Free Your Mind With LKJc – Lauren Swift, Singing In The Dark

Hello and welcome to this week's show, Free Your Mind with LKJ. This week's guest is a young lady called Lauren Swift. Lauren is 23 years of age and her voice is a powerhouse. Lauren lost her confidence during lockdown, during the pandemic of COVID-19. And Lauren has taken to singing on an empty promenade in the dark to build her confidence. So I'm welcoming a young lady to free her mind and also share her voice with you all on this week's show. Lauren will be singing live, but live from her kitchen, so natural flow of her voice so you can hear how by releasing her voice and using song to free her mind and build her confidence. Lauren has had presentation of her singing being put into the Mirror and the Liverpool Echo, along with another couple of articles written about her. When a lady and her friend had decided to take an evening stroll in New Brighton, Wirral, Merseyside, where Lauren lives. This lady thought that a song had been played from a CD where people were just sitting, you know, on the beach playing music. But the music she heard was actually not music from a CD, but as she got closer, she realized it was a girl singing. This girl was Lauren. Lauren, who had lost the confidence to sing in the light. So today I do have the pleasure in bringing onto our show Lauren Swift, a young lady of 23 who's using, again, the voice that she has to help build her confidence. Hello Lauren and welcome to Free Your Mind with LKJ. Hello! It's a pleasure to have you on it. I'm so grateful that through this press article that was going across the media that I noticed and heard you sing from the article that was put out, and I was amazed by your voice and still in awe of this wonderful voice you had and hearing how like many people, many of our listeners that are suffering with confidence, people working at home, not being able to go out to work. You know, the pandemic has left a lot of people with some very strong mental health issues, but also making us aware of being able to be free, being able to go out for yourself. I noticed, you know, when I was reading the article, Laura, it said you started singing when you were 13 and you had singing lessons from a neighbour. Yeah, I had singing lessons from a neighbour across the road. It was a really good experience, to be honest, and I feel like that really helped with my confidence. I feel like I've always struggled being confident within myself as a young Gail. And what are those issues? When you're saying you, you struggled with confidence issues when you were younger, what, what made you realize that you were suffering from confidence level? I am, I think just growing up, I feel like you become to understand yourself a bit more, and I feel like when I was in school, I didn't really understand myself and no one understood me. I didn't understand them, and I don't really associate myself with that person anymore because I'm completely different now. So you've taught your mind through your, you know, going, being 13, you know, start of teenage, our hormones, you know, we're changing. You're growing, you know, going through, you know, coming into adolescence and changing, going and understanding you when you're at secondary school. You know, were you ever bullied at secondary school, Laura? Yeah, I was bullied. And do you think that's affected you mentally regarding your confidence? Yeah, I feel like it would affect anyone being bullied. And especially their confidence. Because when you're younger, I don't think you realize how much of an impact that makes to you as a person and how much it doesn't really matter what they think of you. Exactly. Because the thing being, Lauren, with bullying, you know, many topics that go through that as we're going through childhood, you know, you have the love of your parents and friends and learning where you're going to sit, and as your personality is growing through that and dealing with that, it is traumatic. It does leave scars that are in there. So for yourself, going back, as I'm trying to build a picture to the listeners here of you, Lauren, this young girl that, you know, that understands when your confidence is going and, and how to change it. Like you said, you're a very different person now. Those scars have changed you and left a mental side to you that you will never forget. You can recall that, although you've locked it away, you could— that will come on a trigger and come back. Something will happen that will bring you back into that. And obviously, at that time of being 13 is obviously when you started to express your voice. Yeah. And obviously with the neighbour, was this part of why when you was being bullied that the neighbour found that by singing would help you, you know, release this pain you was feeling inside by using song to free your mind and just express yourself? Because your voice is absolutely amazing, please let me say. And our listeners will be hearing you singing live from that, just from your kitchen. And as for the viewers, the listeners that are hearing this show, is understand this is somebody that has had confidence, and we're trying to explore that and bring Lauren into the light. Let's get Lauren back into stand tall, put them shoulders back, and let yourself be free. So with that point, did you sing as a young child? Was you always singing as a young girl, you know, when Mum was picking you up, when you were a nursery school girl? Was you always the