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1.) We’re super-excited to have some time today with acclaimed Raleigh, North Carolina alt-
rock crew LaureNicole; greetings and salutations gang and welcome to Vents Magazine! Before
we dive into the Q&A, could you all say ‘hi’ and introduce yourselves to our ever-inquisitive
reading audience?
Lauren: Thank you so much for having us! Hi everyone, I’m Lauren, lead-singer and songwriter for LaureNicole. To say that music has always been my passion would be a complete understatement. I’m excited to delve into this conversation and the opportunity for your readers to get to know us!
Jim: Hey there! I’m Jim Snyder, and I handle the drums for LaureNicole. I’ve been behind the kit with this project for almost eight years now, and drumming has been a part of my life for over two decades. When I’m not driving the rhythm section, I’m usually out hiking and soaking in nature — it’s my way of resetting and finding balance. Really stoked to be part of this conversation today!
Rhet: Hey, so my name is Rhet Thomas and I am the lead guitar player for LaureNicole. I’ve been playing music for around 15 years or so. I spend most of my time with my wife and daughter but when I’ve got free time I like to do chess puzzles, go hiking, or play old video games!
Zack: Hey I’m Zack and I play bass in the band. I’ve been playing for about 17 years now and have been in LaureNicole for about 5 years.
2.) Major kudos and accolades on the freshly-minted new LaureNicole EP Preserve Love Here,
Lauren, can you talk about what inspired this three-track EP?
Lauren: So, this EP was a follow-up to our full-length album we released in October 2024. From Within was a concept album that took the listener on a journey through the grief process. I wrote that album from my own personal experiences; however, I wanted to leave the interpretation of some songs imaginative so that the audience could see themselves within the story and connect to the music personally. Our EP Preserve Love Here is a little more jubilant and focuses on 3 different perspectives of love. Being that the end of our album From Within ended in an uplifting place, it only felt natural that our next body of work was positive and joyous.
3.) Lauren, who wrestled with the producing honors on Preserve Love Here and what did the in-
studio collaboration between artists and producer look like while fashioning and shaping this
gem of an EP?
Lauren: We had the honor of working with producer Dick Hodgin at Osceola Studios in downtown Raleigh for our EP. I have worked with Dick for years and it’s always a very rewarding experience. He is a gracious producer/sound engineer in the sense that he allows the artist to lead the process but offers creative input and ideas that really elevate the music to a whole other level. We are always so pleased with how the final product turns out and really enjoy collaborating with him in the studio.
4.) Rhet, we’re big admirers of the Americana-tinged tune Here With You which can be found
front-and-center on the new LaureNicole EP Preserve Love Here! What’s the story behind this
stunner of a ditty?
Rhet: Yea it’s definitely got a calmer tone than a lot of the music we’ve put out. I think it’s really just a natural result of the lyrics Lauren brought in for this one. It’s a more upbeat, feel-good song. So we definitely wanted the music to reflect that message. I know Zack and I grew up listening to a lot of americana/bluegrass type music; so it’s cool that those roots kind of shone through on this one.
5.) Zack, in your humble opinion what differentiates the Preserve Love Here EP from the
distinguished competition in the 2025 music landscape?
Zack: I think that the EP shows a good range of the music we like to play; from State of Preservations energetic punk feel, Here With You’s more melodic ballad-style, and the dark and mysterious vibe of Love Yourself. I feel this EP has a good mix of all our influences while still having the familiar LaureNicole feel.
6.) Lauren, in the wake of the release of Preserve Love Here, should fans keep eyes and ears on
wide-alert for a possible LP release from the group?
Lauren: I always love working on a collective body of work when it comes to music. I truly enjoy expansive writing and the rush of taking a simple or small idea and seeing how far it can stretch. Since we released 2 albums within a year, I see the future of our writing and releases going in a slightly different direction. I think I can speak for the band when I say how much we love recording in the studio. It would be fun for all of us to make that more of a frequent endeavor and channeling our focus to more single-based releases going forward would allow that to happen.
7.) Jim, what does the touring card look like in the coming weeks and months?
Jim: Touring-wise, we’re keeping things grassroots at the moment — starting small but with clear intentions. The immediate plan is to jump on bills with nationally touring acts coming through our area to build more visibility and connect with new audiences. From there, the long-term vision is to expand into regional touring. It’s all about taking steady steps and building something sustainable — but we’re definitely eager to get out there and bring the live show to more ears.
8.) A question for all of you: Who are some of the folks – in and out of the world of music- who
have inspired you?
Lauren: My family has always inspired me to stay true to myself. Their continued support of my musical journey will forever be an inspiration to me and my growth as an artist. My musical influences range far and wide, but a few to list would be Jenna McDougall, Meg Myers, Bishop Briggs, and Alanis Morissette. They are all very strong female voices in music that exude resilience, confidence, and most importantly – authenticity.
Jim: Musically, a huge inspiration for me has always been the late, great Taylor Hawkins. His energy, finesse, and powerhouse playing with Alanis Morissette and Foo Fighters really lit a fire in me early on. I’ve also got a lot of love for Matt Cameron — what he brought to Soundgarden and Pearl Jam in terms of groove and feel is just unreal. Outside of music, I draw a lot from nature and the calm it brings. There’s something grounding about it that helps me approach life — and drumming — with more clarity and purpose.
Rhet: I will say in the world of music, I have a lot of respect for people who create ambient music for video games and movie scores things like that. Being able to evoke certain feelings all while not being the main focus of somebody’s attention is really impressive to me.
Zack: One of my biggest music influences growing up was the Red-Hot Chili Peppers. Of course, as a bassist starting off, I really enjoyed Flea’s basslines but I was more interested in the melodies that John Frusciante played. I would listen to them on repeat in high school just to listen to the 4th guitar track he added in for the last verse or how he would layer in one more instrument or backup harmony for every new part of a song. It really helped me learn how to build up a song after the basics were laid out.
9.) Lauren, circling this back around to you for a moment: What’s the VH1-Behind the Music
origin story on how LaureNicole came into being?
Lauren: I formed the project initially in 2011 but it wasn’t until 2019 that it shaped into what I always hoped it would be. There were many years where I experimented with different sounds and textures with writing and arranging but nothing really clicked until Rhet, Zack, and Jim were involved. What they each creatively bring to the table has molded our sound into this whimsical, sometimes aggressive, and mysteriously-melodic sound. During the pandemic, we all had a lot of time to throw ideas around to see what would land. Those were the days where our sound really blossomed and took its true form. Now playing together is as easy as breathing and it’s so much fun to be on stage, in the studio, or in a practice room with what feels like family making music we love.
10.) Rhet, any final thoughts you might like to share with readers regarding Preserve Love Here?
Rhet: I’d definitely recommend everybody check it out. It’s just a 3 song EP, so it’s bite-sized and easy to get into. Some punk, some dark and heavy moments some old-school chicken picking; so I really feel like it’s got something for everyone.
EP Stream: https://open.spotify.com/album/0MdmqRaac2Lgbsv9dNmJ8w?si=f975b4184bc94666
Socials:
http://www.instagram.com/laurenicoleofficial
