Nightflying: The Entertainment Guide

---Kody Ford

While Arkansas has a vast musical history, no one notable from the Natural State has made a mark in genre of pop rock. Lauren de Miranda is out to change that. De Miranda, a Fort Smith native, is burning up the Top 40 charts in northwest Arkansas with her hit single "New Life," a pop anthem about new beginnings in the vein of Kelly Clarkson, Avril Lavigne and Kate Voegele. Not bad for someone who isn’t yet signed to a major label.

"Originally, being one of the only pop singers in northwest Arkansas made me feel hesitant to perform locally," said de Miranda. "But I've been much more embraced by the community than I had anticipated."
Armed with a sweet voice and infectious melodies that linger long after the last note, de Miranda delivers a knockout performance on "New Life." The other songs from her self-titled EP do not disappoint either. "Complicate Me" is a gentle ballad about how the things that initially fuel attraction become the source of friction in a relationship.
The mid-tempo "How Long?" is a call for unity and overcoming differences. "Believable" focuses on seeing a polished façade vanish to reveal the true nature of a lover.

Miranda wrote the songs with producer and former Columbia Records A&R Mark Jackson and Ian Scott of Mark Jackson Productions, who have worked with a variety of artists including Josh Kelley, Eminem, Pete Yorn, Grammy-nominated Tamar Davis and Interscope Records new pop star Jordyn Taylor. De Miranda connected with Jackson and Scott on Myspace. After many conversations and belief in Lauren they decided to collaborate, which resulted in the hit songs "New Life," "Complicate Me," "How Long" and "Believeable."

De Miranda loves working with Jackson and Scott. "I'm very amazed that I got to work with such high caliber producers like
Mark and Ian," said de Miranda. "They've worked with such high profile artists that I never imagined I'd ever be able to work with someone like this while being unsigned. They've really gone out of their way to make me feel comfortable and develop as an artist."
Soon after returning from her recording sessions with Mark Jackson
Productions in Los Angeles, de Miranda met some music directors from KISR 93 and B98, who fell in love with "New Life" and put the song into regular rotation, a feat that de Miranda soon came to realize, is astonishing and unheard of for an unsigned artist!

"I am really overwhelmed by the support I've received from the local radio," said de Miranda. "When I talk to people in music industry, they are shocked that I've received major radio play without a label."
Another impressive fact is that "New Life" has also been licensed for the Internet video game "Audition," an online sensation similar to "Dance Dance Revolution" with 300 million subscribers worldwide.
While the current songs are a recent development, de Miranda has entertained other most of her life. As a child, she danced and eventually landed a spot with the world famous Joffrey Ballet. In college, she joined a girl group called Calico, which Run DMC Productions had created. However, de Miranda quickly realized that she wanted to step out on her own. She cut some demos, worked in Los Angeles for a while, and even acted in films like "Winterwood" by fellow Arkansan James Cotton.

Now that she is back in Fayetteville, de Miranda is still writing songs with Jackson and Scott. She is also talking to major record labels, although nothing has been confirmed just yet. Recently she has played gigs around Fayetteville. She will open for Benjamin Del Shreve and the Gin Blossoms on May 4 at 8 p.m. at George's Majestic Lounge in Fayetteville.

Her music is available on iTunes or CDbaby.com. To hear more, visit: www.myspace.com/laurendemiranda.

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