one that was just happily singing around doing that, or was it something that came when you was 13? I was singing around when I was younger, but it was mainly like in my own time, like, because that was something that gave me comfort when I was on my own. And then you look at— when we're saying that, give me your comfort that you're looking at in there, Lauren. Do you find when you look for a certain song that you're going to sing and you learn that song you know, and to express yourself. Do you look at the words first, or is it the beat of the music? It's just the way that the song makes me feel. Like, the words might mean different to what the song actually means itself, how I interpret it myself. Yes, completely. So by the expression of that song, that's coming through. So if you're feeling a little bit blue, you know, we all have, you know, come across these blue days, triggers that take us back. You're going in on those blue days. Is that like the song Creep that you sang on the promenade? Yeah. How was you feeling that day? Why did you sing, why did you choose that specific song to sing out? Or was you singing several different songs? I did sing a few songs, but I feel like I like to sing songs that have meaning for me. Yes, expressing yourself through on that. That's the way I communicate with the world, that's how I feel like people understand me. And if I don't have the words to use, then I can express that through music and singing, songwriting. So when you're at home, do you still live with your parents, Lauren? No, I moved out this year. Ah, into the big wide world. Yeah. And do you live with anybody, a friend, or is it just yourself? Yeah, I live with my friends who come down to the prom with me that night. Obviously going out, she must be having you in the house singing like that, must be amazing. Your voice just sitting there. Do you tend to watch a lot of TV, or would you just— when you've been to work, because you work in a call centre, it's very different to being a musician, so you have this day-to-day job and then coming back, you know, probably working shift patterns, etc. And do you find that some people come and kick their shoes off, you know, there's certain things or programmes they like to watch. Do you tend to be more that you will put the radio on or your personality is more to just think, well, I'm just going to sit and have an evening of song. Yeah, that's my way of relaxing, like coming home, sticking my amp on, putting my mic in, singing through the house while I'm cooking. Yeah, wonderful. Well, Lauren, would it be okay with you if we could take our listener to that song? That you sang on the promenade with your friend that was there. And I must say, well done for your friend being with you. Please, you know, with safety and women's safety and being— it's paramount. Never go out in the dark and sing on your own. Always make sure you have somebody with you, you know. And it is important for that, as much as you're there, you know, when you are busking and going out doing that, you know, it is a dangerous world out there. Yeah, and safety first, always. So can we ask if you could sing 'Creep' for us? And for the listeners, obviously when Lauren was singing it on the promenade with her speaker, it was echoing across. It's going to sound very different from— because Lauren's going to sing from her kitchen. But Lauren is expressing herself and opening herself up so you can actually hear her sing to yourselves live. And is that okay with you, Lauren? Yeah, that's fine. Okay, so while Lauren's getting— setting herself up to sing this to the viewers, she's going to sing 1 or 4 songs during this show to express, you know, herself, a different range that she's doing. And, you know, for the listeners that are in there as Lauren is preparing, is that the power of song and however we want to express and open up and get stuff that's worrying us out, whichever way you choose to do it. For Lauren, it is to sing. Are you ready, Lauren? Yeah. Right, if we can let the listeners hear your wonderful voice that captured this lady to stop and realize that it wasn't a CD player, it was actually Lauren herself doing this song. So take it away, Wendy, when you are. Okay. When you were here before, I locked you in the eye. You're just like an angel. Your skin makes me cry. You flow like a feather in this beautiful world. I wish I was special. You're so very special. But I'm a queen. I'm a widow. What the hell am I doing here? I don't belong here. I don't care if it hurts. I wanna have control. I want a perfect body. I want a perfect soul. And I want you to notice when I'm not around. You're so very special. I wish I was special. But I'm a freak. I'm a weirdo. What the hell am I doing here? I don't belong here. Oh, she's running out. Oh, she's running out again. Oh, she's running out. Oh, she's running out again. Whatever makes you happy. Why, hey, you all, you're so very special. I wish I was special, but I'm a queen bee. I'm a widow. What the hell am I doing here? I don't belong here. I don't belong here. That was amazing, Lauren. You should be very proud of yourself to have that ability. And you actually take us on a journey when you were saying before, when you look at the song that you're singing, why you want to sing that song. And the meaning of that song. But in that song that obviously means a lot to you, very powerful song, you know, you want to feel special. And when we look at the words that are in there