As of this fall, the vivacious Lauren Chase will be entering into her 6-year-Senior status at the University of Central Florida. She is majoring in Interdisciplinary Studies with a concentration in Communications and Behavioral and Social Sciences, and minoring in Film. This about-to-be-23-year-old Gemini, is probably the busiest girl you’ll ever meet, yet is always willing to take time to meet new people.
Lauren also has a strong love of animals. She has rescued 14 stray feral kittens in the UCF area since last July! She also enjoys surfing, shooting at the gun range, going out on the boat and fishing, working out, playing guitar and making music, shopping, and being really loud. She loves being the center of attention and loves her little brother Jake in Theta Chi and her two little sisters in her sorority, Kappa Alpha Theta. She has “Rock On” Tattooed on the inside of her lip, and she’ll probably admit she’s the worst dancer in “Timbuktu.” She has a freakishly weird double-jointed right thumb and has had 14 jobs in her life already.
She is the most spontaneous person on land, traveling anywhere from Miami to Nashville to make her dreams come true, and willing to talk to anyone she meets. She’s genuinely interested in other people’s dreams, and considers that her main inspiration for pursuing her own. She really desires for everyone to chase their wildest, outlandish dreams, and to live with no limits. That’s her version of “Peace.”
Q: What interests you the most about the entertainment industry?
A: I love the creativity that can utterly be extracted from the most demented minds. You think by now, with all the music out there, they would run out of material. Of course, some ‘artists’ are definitely falling short, but still the reputable, respected musicians have that everlasting gift. I so strive to continuously listen to their souls and their passions in life and pull out the most amazing sounds and lyrics ever. It never ceases to amaze me. Another thing I entirely enjoy is collaboration. What’s better than one amazing musician? TWO, Three, FOUR of them, in TOTALLY different genres and spectrums of music. That’s SO epic!
Q: What have you done to date to make your dreams become a reality?
A: I really believe that you have to constantly put yourself out of your comfort zone and expose yourself to things. You’ll better yourself by this exposure and truly develop confidence in areas you never really knew you needed to gain some in. If you would’ve asked me two years ago to be in a pageant and prance around stage in a bikini, I would have laughed you all the way to Timbuktu.
To date, I have auditioned for American Idol 5 times, and have done 5 pageants, all with no significant outcome, but in no ways diminishing the experiences I’ve gained and the relationships that have grown as a result.
I have toured with a National Touring Theatre Company called THE SOURCE, for 5 years, sponsored by Planned Parenthood residing currently in Sarasota, Florida. They sparked the idea for my Platform I used in the pageants I competed in. We traveled to middle schools and high schools to perform 45-minute plays about high-risk behaviors in teens. “Real Life, Real Theatre,” the motto really shows students that we as actors are really not far from their ages and have literally gone through the same peer pressures, and strive to make decisions based on knowledge we have, and not on curiosity.
I’ve recorded about 3 or 4 demos, none of which you will ever hear. I don’t know what it is about a solo female artist that looks so fragile to a person, but I know what sound I want and I know what I’m looking for, so don’t give me anything but that, k? Thanks.
I try to write {music} as often as I can. It’s hard when you have an overload of school and emotions to try to decipher between them all to have a cleanly executed song instead of lists of to-do’s—which is what mine have recently been turning up as because of the current organized chaos in my life.
I’ve interned and extra’d in movies such as Sex Drive, Marley & Me, Up in the Air, and TV shows as Burn Notice on USA. I was the camera PA in Marley & Me, got credit to work with the camera and prop department in South Florida for 6 weeks. It was the most incredible experience.
I’ve sung in Carnegie Hall and Toured Italy and Austria in 2004-2005 with my High school choir singing a’cappella chamber music. I sang with the “Young Americans”, and was an All-State Musician for two years. I took violin lessons for a year, and own an accordion, cello, violin, 4 guitars, and a piano. I want to one day have an upright Mahogany Lever Harp.
Q: What was the outcome of those attempts? What did you take from them?
A: Like I said before, whenever you meet other musicians, or get the opportunity to play anyone your music, or show them everything you have to offer, you gain so much! Not only exposure, but friendships, network opportunities to new up-coming gigs, you also give yourself peace in knowing you’re steps closer to growing into yourself, and who you are supposed to be.
Q: Do you ever feel discouraged and want to give up?
A: Of course. Doesn’t everyone get discouraged? It’s how you know you’re alive. But believe it or not my best material has come from when I’m at my breaking points. You tend to let go and stop thinking as hard, and then lyrics just kind of, pop out.
Q: What advice would you give a young female singer who becomes discouraged?
A: You are going to get discouraged. It’s part of the journey. But if it was easy and you got to the destination with one try, there’s absolutely no fun in having the journey in the first place. You should believe that you’re going to make it, in whatever that ends up being. So you might as well slow down and enjoy the ride. Oh, and don’t grow up too fast. Stay as present as possible. It’s okay to dream about the future. But don’t let your present be your past so fast that you don’t get to enjoy the future in the present. Get it?
Q: Is there any opportunity that has been presented to you that you wish you handled differently?
A: I actually had an opportunity while working on Marley & Me to spend the night at the house that Owen Wilson was renting out that was literally .5 miles from the shoot. I was driving 45 minutes to an hour an a half out of my back when call-time started to wrapping, because I was staying with old friends at FAU, and I was very proud of myself for saying no, thank you and still making the trip back to Boca. I would never even allow the opportunity to have someone borderline think or even question that I would anyway use my sexuality to advance myself to any growth of my career. I have more class and talent than that. I pray that no one, male or female, would think that they would need to sacrifice their integrity and morals to pursue some sort of “dream” for them. You earn it. You do everything you can, but don’t cross that line. YOU HEAR ME?!?! Just don’t do it.
Q: What are your other passions in life?
A: I would love to maybe one day go back to school to become a Vet Tech. One day, if album and movie sales are good, I want to have a huge pet resort for animals to live and die, and each “cage” be dressed as a living room, comfortable with couches and luxurious desires for all the animals.
Q: Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
A: I would love to be living anywhere from LA, Nashville, or Orlando working on my third album, on a tour bus, reading Janet Evanovich novels and playing with my Black Lab named Johnathan (or Cody). Ask me again tomorrow for another great twist.
Q: If you could sing with any artist who would it be?
A: Ryan Tedder, the Lead Singer/songwriter of ONEREPUBLIC. He is so talented and their band is a beautiful ensemble, everything just compliments his talent so well. He never sings anything the same way live, (I’ve seen them three times, once front row), and he’s a beautiful person with such intense passion. I’d love to pick his brain and sing alongside him.
Q: What lyric would describe you?
A: “Music is worthless unless it can make a complete stranger, break down and cry.” –Imogen Heap Lyric. It is so important to be conscious of your emotions, feel confident enough and love yourself enough to say, “Hey, you hurt me.” “Please stop, you’re breaking my heart…” Being vulnerable is the most positive thing you can have, as long as you keep it positively.
Calling all young talents roaming the UCF campus! Shoot for the stars! Having the personal honor of knowing Lauren Chase, I can tell you she is one of the most admirable people that has walked into my life. Her quirkiness may be somewhat of a shock at first but in time, just as I did, you will see it as true creativity and an absolute passion for life! If you see her on campus don’t be afraid to stop her and pick her brain, after all she loves meeting new people.