“To not know who I am but still know that I’m good long as you’re here with me,” Lauv AKA Ari Straprans Leff sings on his hit track. With over 198,000,000 streams on Spotify, “I Like Me Better” is just the beginning.
It feels like he came out of nowhere. All of a sudden we’re hearing the doo doo’s and slow beat of “Better” and you can’t help but listen to it over and over. His dreamy falsetto makes you say “damn… who is this guy?”
This 23-year-old goes by the name Lauv; Latvian for “lion” and an homage to his mom’s Eastern European roots. Born in San Francisco, music became a huge part of his life from a young age. He played piano, viola, and then mastered guitar; where his songwriting came into play. Lauv recently told Wonderland Magazine, “Honestly, part of me feels like I have this life goal of writing the saddest, most beautiful song possible!”
Recently featured on DJ Snake’s “A Different Way”, Lauv masters the art of keeping an electronic-based song still feel radio ready with romantic pop hues from his unforgettably poised voice. The song touches on how to pick up the pieces of a broken relationship; “I will come running when you call my name, even a broken heart can beat again.” A fun eclectic beat comes in right after the chorus, heightening the power of the track.
Songs like “The Other” and “The Story Never Ends” show his emotional side. Both make you want to sob under the covers and never come out. Lauv’s voice is addicting to listen to; smooth and strong. Each track feels like another story you can relate to on some level. But, his latest present to fans is the snappy “Easy Love”. A hip-hop beat guides this one to be one of my favorite Lauv singles to date.
It seems like the singer/songwriter isn’t slowing down anytime soon; more music is already on the horizon. When asked about new music, he told Wonderland, “All I can tell you is there is way more aspects of my personality and my artistry that is shown through it. And I’m really excited.”
Music blogger 