Laura Veirs

THE PORTLAND SONGWRITER TALKS SILENCING HER INNER CRITIC AND HOW YOU DON’T HAVE TO SHOUT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE THROUGH MUSIC

- Thea De Gallier

On first listen, Laura Veirs’ 10th solo album, The Lookout, has all the trappings of the singer-songwriter genre: soft vocals that embrace the ears, whimsical guitar lines and bittersweet lyrics. But it’s also quietly revolutionary: since Trump took office, the Portland-based artist has felt a compulsion to reference the state of the world.

“It certainly feels more feverish now,” she says. “I know many artists are struggling with trying to tackle these issues because they feel so pressing now. Waves of darkness and light come through the political world, and this is really a point of darkness in America.”

Having begun her career in a punk band, it’s not surprising to hear that social issues are a thread running through Laura’s music, especially on, The Lookout. There are more ways to make a stand, she says, than being “brash” about it.