that you are expressing, and I feel that with that song, I don't know if I'm correct in this or not, you know, we're just chatting, You know, it takes me back to when you was this young girl being bullied at school, that you'd be wandering, you know, from one class to the next. You know, you had the bullying, when you had these horrible, horrible painful words that affected you, that you just wanted to be special. You're special. Please see that I am special. I'm kind. I'm a person that has a heart. I'm a person that has so much to give. I'm a person that's entitled to be free. I may not fit in your perfect category, but I fit in my perfect category. Because when you were created by your parents and you were in their loins, You were special the moment you came into this world. The joy that you had and the joy that you expressed to your friends and you live with your parents and people that— who, you are special. And to be gifted with a voice like that makes you extra special in my view. And obviously As we were saying, you know, going back to that and dealing with the pain and using song to do that, right, is obviously even though this was going on and you were suffering bullying, was suffering these different ways of understanding as you were going through your teenage years who Lauren Swift was, that your kindness within yourself has always been to help, because I noticed that you did a charity gig when you was only 13. Can you tell us and the listeners a little bit about your charity gig you did at the age of 13? Did this happen after you started your singing lessons with the next-door neighbour who was helping to build your confidence. How did you feel again? Another question to that is, when you sang at that charity gig? It was after I had a few singing lessons and we put on a little showcase. I felt really good after it. I feel like myself when I'm out there, like, singing. I don't think about anything else. I'm not worrying about anything else. I'm just singing, and when I've done it, I just feel like I've been to the gym. There's some people that go to the gym and the endorphins are flowing and rushing as, you know, they're on the bike or swimming or everything. When you sing, your endorphins are releasing the power within yourself that is so uplifting that you feel Good, you feel great after doing that. What was the charity that you sang for, the charity gig? It was called Bernie's Bucket. And what was that charity about now, Els? It was for cancer, raising money for cancer. Oh, wonderful. And was there a specific reason Why, Lauren, you chose that one because it's for cancer? Have you had an experience with somebody who had cancer in your life, or was it just a charity that was needing support that you went and decided, you know, I'm going to try this, I'm going to try this? I haven't personally myself, when I was at that age, didn't know anyone who had cancer before. But I just wanted to help. I want to help people feel good about themselves. And most definitely you do. Your voice will help so many people that are even listening to this show because we're seeing the courage that you have to speak openly. And while we're doing this, this show isn't rehearsed, you don't get a load of questions before so you can get ready to answer those. This is talking to Lauren, this is Lauren engaging with us and expressing pain and stuff that she's done and with song and how to build your confidence on that. And I know we've got other songs in it that we're going to hear Through that. And looking back at the article that was written about you, Lauren, it said that you were so overwhelmed by the response, the fact people just stopped, listened, and was so nice, that it was amazing. Yeah. Because you are special, like that song when you were singing it. You just want to be special, isn't it? And you was. And obviously for everybody, when that lady stopped and, you know, were listening to you, obviously the endorphins started to flow and you had your best friend with you. Is that Emily that's your best friend, Emily McArdle? Yeah. Ah, and how long have you and Emily been friends? It's been over 10 years. Over 10 years. So basically, Lauren, Emily became— you had your shield, which you were protecting yourself, going to, and Emily was your sword. She was going to fight off this negativity, this hatred, this bullying, and to stand by your side. And for 10 years still by your side, even to help you when you are out on that promenade singing in the dark, to help you build your confidence to go out. And, you know, as you said, you've been quite overwhelmed by all the response to your first time of going out, you know, and then going out into the dark singing, and to be noticed from yourself singing, that you're still overwhelmed with it all at the moment. Yeah, it's been a really overwhelming experience, and I have— it's been really nice. And I think we forget sometimes that people are nice because there is bad things that happen in the world, but not always, and we need to support each other and bring each other up and not tear each other down. You know, and do you find that with singing, which is your passion and it always has been, that as you were saying, when you do sing, you feel like a different person? And by singing, you find this is your strength and your this is your communication skill, this is your power, this is when you get out and freeing yourself out there, you know, you can express yourself. And obviously, you know, you