Q: Hey Lorraine thanks for coming on Rising Artists. We have fallen in love with your single “Had It All” and think it’s such a great song! Tell our audience on here more about you!
LORRAINE BAUTISTA: Thanks! I appreciate your support for “Had It All”! Sounds cliché, but like any aspiring singer I always had dreams of becoming a singer as a little girl. This moment for me was when I first heard Leona Lewis on X Factor, I was about 10 at the time. But at 13, I had a semi-thyroidectomy I felt permanently affected my voice so I abandoned my dreams of being a singer altogether. BUT I’m so glad I left that in the past, and discovered my newfound love for music, and since then I have been on a quest! I hope to one day become an inspiration for those to persevere even through what may feel like major setbacks and adversity.
Q: This single is so emotional and unique. What was your creative process in making “Had It All”?
LORRAINE: Thank you! I believe in giving credit where credit is due and this single wouldn’t have been what it is without the help of the 3 producers on this track. Shout out to Ed Varez, Caziel, and Jealygne! While I wish I did, a majority of the song wasn’t written by me but by Ed and Jealygne but nonetheless the lyrics still greatly resonated with me. I really tried to pull from my experiences, what I know about my voice, and pour my heart into this track. It is my first release and so it was important to me that I pour my soul in a way I felt the song called for. Interesting fact is the song was originally written & composed in a pop style. But after several sessions & me being extra lol, I sort of made it my own & turned the track into a ballad. After the demo, I think it’s safe to say that we all felt an immediate sense of “class/elegance” that I hope translated well in the music video as well.
Q: Did any real-life events occur in your life that inspired this single?
LORRAINE: Yes haha it was nothing major as in a true heartbreak for me, but that experience I had with this particular guy really altered my life and not in a heartbreaking or shattering way that one might take from the song. It made me reevaluate a lot of things that were happening in my life at the time. While I have absolutely no regrets with him, I learned a lot about myself and relationships through him. It didn’t last very long, but he did make a profound impact on my life in ways that I don’t think he was aware of. When I first heard the song, my first thought was him and I hope that others who may had gone through similar experiences may relate and feel the track may have spoken to them in a similar way too.
Q: Was there a pivotal moment in your life when you decided to follow your path as a musician?
LORRAINE: Yes, while I loved music all my life, after my operation I didn’t take music seriously until recently 2018. At the time, I was a junior college soon to graduate with a B.A. in Sociology at Long Beach State. But I was still figuring myself out and what I wanted to do after graduation. I still graduated and happened to have landed an internship with KJazz 88.1FM and knew in my heart music is what I always want to do with my life and regardless of what happens in the future, music will always be a part of my life in some way, shape or form— nothing will ever change that part of me.
Q: We think you have great vocals! Who are your biggest influences?
LORRAINE: Thank you! Well besides Leona Lewis who I mentioned earlier I would definitely say X factor UK Winner Dalton Harris, Jo Jo, John Legend, Michael Jackson, Toni Braxton, Aaliyah, Lauryn Hill, Anita Baker, the list goes on. I’m a real old school girl at heart if you couldn’t tell! But in that list I also have to say American Idol 2012 Runner Up Jessica Sanchez, who was probably the biggest influence on my decision to pursue music. Just like me she’s also Filipino-American and to me there’s no other like her, she’s a beast! She performed at my school in LBSU once and sang Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You” when I was seriously thinking about pursuing music. After the show, I had a chance to meet her. It was a moment in my life I’ll never forget, ever haha.
Q: What is coming up next for you?
LORRAINE: Well since the pandemic I haven’t performed as much as I’d like to so I’ve been utilizing this time to develop my sound as an artist. Although ballads have a special place in my heart, I’m currently taking a breaking from ballads. I’ll definitely be revisiting, but I’m more so exploring and experimenting with different sounds & genres. I really want to be versatile as an artist and not feel so boxed into one genre. I’m working with some talented musicians & producers at the moment and have two singles in the works called “Everything” & “Frontline”. I’m still deciding on the release dates for the tracks, but it will for sure be sometime this year. I wrote these singles on my own with a different sound in mind so it does feel more personal/ intimate for me, but nonetheless I’m super excited for ya’ll to take a listen when they are released!
Interviewed by Stephanie Pankewich
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