: Jon is the best. He’s super involved as the executive producer of our upcoming album, “Hotel TV” and from song to song, he finds a way to make it better — whether he helped write a song from the beginning or whether we bring him a fully written song and he suggests changing one little thing. But from day 1 of working together his biggest concern was making sure we knew he didn’t want to change who we are. It’s awesome working with someone who you so deeply respect who is so respectful in return, and whose only goal is to make the music great, since that’s our goal too.
Do you ever feel any good old fashioned “sibling rivalry” while on stage – or even while writing?
C: I don’t think we ever really have any sort of typical “sibling rivalry.” Somehow we’ve managed to avoid that for the most part. If anything, we are each other’s biggest fans. There are moments when being each other’s sibling, best friend, creative partner, and business partner all at the same time can be an interesting challenge (we actually for the first time have a song on this upcoming album about our sibling dynamic), but it never really manifests in a rivalry. Frankly, our shows are so demanding from a vocal standpoint that I am sometimes so relieved to see a Gracie-led song up next on the set list!
G: It’s pretty hard to be rivals when you’re on the same team.
Your live shows are always so full of energy! Do you have a specific song you’re really looking forward to playing once in-person shows resume?
C: Umm… “Don’t Lose Sight”? Actually though that song is gonna be so much fun live.
G: Yeah, “Don’t Lose Sight” is going to require 3 cups of coffee backstage before performing, but it’ll be awesome. Also, I’m excited about a new cover…
If you could turn back time and relive one experience you’ve had as artists, what would it be?
C: We got to meet Randy Newman, who is one of my all-time heroes and possibly my favorite songwriter. We hung out with him, talked about songwriting and orchestration, and got to play him a handful of our songs. That was pretty surreal.
G: This is going to sound painfully cheesy, but when I was in highschool and Clyde had just started college, he came home for the summer and we played at the Bitter End in New York. We were already playing lots of shows by then, and this one happened to be sold out. In those days, there was one song that the rest of the band and I would walk off stage for so Clyde could perform alone — it was a really moving ballad. I remember watching from side stage, getting a little choked up, and having this overwhelming feeling (maybe for one of the first times) of “woah, this might work.” So I think that’s the moment I’d like to return to. I lied. Mine is the Randy Newman one too.
To wrap this up, do you have any words of wisdom to keep everyone motivated throughout the rest of 2021?
C: Once again — umm… “Don’t Lose Sight”?
G: DON’T. LOSE. SIGHT. Also, Hotel TV. Those are more self-promotional words than motivational…sorry.
