Lauren Winans was born to entertain.  When this 19-year-old West Virginia native was just a tiny tot, she had already found her voice and love for music.  Hardly shy, Winans would delight in performing musical routines in front of her family, classmates and neighbors.  However, it wasn’t until she was fourteen that she started taking singing seriously. Growing up in a town called Buckhannon, Winans was always surrounded by a loving and supportive family.  Her parents, although not singers themselves, influenced Winans as a young child.  They often had music playing on the radio or by way of the television, exposing Winans mostly to the country music genre.  She also remembers finding her favorite movie during childhood.  Beauty and the Beast became a much loved and much watched movie for Winans. She adored Belle, the lead character, and often found herself singing all the beloved songs from the Disney classic.  ”It got me into singing,” states Winans.

Today, the beautiful and talented Winans not only sings, but writes her own songs.  ”I keep a musical diary.  If I want to remember something, I’ll write it down.  When it comes to songwriting, the idea comes first and then the melody,” she explains.  According to the performer, feeling the words is just as important as feeling the rhythm.  ”It’s hard to explain [the feeling] of how wonderful it is to hear your own song being played or to hear someone else singing it,” reveals Winans when asked what it is like to be a songwriter.  She goes on to say that it is especially true if you are writing your songs from experience.  In such a way to Winans, it is like unloading your feelings and emotions; getting your thoughts off your chest.  Her song, “About a Boy,” was inspired by a personal experience and when Winans was finished writing it, it made her cry.  No doubt, a very emotional song for the teenager to create, but it has since become one of her all time favorites.  To Winans, country music affects her more than other genres because it is about “real things in life,” making it more emotionally charged.  Seth Maynard, a fellow songwriter, helps Winans with some of her songs. Winans, who describes herself as “super girlie,” says it is a little funny to have a man like Maynard try to understand her thoughts and feelings and put them into words.

Winans, who says she associates most with country music and enjoys it considerably, does not want her music to only reflect that kind of genre.  Instead of being labeled as strictly a country music singer, she wants to be recognized more so as a multi-genre artist.  On Winan’s upcoming CD set to debut in the summer (she says she still has a few more songs to record), there will be a variety of musical styles reflected in her songs.  There will be something for everyone to enjoy, from country to pop.  The song, “No Boys Allowed,” is the only one not written or co-written by Winans on her CD.  However, she felt strongly connected to the song, and believed in it.  Winans decided then to include it.  It’s a song that Winans could relate to and understand; something you would hear anytime and anyday on a playground.  Winans says she thinks about a group of girls playing happily, creating their own private world where no boys are allowed.  The song is also featured in Winan’s debut video.

And we all know that Winans can sing and write, but can she play an instrument?  ”I play the guitar,” states the talented young entertainer.  Even though she can play the guitar, Winans confides that her studio musicians usually are the ones who provide most of the music.  Winans did reveal that she will be playing the guitar in an upcoming song, and that in all of her original songs, it is just her singing.  Seth Maynard, who owns the studio, plays all kinds of instruments, minus the drums.  So, there are times too when Maynard will take over to provide the beat.

So where does Winans see herself five years from now?  It was an easy answer for the singer/songwriter.  ”A single on the Top 10.  That would be huge!”  And in ten years?  ”I want to be a household name.”  With the way this 19-year-old is performing now, that dream will easily become a reality, and possibly a whole lot sooner than in ten years.

It is apparent that Winans enjoys entertaining her fans, so we couldn’t help but ask what has been her best experience to date singing in public.  With a slight giggle, Winans recalls a time she performed in Nashville at a club.  She had just finished her set, exited off the stage and got approached by a very tipsy bar patron.  The man had been calling her name, and motioned for her to join him.  Winans walked over and was greeted by the man who proceeded to compliment her.  ”You’re fantastic!  You really touched me.  Please don’t leave.  I want you to sing me a song.”  Winans admits that she was honored, but a little unnerved.  She did continue to talk to the man and soon found out that he played hockey.  It wasn’t until later on that she realized who this hockey player really was.  Winans says she was watching the Team Canada hockey team defeat the U.S. in the winter Olympics.  The winning goal in the nail biting game was made by her number one fan.

For more information on Lauren Winans, please go to her website:  www.laurenwinans.com