CHVRCHES’ vocalist Lauren Mayberry today releases “Are You Awake?”, the first music she has ever recorded and shared as a solo artist. An unadorned, aching ballad that puts Lauren’s voice at the forefront, it marks a stark departure from her band’s signature sound. The song was co-written with Tobias Jesso Jr. and Matthew Koma, who also produced – and was mixed by Mark ‘Spike’ Stent.
“’Are You Awake?’ is a song that started on a rainy day last December with Tobias Jesso Jr. I was thinking a lot about loneliness and homesickness, and as soon as Tobias started playing the chords, the lyrics and melody came to me really quickly. I finished the song with my friend Matthew Koma, who really understood what I was trying to say.
For a long time, I couldn’t imagine doing anything outside of CHVRCHES but I think some things that I needed to write had to be done from purely my own point of view. I never really thought I’d write a piano ballad, or a solo album full stop, so life really is full of surprises. I am really looking forward to this chapter and can’t wait for people to hear more of the music.” – Lauren Mayberry
“Are You Awake?” arrives just days ahead of Lauren’s first ever solo tour, beginning in Washington DC on September 4th and running through North America this month. From Sept 5-14, Mayberry will open for Death Cab For Cutie before resuming her tour in NYC at Music Hall of Williamsburg. Due to demand, additional dates have been added in NYC and Los Angeles, and moved to bigger UK venues. Tickets are on sale now, visit laurenmayberry.co.uk for the full list of dates and details.
Lauren Mayberry tour dates:
9/4 – Washington, DC – 9:30 Club
9/5 – Washington, DC – The Anthem^
9/6 – Washington, DC – The Anthem^
9/8 – Portland, ME – Cross Insurance Arena^
9/9 – Kingston, RI – The Ryan Center^
9/10 – New Haven, CT – Westville Music Bowl^
9/12 – Boston, MA – MGM Music Hall^
9/13 – Boston, MA – MGM Music Hall^
9/14 – Columbia, MD – Merriweather Post Pavilion^
9/16 – Brooklyn, NY – Music Hall of Williamsburg *SOLD OUT
9/17 – Brooklyn, NY- Music Hall of Williamsburg
9/18 – Allston, MA – Brighton Music Hall *SOLD OUT
9/20 – Toronto, ON – Horseshoe Tavern *SOLD OUT
9/22 – Chicago, IL – Lincoln Hall * SOLD OUT
9/23 – Urbana, IL – Pygmalion
9/25 – Seattle, WA – Neumos
9/26 – Portland, OR – Mississippi Studios *SOLD OUT
9/28 – San Francisco, CA – August Hall
9/29 – Los Angeles, CA – Troubadour *SOLD OUT
9/30 – Los Angeles, CA – Troubadour
10/5 – Glasgow, UK – SWG3 (upgraded venue, original tickets remain valid) *SOLD OUT
10/6 – Birmingham, UK – O2 Academy 2 (upgraded venue, original tickets remain valid)
10/8 – Manchester, UK – Academy 2 (upgraded venue, original tickets remain valid)
10/9 – London, UK – Koko (upgraded venue, original tickets remain valid)
10/11 – Amsterdam, NL – Melkweg Oz
10/12 – Berlin, DE – Lido
10/13 – Munich – Strom
10/15 – Paris, FR – La Maroquinerie
10/16 – Cologne, DE – Luxor
10/17 – Prague, CZ – Rock Cafe
10/19 – Vienna, AT – Flex
10/21 – Zurich, CH – Bogen F
10/22 – Milan, IT, – Magnolia
10/24 – Barcelona, ES – La Nau
10/25 – Madrid, ES – Sala Capernico
^ w/ Death Cab For Cutie, Postal Service
While 2023 marks the 10th anniversary of CHVRCHES’ debut, The Bones Of What You Believe, Mayberry is decidedly looking to the future. “For a long time, I couldn’t imagine ever doing anything outside of CHVRCHES,” she says. “But as I sail / stumble through this era of my life, it has started to feel like there are things I want to write and say and do that need to be done on my own. This solo project, I hope, will be my fun, freaky, sad, weird, joyful pop playground and I am so looking forward to sharing it with you.”
Formed in Glasgow in 2011, CHVRCHES broke out with their debut single, “The Mother We Share.” Across their four UK top 10 albums, the band has amassed more than 1.7 billion global streams to date, alongside a string of awards and nominations including the SXSW Grulke Prize, NME, SAY and BRIT awards.
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