would like, you know, like most musicians, you'd like to be singing full-time one day. So, you know, when you are put into the limelight, obviously we have to be very, very careful of our own mental health by going through that. Because, you know, we've seen many celebrities that all of a sudden will be getting fame and they're thrown into this huge spotlight, you know, and everything's going so fast, crazy like that, that we have to do it slowly, step by step. It may take a little longer, but I believe, you know, for yourself, when you've had that, is, you know, taking slower. And on that, you know, we will be talking later, you know, about you going into a studio to record some of your songs. But it'd be quite nice if we could hear your second choice of a song, which is "It's a Man's World." Is it possible that you're feeling up to singing that, Lara? Yeah, you get yourself prepared by that. I'll just carry on explaining a little bit about yourself, you know, to a little bit more about you whilst you're getting prepared. So Lauren, while she is getting prepared, for the listeners to understand, Lauren does work in a call centre in Birkenhead. And would of course like to be singing for a full-time job. And obviously when she stepped out from that prom that she was singing on in the dark with her friend by her side, just expressing herself, just wanting to free, free the stuff and slowly build her confidence so that the shadow of the light that maybe, you know, just if you watch the video and you can see Lauren's capture of her being there by the lady that saw her singing at the London Echo. And it was actually on the Mirror as well, they picked up the story. So you could go in there, or if you put Lauren Swift Liverpool Echo into your Google bar, you'll be able to actually physically see Lauren and how she stood in the dark on there. But on that point, Lauren, are we ready? Yeah, I'm ready. Right, and this is Lauren now singing live from her kitchen to our listeners to help and show them, you know, by expressing yourself. She's going to sing It's a Man's World. Ready when you are, Lauren. This is a man's world. This is a man's world, but I don't mean nothing, nothing without a woman or a girl. You see, let me The tables over the road. May May train to carry every load. May May electrolyze, ooh, the tickets out the door. May May vote for them. Like Noah, man, you know. This is a man, man's world. Oh, but I don't mean nothing without a woman or a girl. Man thinks I'm like itty-bitty girls. Oh, when a baby boy— man makes him happy. Ooh, 'cause man makes them toys. Man makes everything he can. Ooh, the power from a man. You know, man makes the money to buy from other man. This is man's, man's world, but it won't mean nothing without a woman or a girl. He's lost in the wilderness. Oh, he's lost in the rain. Oh, he's lost. Man thinks about a itty-bitty girl's oh, and a baby voice. Mam makes him happy, ooh, 'cause Mam makes him toys. This is a Mam, Mam's world. Oh, but oh me, nothing without oh me, no. This is a man's world. This is a man's world. Wow, again, thank you, Lauren. For expressing your voice, and it's a man's world. So when we look at this song, It's a Man Man's World, and we look at yourself when you use song to express how you're feeling, etc., and obviously, you know, as the song says, it's a man's world, this is a man's world, it would be nothing nothing without a woman or a girl. What is your uptake on that? Why do you find that song so uplifting for yourself? Because I don't believe it's a man's world. I think I want to sing it to empower women. Yes, exactly. It's sung by a man, by— it was originally sung by sung by James Brown. And you're quite right, it's not a man's world, it's an equal world. Yeah. So everyone's female. No, a man isn't, you know, better than a woman, and a woman is no better than a man. We are equal and going in that, but we need each other. Yeah. To, in that, and to empower. So when you were singing that, you know, and words in there. It could be lost in bitterness, we lost in the wilderness, you know, which is going on out there. We're lost in the dark, but come out of that darkness. And when you're singing like that, that gives you strength. This is a song of strength for you. Where the other song was saying, 'I want to be special,' this song is showing as you've grown, I believe, Lauren, in your personality, that you've grown. You're coming out from this, you've been bullied, you're having that, you're now into the big wide world of what you have to work, you have to do. You've got to be strong, you've got to have courage, and you've got to go forward. But also, you had scars going through that, and using song, you used your power of your song to raise money for cancer, even not knowing what cancer really meant at that age, or anybody in your circle that had had that. But now you do know the benefits and what's happening in cancer, but you learnt now against this, you haven't got cruel, you haven't been beaten down, You stood tall and you're going through to that and using the power of song. And during this, when you're singing, you know, about a heavy load— man-made to train to carry the heavy load— you are a female that was carrying a heavy load. You've come through that. Your heavy load was your bullying issues and stuff that you had in there. Okay, so for yourself, well, you did do that. You were going into this wide world with this huge load on your back. When man made the electric light to take us out of the dark, but Lauren Swift didn't need man to make the electric light to bring her out of the dark. What Lauren needed was confidence. Confidence was her electric light. Confidence is what is going to bring Lauren out from that pain and losing it, back into the light. So that, you know, as man— in the words that said it— man made a boat for water, like Noah made the ark. For me, Lauren's ark is her best friend, your best friend Emily, that supports you and balances you and is there. She keeps you floating, she is your water, she keeps you uplifted and will not let you sink because her courage and her friendship with you is to keep you both going on that. And so no, it's not a man's world. You don't need toys, you don't need money. What you have is a natural gift and a gift of a voice and a voice that sings, a voice that echoes out across that dark night to bring joy for somebody walking along while you're building your confidence and being out there. You are singing out that people stop and bring out and touches their emotions, you bring in empathy out there to them to say, this is Lauren. Lauren is under the shining light that's with her in the back, just a small light, but we need to bring her forward. And that wonderful lady that did take that video of you, then express that, that people like myself listened to that and was so touched by that video. And I do ask my listeners, please Google Lauren Swift and the Liverpool Echo or Mirror or whichever way you can find it on there to actually see her with this, like, her friend in the back being her her support in there, because Lauren is not lost in the wilderness. She knows the path. She's trying to follow the path to bring her out from the wilderness in the deep forest to a clearing, an open space where she can stand with the sun rising above her and being able to express and feel comfortable. All Lauren needs to do, and with her own singing and doing these shows and coming, is slowly bringing her into life, because there is no bitterness and she is not lost, because Lauren is pure. She has empathy, she has kindness, and she has a gift. And a gift to be shared. And I do know, Lauren, that you have been asked to sing in care homes, for instance, but you don't feel you have the confidence to do that. You know, for these people that are in there to come out, as I said, there's different ways. You can put blinks on it, and some people learn, you know, when even they're guest speaking, or they use something in their hand, stress balls, to get them through that, because you know when you're standing there, these are— look at them, they're your grandparents, some of those grandpas that are sitting there. So when you walk through those doors and just like you're doing now, even if you turned yourself to start with when you first start to sing from the back and then slowly bring yourself around to face them. And let the endorphins start flowing down to be able to sing. That the joy for people with dementia who need the sound of music, they need to hear that voice, to watch when they're sitting there looking at you thinking, "Look at her, she's special." And that gift of giving that you do have and to help. People on there is very, very empowering indeed. And one of the comments that were made by the lady that took that said, "It's a special singer who can do that to people." Lauren, you can light up any room. Your light is you. You are that light that comes forward in your confidence and coming forward to express Obviously you have, since this article, you have gone back, I believe, to your secondary school where you went out and they obviously heard about Laurence singing on The Prom, some more news media came up. Can you take the listener through that section, what happened after that, how did the school get in touch with you? Realised that it was you, you was their student, to come on that stage to sing for people? Well, they got in touch with my mum at first. They rang her, obviously they had a number from years ago, and one of my old teachers seen the video online and was amazed. She said, and she wanted me to come in and have a chat, and she really wanted to see how I was getting on. And it's nice for her to be able to see a pupil that had left and come back and grow up. And she wants me to come into the school and have a chat with the girls. And I went to an all-girls school, and have a chat with the girls and maybe sing some songs. And just because it has been a hard time through COVID, I feel like it's really affected people in ways that I don't think some people understand. And sometimes I don't even understand the effect that it's had on me. But things are becoming back to normal, and hopefully talking about it can help people. I would love to be able to help them be able to express themselves with that. Again, showing the character and personality, totally, you know, no selfishness about you, no nothing. Again, by being at an all-girls school, which was difficult, you know, you're going back to a school where you suffered pain and trauma. To go back, and even to go back in there, you had to open up scars regarding the bullying. But your strength, which shows you have that strength there, Lauren, because you went back and you went in there. You've had this conversation, but you haven't actually taken to the stage yet. Am I correct to say? No. But to do that and to get you straight onto the stage to sing out for people that's in there is doing