Lauren Ash is a Canadian actress, comedian, and musician. She is the recipient of a Canadian Screen Award and is a five-time Canadian Comedy Award winner. Ash is best known for her role as Dina Fox on the sitcom, “Superstore” and has played numerous roles in American and Canadian television. Her acting credits also include the Academy-Award nominated films “The Disaster Artist” and “Lars and the Real Girl.” Despite her longstanding career in Hollywood, she has been interested in music since her early teens and always dreamt of performing in a band. In 2023, she finally made that dream a reality and released two singles titled “Now I Know” and “Umbrella,” a cover of the original Rihanna song. Her songs have already racked up tens of thousands of listens across platforms like Spotify and Apple Music. Throwing it back to her own coming-of-age, her music is if “Gwen Stefani fronted Blink 182,” a testament to the modern revival of pop-punk.

**Left:**
Full Look by The Last Follies Closet
Shoes by FLOR DE MARIA RIVERA
**Right:**
Full Look by The Last Follies Closet

When did you first start writing music?
I wrote my first song when I was about thirteen years old and had been gifted my first acoustic guitar. I taught myself a few chords and got straight to work! I would describe my early songs as “long,” “meandering,” “highly emotional,” but “full of heart.”

Growing up in the 90s and 2000s, who were some of your musical heroes and influences?
My favorite band of all time is a Canadian band called “Age of Electric“ Their music is heavy while melodic and extremely lyrically interesting. I was also a massive fan of “Blink 182,” “The Used,” “Blind Melon,” “Foo Fighters”, ”Hole,” “No Doubt,” “Tori Amos,” “Nirvana,” “Green Day,” “Garbage,” ‘Billy Talent,” ‘Bif Naked,” “Holly McNarland,” the list goes on and on.

What was the first CD or album that you bought yourself?
“Hole – Live Through This.” Still top to bottom one of my favorite albums of all time. A musician recently told me that my performance on a song I did reminded him of “Courtney Love” and I was HONORED.

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Full Look by The Last Follies Closet
**Right:**
Coat by Byblos

Pop-punk is a raw and visceral genre. What exactly about the music attracts you to this day?
I like fast drums and loud guitars. Nothing makes me smile more. I also like music that can sound fun but has that sound can be juxtaposed with super emotional lyrics. That’s one thing I love about my single “Now I Know” that it has super fun energy but the lyrics are heartbreaking. I think that’s almost reflective of my journey as a comedic actor. Always trying to present as funny and happy when, in reality, there may be a lot more going on for me. It’s exciting and feels vulnerable to get to share this side of me through music.

Can you tell us about your single “Now I Know”?
Now I Know is a song I actually wrote back in 2019 after going through a breakup. It’s funny because currently, I feel completely detached from that relationship and the heartbreak I was going through at the time, but people are only hearing it now for the first time, so obviously assume that I’m still in pain over the situation. What usually surprises people is that the person the song was based on was actually only a brief relationship I had. But I think sometimes those make for the best inspiration for songwriting. Short-term relationships end before you’re out of the early, passionate phase so all the feelings, both positive and negative, are quite big. I’m really proud of that song and have had so many people reach out to me saying they could relate to the lyrics, which is always amazing.

“Umbrella” is a cover of Rihanna’s “Umbrella.” Why did you decide to cover that particular song?
I think that song is great, and I just knew in my gut it would be so fun if we put a pop punk spin on it. I was right! It’s INCREDIBLY fun to play live. I think it’s really a testament to what a well written song it is, that you could put it in a completely different genre, and it still kills.

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Dress by ANИAKIKI
Handbag by L’alingi
**Right:**
Full Look by The Last Follies Closet
Shoes by FLOR DE MARIA RIVERA

What inspired you to pursue professional acting before music?
I think acting and comedy just came so naturally to me, it organically became my main focus as I left high school. That said, during my time on the Second City mainstages, both in Toronto and Chicago, I always wrote comedic songs. So, in a way, music has always been a part of my life and career, it’s just a more obvious part now.

Jumping from one industry to another must be jarring. What advice would you give to an aspiring musician?
Just go for it. I wish I had done it sooner. I was so scared about not being a good enough songwriter or guitar player that I didn’t take the leap literally until this year. I felt like because I’m not musically trained, that I didn’t deserve to take up space in the music world. I’ve since discovered that is absolutely not true.

A dear friend of mine Josh Banday said it best to me about me releasing my first single “there was nothing and now there’s something and isn’t that amazing.” It really refocused my lens about my music. Art is relevant because you create it. Whether it becomes popular or not is kind of irrelevant. If something moves you enough to create it, I think that means it has value. And how amazing it is to create something and put it before the world that could potentially resonate with others.

**Left:**
Coat by Byblos
Handbag by L’alingi
**Right:**
Full Look by The Last Follies Closet

What is it about performing for a live audience that you love the most?
I performed live comedy with the Second City for YEARS. As amazing and fun as those shows were, for me there is nothing that compares to the feeling of performing live music with a band. I think it makes me feel more alive than anything else I’ve ever done.

It’s a different kind of connection with an audience. With comedy, people are supposed to sit in the dark and laugh at what you’re doing, but with music, it’s a constant exchange of energy. If people feel moved to sing and dance along with you, it just feels so joyful. Catching the eye of someone in the crowd having a great time feels amazing. And now that I’ve started, it’s literally all I want to do.

You have previously mentioned being a fan of artists and bands like Hole and Gwen Stefani. What do you think about the recent revival of punk and pop-punk?
The fact that the genre is having such a resurgence is exciting. It’s my favorite music to listen to and now there’s so many amazing, new bands to discover. Some of my recent faves are Unwell, Makeout, The Dollyrots and Neck Deep. All such awesome bands are unique and I discovered them over the past year through social media. I love that so many bands are playing music like this and that the algorithm is showing it to me. It’s an exciting time to be an OG pop punk fan for sure.

Moving to songwriting, do you write whenever inspiration strikes, or is it a daily ritual of working on something?
It has to be when inspiration strikes me. I can’t force it or keep myself to a daily writing routine. That said, I definitely have stretches where I’m writing for many days in a row. It just comes on, like a tsunami.

Are there any young artists and songwriters who inspire you?
I’m a massive Harry Styles fan as well as Yungblud. I think they’re both such great songwriters and performers. At a recent signing in Chicago, I met an up and coming two-piece band called “Double Identity Band.” Twin sisters who are making some REALLY fun music that I really enjoy. Check them out before they blow up!

What can your fans expect from you in the future? Do you plan on releasing new music soon?
MORE MUSIC ALWAYS! On October 20th, I’m releasing a three-song Christmas EP including an original song I wrote called “Sad this Christmas.” I love Christmas and can’t wait for people to hear these songs. Then, in the new year, expect more original music from me right away. Some of it is already in the works. My hope is to continue writing music and I would love to do some touring and festivals next summer. Fingers crossed!

Social Media.
Instagram: @laurenelizabethash
Tik Tok: @laurenelizabethash
Twitter (X): @lauren_ash

CREW CREDITS:
PhotoBook Editor-In-Chief: Alison Hernon
PhotoBook Creative Director: Mike Ruiz + @mikeruiz.one
Photographer: Joel Dubroc
Talent: Lauren Ash
Fashion Stylist: Melvin Sanders
Hair: Gui Schoedler for Exclusive Artists using Color Wow
Makeup: Aaron Paul for Exclusive Artists using Haus Labs
Tearsheets by Daniel López, Art Director, PhotoBook Magazine
Interview by Sneha KC, Contributor, PhotoBook Magazine