Laklan
Emerging Chicago-based artist Laklan is stepping into his own with his new EP, CLUB MATRIX. Self-produced and sonically cinematic, the eight-track project dives into personal struggles, surrender, and self-discovery, wrapped in bold, moody club-ready pop. With a distinctive voice and a vivid, immersive soundscape, Laklan invites listeners to enter his world — a space where flaws are embraced, beats pulsate, and artistry thrives.
CLUB MATRIX is available now worldwide.
Photo credit: Noah J. Stein / Edited by Victor Anaya
Hi Laklan, how are you? What's your story?
Hi Virginie, I’m great! Thank you for speaking with me. I have always been drawn to music, particularly pop music and I fell in love with songwriting since I was 15. My goal has always been to write for other artists and embarking on that journey has taught me a lot about my own artistry and embracing that. Over the years I have learned to trust my own voice and vision when it comes to creating music. I am very passionate to keep pursuing my place in the songwriting world.
You're getting ready to release your new EP CLUB MATRIX - how does it feel like to release your debut project ever?
I feel very excited and anxious to finally release CLUB MATRIX I had to really go outside of my comfort zone when I decided to embark on this project. This is the first time I am releasing my songs with me singing them, whereas before I was releasing my songs that featured other artists. So this time I had to really trust my vision and lean into my artistic side even more than I was doing previously. With that being said, I am very proud of myself for completing this.
Could you describe the songwriting/production process behind this EP? When did you start working on this project? Who helped you create it?
I started making this project in June of 2023. Between two jobs, I would work on songs whenever I had free time to do it. To start, I would make the track in GarageBand and take different beats, loops and sound effects that I liked, and I would chop certain parts of them and combine it all together. After that I would add my own elements from my MIDI keyboard. Once I had the track complete, I would write over it. Sometimes I would have a song idea already and try to make the music fit the aesthetic I had in mind or sometimes I would just let the music tell me what I needed to write. Sometimes the lyrics or concepts that would flow had deep meaning and other times it was just carefree fun that ended up working. After I had the demos done, I went to a studio near me, Cinnamon Sound Studio, and I would rerecord the song there. I did this because the sound engineer, Chris, who owns the studio, knows way more than I do when it comes to proper mixing/ mastering. He takes my vision and makes it 10x better because he makes the song sound really professional and has all the bells and whistles to do so. I also had my good friend from Nashville, m.e.g, co-produce Hologram and I Would (Piano version) and her touch made the songs way more impactful. I’m truly grateful for the help that I had in order to make the songs as best as they can be.
What inspired your EP CLUB MATRIX and what themes do you explore throughout the record?
A lot of different things inspired CLUB MATRIX. My initial inspiration was I wanted to have a body of work that was all me. I wanted to really showcase my production and writing style and honor the part of myself that wanted to perform. The aesthetic that CLUB MATRIX has is a dark, underground euro type of sound, which I naturally gravitated towards. It brought out bold, sleezy lyrics that touched on the themes of sex, sabotage and self-discovery.
The concept/ name of CLUB MATRIX came from me imagining a cool club that would play my music. I imagined Club Matrix to be a safe space where I could freely be me and others could resonate with that freedom for themselves too. The Matrix part of the name naturally came to me because I thought it could be a cool name for an actual club and because of my spiritual awakening. I was realizing that this matrix we’re living in is not what it seems and that you have to create your own reality in order to break out of the matrix we were forced to believe was the only reality we could experience.
What's your favorite thing about this EP?
My favorite thing about this EP is the self-fulfillment I feel from it. I had this idea for a while now and it took a bit to make. But putting together the final touches and seeing it from start to finish is an exciting, proud moment for me. It makes me feel braver to continue to make music and put myself out there more.
What do you want people to feel when listening to this EP?
I want people to have fun while listening to it! I want them to feel bold, sexy and free. When writing this, I imagined how it would sound in a club setting and what the reaction from people might be and how they would dance to it. I hope that after listening to it, it could give someone the inspiration to accomplish a goal that they’ve been dreaming of.
What do you want to achieve with this project?
I initially started this project to showcase my skills and the image I’m curating for myself as a songwriter. I’m not doing this for streams or commercial success, but rather I see it as a steppingstone that could get me noticed by other artists, writers and publishers. I love to collaborate with other creatives and I want to do it at a level where our work can reach the masses.
As an artist, what is the hardest part? And what is the best part?
I would say the hardest part is being your biggest cheerleader. No one is asking me to be an artist or songwriter, I’m doing it because I feel like it is my calling. Sometimes it makes me feel lonely and misunderstood. This is a tough industry to navigate, and you have to do it yourself for the most part. Living life and working a 9-5 job is the norm for a lot of independent artists and there is nothing wrong with that. But constantly feeling torn between your passion and what pays the bills is tough. But the best part is the process of creating and seeing the final result play out. I always feel so proud and excited whenever I finish a great song and it brings out a confidence in me that is very liberating.
What are your thoughts on today's music industry? If you could change one thing, what would it be?
I think the music industry today has a shiny exterior, but with cracks from an outdated system. Before, the music industry appeared to be this unattainable, far away land that was put on a pedestal. Now, everyone has the tools to make great songs and can put their image out there without the help from a label to make them a star. It has become an oversaturated industry, which has its pros and cons. That being said, the one thing I would change is to find a way to lift up other independent songwriters and artists without looking at how many streams or followers they have. That seems to be the first thing labels and publishers look at and not the talent itself.
Besides music, what are you passionate about?
I’m a big family person and I love to cook. A glass of wine in the kitchen is mandatory! I love movies and true crime documentaries.
What biggest lessons have you learned so far?
I would say the biggest lessons I’ve learned is to speak your truth even if it’s scary. Having your own back is very important. Another important lesson I’ve learned is to be grateful for the things you do have while striving for the things you want. The life you have that you think is mediocre is somebody else’s dream – always stay grateful.
In your opinion, what would make the world a BETTER place?
The world would be a BETTER place if people in power made decisions that benefited the people and not their own agenda.
Connect with Laklan: