For as long as Oak Park native Lauren Anderson can remember, there’s never been a time when music was not part of her life.
“It was just in my blood — my whole family is really creative,” she said.
And now, after a long journey with multiple diversions, the 2003 graduate of Oak Park and River Forest High School, Anderson is moving forward, week by week, on NBC’s hit singing competition show “The Voice.” Part of Snoop Dogg’s team on the show, Anderson will next compete on Monday, Oct. 27.
She began classical piano lessons at age 8. High school and community choirs. Classical voice training. Undergrad music degree from Augustana College. A back up plan when she earned a graduate degree in Kansas in music therapy.
During her graduate school years, she trained as a therapist in schools, jails and hospice care facilities, and to help pay her tuition, she worked full-time teaching preschool and working as a caregiver for adults with intellectual disabilities.
All the while Anderson still had that nagging desire in the back of her mind of singing professionally.
“I always wanted to perform, but I had some growing to do,” she said. “Once I got into grad school, I began dabbling into playing in coffee shops and getting more serious into writing. Then, around 2012 after I graduated, I started doing as many gigs as I could in Kansas City.”
For two years, she performed solo across the Kansas City area, eventually putting a band together in 2014. Then came her first music releases in 2014 and 2015 and a move to Nashville in 2017, diving 100% into becoming a full-time musician.
“I’ve been growing it since then — it’s been a long push,” she said.
Dubbing herself as a “soulful rocker,” Anderson says her style and brand are focused on a curated mix of country, Americana, rock ‘n’ roll and soul.
“I really focus on songwriting and feel like Nashville and the country music world has really cool elements in their songwriting that I try to pull from,” she said.
Though Anderson has enjoyed her successes in Nashville and small tours throughout the U.S., she’s also had another big goal — catching her big break in front of national audiences.
After auditioning several times over the years for NBC’s hit singing competition, “The Voice,” Anderson’s time to shine on national TV finally came to fruition last fall when she got an email from producers asking if she’d like to come for auditions in Nashville in the spring of 2025.
Though Anderson can’t discuss much about her journey on “The Voice” as Season 28 debuted on Sept. 22, she says it’s been “a blast” making music and singing with other performers in an environment she likens to “a summer camp for adults.”
“Music is just such a unique world to live in, so it’s fun getting a chance to be in a really condensed environment where it’s just a lot of other people doing the same thing that you’re doing and going after the dream,” she said.
During her debut audition appearance, Anderson was selected to be a part of rap music legend and “Voice” coach Snoop Dogg’s team, wowing him with her performance of Chris Stapleton’s “Midnight Train to Memphis.”
“When you started screaming, I’m like ‘Oh, this is my style right here!’ Snoop Dogg said to Anderson on her first episode. “I love your style, I love what you bring, I’m anxious to work with you — you’re the missing piece in my puzzle, Lauren. Thank you for joining my team.”
During Anderson’s most recent appearance on this past Monday’s episode titled, “Battles Night 3,” she appeared in a duet performance singing Carrie Underwood’s “Before He Cheats” alongside fellow contestant Makenzie Phipps, ultimately winning the singing battle against her fellow competitor.
With audiences she considers truly cross-generational, Anderson says what she hopes sets her apart among fans is not just her formal training, but consistency in laying it all out on stage each time she performs.
“You just have to be creative and find a way that works for you, and sometimes, it takes a little longer,” she said. “Longevity is the number one key. There’s a lot of hard days and moments where you’re wondering what you’re doing, but whenever you’re following your passion — and not just with music or performing — I think you just have to keep going if that’s what you want to do and push through any obstacles you come across.”