probably perhaps a small workshop, you know, where talking to the girls, going in as the teachers quite rightly said, small group, chatting with them, seeing, you know, how they feel. Yeah. And how you talk yourself, and do they like singing, you know, how they can express themselves, and then doing a small part and then building up, you know, to perhaps have people to come, you know, behind you to go on that. And I do believe, you know, that will push forward to go on it because, you know, in your music and the type of music you like, I noticed that you like Etta Jones, Adele, Tracy Chapman, Amy Winehouse, you know, amongst, you know, and you, but you do like lots of different music, don't you, Laura? Yeah. You know, to come in and again, how's expressing your personality, etc., through that, you know, again, which is wonderful to go through in there. And for the listeners, I did mention earlier Lauryn will be coming to Folkestone where it'll be my pleasure to actually meet you personally and where you will help. And with the recording studio, Sea View, which is owned by very good friends of mine, uh, Sophia Stutchbury and her husband Tim. Sophia herself has her own band and sings, but she does a lot of work with mental health, dementia, singing like that. And he's a fantastic coach and somebody that can help Lauren. And, you know, would be, you know, when, when you step in that box and you hear that and getting your CD and working with people, it's just slowly, slowly work. You can't rush it and just think this light's going to go on and go onto that stage and do it, because there are repercussions if we don't, you know, open the mind and free it. Slowly, correctly, and in the right way so we don't overload that. Yeah, coming in and choosing your songs that you would like to have that and be passed that CD. So perhaps, you know, somebody's in there and you say, do you know what, I can just put that on. And if that helps someone, oh, I really liked her music. Because are you on any social media? What are your social media angles, Lauren? I've got Instagram, Facebook, YouTube. And how can somebody find you on that? Could you tell the listener what names to put into Facebook? We all have different angles. You put Lawrence Sushumain, come up with lots of different people. What is your actual direct link so people can hear some of your work, or if anybody wants to get into contact with you? My Instagram is @LaurenSwift97, and Facebook is @LaurenSwift97, and my Twitter is @LaurenSwift4, and my YouTube is LaurenSwift97. And through this, have you got If any of our listeners are on Facebook or any other media people or anybody listening or anybody that, you know, would like to work with you because you obviously want to help people and again at the same time by helping somebody else, you're actually helping yourself at the same time, you know, because obviously it's helping your confidence and getting that through. You know, and to come across and then doing that, and it's been my absolute pleasure to have you on it and chatting. And even, you know, being on the show, it's quite nerve-wracking for people, I think, to come on, but actually to free yourself and speak openly, you know, and as you're doing, and expressing through song, etc. I think it's been a pleasure speaking to you as well. I think it's nice to be able to get my words out. And I struggle sometimes to communicate, and that's how I do it, through music. And this is like an experience that I will keep with me forever, and I can use this in my life now. Oh, that's very kind of you to do that, because we are opening up, we're talking to each other. You know, we may have a radio station in the middle of us, but being able to talk freely, to open up— and it's hard when you're opening up because you shut things down, wear these masks, we hide in the dark, we hide in the cloak— and to be able to come out and peek through those little curtains and let somebody see a little bit of you, the nerves, you know, that we all suffer from, you know, heartache. Do you know, by me expressing this, people are listening to me, because of the stones that were thrown, because of that hurt, that you just standing and getting your balance, and you stood against COVID-19. Like you said, you haven't quite understood the effects of COVID and what it did to you on that. But at the same time, Lauren, you're learning about mental health awareness, you're learning about how to strengthen your core again, and you won't be beaten down. No. You wasn't beaten down by the bully. This gift was given to you to express, and how you use that, how you use your voice. But like you're saying, Lauren, when you do song or that's come through, you've been listening to your voice as well as the beautiful sound that it expresses when you break into song. And obviously, you know, we are doing this live, we're just in the kitchen, just opening up, freeing yourself, we're chatting about who you are on there. And on that point, you know, I'd like to go into your third song, if I may, which is I Would Rather Go Blind. And then I'm going to have a look at— I'm going to chat about that, because in each stage of these songs, I think it's different times of your life, you know, when you're using that. So whilst you get ready for that, I should just continue chatting to the listeners while you're preparing for that next song. Is that okay with you, Lauren? Yeah, that's fine. I'm still happy with doing that. Yeah, just