LP on New Music and What to Expect at Her Concerts

Fred Hernandez

“LP” generally stands for “Long Play”, another term for an album or record released. But in this case, it stands for singer Laura Pergolizzi. LP is a master pop songsmith with a rock n’ roll attitude and the pipes to back up the hype. But it took her a while to embrace her powerful  voice. Since a very young age, LP was shy about her singing. She would sing at full volume only when the vacuum was on. Loud noises would bury her vocals so only she could hear herself. As LP got older, she became more comfortable with her singing and was transformed into the powerhouse vocalist she is today.

Pergolizzi’s third LP and major label debut, “Forever For Now,” was released on June 2 by Warner Bros. Records. It was produced by Grammy-award winning producer and Warner Bros. chairman Rob Cavallo (Green Day, My Chemical Romance, Dave Matthews Band). LP also had a chance to collaborate with some of her favorite artists, including Isa Summer (Florence & The Machine), PJ Bianco, Billy Steingberg, and Josh Alexander for the record. Her single “Into the Wild” even made its way onto a CitiBank TV commercial.

It is generally difficult for an artist to pick a favorite song on an album, and LP is no different. When asked about her favorite song on the record, LP stated, “That’s a very hard question to answer,” as if having to choose between 12 prodigal children. She eventually decided on “Into the Wild,” “Tokyo Sunrise,” and “Forever For Now” (co-produced by Isa Summers) as her three favorite tracks. “I really love the new [songs], but those ones are close to my soul,” LP says.

There were a few tracks that didn’t quite make the cut to be on the record, but that LP performs at her live shows. “There was a show last night and I did one of the songs I left off the record and now I’m kicking myself,” LP commented. Despite having some slight regrets about her major label debut, her record is a stomper with a strong emphasis on her impeccable vocal hooks.

If you listen to her music carefully, it is hard to pinpoint just one major influence. LP is inspired by the likes of Jeff Buckley, Kurt Cobain, Chrissie Hynde, Joni Mitchell, Robert Plant, and Jim Morrison. “I could spend the whole day citing my influences,” LP stated. “I would not call them influences but shit I listen to.”

Before signing to a major label, LP released her debut album, “Heart-Shaped Scar,” through Koch Records with the help of David Lower of the band Cracked. She followed it up in 2004 with “Suburban Sprawl & Alcohol” released through Lightswitch Records. On “Suburban Sprawl & Alcohol” she collaborated with Linda Perry of 4 Non Blondes. Her track “Wasted” was featured as the theme song for seasons two and three of the Nickelodeon teen drama “South of Nowhere.”

In 2006, after an electrifying performance at SXSW, a bidding war ensued among major labels which resulted in L.A. Reid signing LP to his Island Def Jam Music Group. Soon after, LP left the label due to artistic differences, and signed with SoBe Entertainment. In 2009, she began writing for artists and worked closely with Heidi Montag on her 2009 album, “Superficial” (Warner Music). In 2010, LP signed with RedOne’s record label, 2101 Records, and shortly after scored her first major breakthrough when she co-wrote Rihanna’s “Cheers (Drink to That)” featured on Rihanna’s fifth album, “Loud.” She also co-wrote Christina Aguilera’s “Beautiful People.” The demand for her writing prowess continued as she co-wrote “Afraid to Sleep” which was performed by “The Voice” finalist, Vicci Martinez, and reached No. 10 on the iTunes Singles Pop Charts.

When asked about her vocal training background and how she developed such a powerful voice, LP says that she “studied opera at Carnegie Hall a while back and it’s just [doing] scales” in her typically humble fashion. “I really just think that singing a lot and taking care of your voice, like warming your voice up, and cooling it down, and doing scales, can give you more control with isolating the chords and not straining your neck and having your neck veins popping out. The execution is important to me and I had to figure out for my own self how to do that.”

In September 2011, LP signed a deal with Warner Bros. Records and released the single “Into the Wild.” April of 2012, as well as “Into the Wild (Live at EastWest Studios),” a five-song EP to which she toured and made stops at SXSW, Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, Bumbershoot, Tropfest to support. She also made big news when she became the first female Martin Guitar Ambassador.

When asked about what we can expect from a live performance she jokingly says “a lot of naked chicks in cages,” which might be some wishful thinking . “I’ve been opening up for people so much and doing such short shows that people can expect hearing the entire record.” As for what we can expect next from LP, she says, “I’m working on a new record now and I’m loving it. I’ve been really enjoying getting on the new shit.”