when you're ready to go, just let me know. And obviously, again, for the listeners, that any mental health issues that you do have, know there is support there. And with womensradiostation.com, it is a radio station that supports. There is support support there. And if you want to listen to womensradiostation.com, it's www.womensradiostation.com. And also there's mensradiostation.com, which are all part of one network and is there to support. Also, there are support, you know, by using your Google tool to find access to help that's required in there. And, you know, don't be afraid to walk in the dark and head towards that light, as Lauren is heading towards the light now. And as you've seen through this show, she has been expressing herself and has been able to talk freely. As I said, Lauren had no idea of any questions that I would ask her previous to this show. It wasn't pre-rehearsed. This is just a natural, unbiased show and unjudgmental where you can free yourself and free your mind. So, Anna, are we ready to go with the third song? Yeah, we're ready. We're ready then. This is Lauren singing I Would Rather Go Blind. Told me it was over. When I saw you and her talking, something down in my soul said, crap, girl. When I saw you and that girl walking out, I would rather, I would rather go blind, boy, than to see you walk away from me, child. Song is Sia. I love you, I love you so much that I don't wanna watch you leave, my baby. Most of all, I just don't, just don't wanna be free, no. And I was just, and I was just, and I was just Sitting in thinking, are your kisses your warm embrace yet? When a reflection in a glass I held to my lips, now baby, I feel the tears in my eyes. Babe, babe, I'd rather be blind, boy, than to see you walk away from me. Babe, babe, I'd rather be blind, boy, Dena siu, walk away from me. That was wonderful, Lauren, absolutely wonderful. And you can actually see as you were singing through that how you were gonna go through. You do have a fourth song, don't you? What was the fourth song, Lauren? Tennessee Whiskey. Okay, is that ready? We're coming to a close of the show, so we have about 4 minutes left of, you know, closing down the show. So it doesn't look like we are going to have time to hear that song, your expression, because I just want to address this last bit that why you wanted— you would rather go blind with that song on it. Just as we're closing down, what we've seen on the show today with you, Lauren, is that I do feel, as you said in your words, that 'You will take this experience, won't you?' Yeah. 'Use it as a tool to go through because you've expressed the confidence.' And your confidence there to be able to just go straight in and sing live in these songs that are in it. Yes, you know, obviously when you prepare and you've got your band, your music and everything there, it's different to singing from the kitchen, but the passion was there. In your voice that you have walked. Do you feel like you are more confident now after this show by talking? Because you said you found it difficult to use that as a form of communication rather than your song. Because, you know, how do you feel after talking now? Yeah, I feel— I never thought I would ever be on a radio station talking about the way that I feel and being able to express that, and I'm grateful that I was able to have the chance to do that. And I really do think that I'll take this throughout my life and use it and use my words more. Your words are powerful. Remember, the words of the alphabet are our tool. We're taught by using the letters of the alphabet to express our voice from a small age when we learn to speak. But also using that voice then to bring music in and express it, as I said, is a gift. You have now used the tool that we need every day of the alphabet to express ourselves, that we know when words that we use, that are used incorrectly, hurt, but you've also learned how to use words of kindness and expressing that across. So it has been an absolute pleasure having you on here. And when you sang through that, and as you've opened up, um, then you know that you have this love to give. There is so much there, and you have that power within. So step out of that dark, stand on your feet taller, put your shoulders back, and hold your head up high, because you are empowering people by stepping forward. What you have done is to go forward. I can't wait to see you singing in the light. And when you come, and I will see you singing in light, when I see you in that booth singing your heart out in the light from being on the dark, and for anybody that's listened to this amazing, wonderful girl, Geri, at the age of 23 has been able to come on to Free Your Mind, Let's Talk About It with LKJ, that has addressed things that she didn't think that she could express, would hide along and hide behind, but has used this time extremely wisely and to open up and speak, to show other people that are listening that you can do this. So Lauren, we are just about to have to say goodbye, but is there something you would just like to say Quickly, just before we're going to close down. Thank you so much for this experience, and I hope that people get the confidence to be able to do whatever they love doing as well. Thank you for that. So I'm afraid, to all our wonderful listeners of Free Your Mind with Al KJ, that is the end of our show with Florence Wood, but hopefully we'll be bringing her back on another journey. Thank you very much and goodbye.