For rising Nashville artist Lauren Gottshall, music has never felt like a career choice so much as an instinct. Long before opening for artists like Jason Aldean and Chris Janson or stepping onto stadium stages, she was already writing songs to make sense of emotions too big to hold onto alone.
Now, with her new single “Camouflage,” Gottshall steps into what feels like her clearest artistic identity yet — blending emotional honesty, polished melodies, and country storytelling shaped equally by Nashville and the Midwest she still carries with her.
We spoke with Lauren about authenticity, moving to Nashville alone, emotional songwriting, and why “Camouflage” feels like the beginning of something more fully herself than ever before.
Q: You’ve described “Camouflage” as the most “you” song you’ve ever written. What part of yourself finally clicked into focus with this track?
Lauren Gottshall:
I think I’ve finally figured out who I am as a person and who I want to be, which has made my writing that much better. I love to write with depth and emotion, and when combined with the instrumentals on Camouflage that remind me of the freedom and peace of having the windows down on a hot summer day, it’s the perfect blend of who I am as an artist and a person.
Q: The title “Camouflage” suggests hiding, adapting, or blending in. Is this song about protection — or about refusing to disappear anymore?
Lauren Gottshall:
This song is about loving someone who never fully lets their guard down. I think so many people can relate to the situation of dating someone — you think you know them, but there is always that missing piece. It is about wishing someone would stop trying to blend in and would let down their walls.
Q: Co-writing with Avery and Olivia Evans adds another layer of country music legacy to the track. What did that collaboration unlock creatively?
Lauren Gottshall:
Any songwriter will know the feeling when you walk into a write, and it is that instant chemistry. We all feed off each other so well and make each other better writers. It is the most creatively locked in I have ever been with other people, which has been really exciting and inspiring. You will be hearing many more songs from the three of us.
Q: Your sound balances classic country storytelling with a polished pop edge. Do you ever feel pulled between tradition and reinvention?
Lauren Gottshall:
I never want to pigeonhole myself and try to make music that is authentic to me. I like to call my music Chicago Country. I was raised on southern values and country music, but my heart will always be in the Midwest. I think what is great about music is that it is one of the only universal languages we have left. That is why I love country music, because of the honest, real-life storytelling that anyone from anywhere can relate to.
Q: Moving from outside Chicago to Nashville and quickly stepping onto stages with major artists must feel surreal. What has this past year taught you about yourself?
Lauren Gottshall:
Oh my goodness, I have learned so much about myself in the past year. The biggest thing I have learned is that I can do anything I set my mind to. I was nervous about moving to Nashville because I knew basically no one and had to create a life for myself down here. It was the best decision I have ever made.
I feel so sure of who I am now and have gained so much confidence in myself and my artistry through being on my own and forcing myself out of my comfort zone. While not every day has been easy, I feel like the luckiest girl that I am following my dreams and getting to do what I love.
Q: You started performing at five and writing songs at twelve. Was music always the dream, or did it become something deeper over time?
Lauren Gottshall:
I have always known I wanted to do music. My mom likes to say I sang before I could talk. It is something that is innately in me. The older I have gotten, though, the more I think I was put on this Earth to be a songwriter and make music for people.
It has always been the dream, but it has definitely shifted from being a passion to becoming my purpose.
Q: There’s a strong emotional honesty in your work that feels rooted in everyday experiences. What kinds of stories are you most compelled to tell right now?
Lauren Gottshall:
I really want to tell stories to make people feel less alone. I started seriously writing songs when I was 12 and my parents divorced. I had so much emotion that I didn’t know where to put it, so I turned to music.
I hope people can lean on my music the way I have leaned on music during the toughest times of my life.
Q: Influences like Carrie Underwood, Taylor Swift, and Billy Joel all blend vulnerability with huge melodies. What have you learned from artists who make emotional music feel massive?
Lauren Gottshall:
Everyone feels emotion, so to be able to write down words to explain specific feelings is the most special gift. I have learned so much from my favorite artists. How a melody can pull on your heartstrings, or a simple sentence can change someone’s perspective.
Their ability to make a stadium feel small with the intimacy and emotion of their songs that connects every single person there is something I strive to do in my career.
Q: Whether at intimate songwriter rounds or stadium stages, your performances are described as emotionally magnetic. What do you hope people walk away feeling after seeing you live?
Lauren Gottshall:
I can remember so vividly the time I left my first concert, Hannah Montana, and felt on top of the world and so inspired. I have felt that way every time I have left one of my favorite artists’ shows.
I want people to feel connected and have an escape to feel all the feelings. Whether I am in a small, intimate room or a huge stadium, I want people to feel seen and excited about life.
Q: If “Camouflage” marks the start of a new chapter for Lauren Gottshall, what do you hope this era says about who you are becoming — not just as an artist, but as a person?
Lauren Gottshall:
I am so excited for this new era! I am making music that is completely authentically myself. These days, I am proud of who I am and am excited to show the world all I have to offer.
I think moving from home on my own forced me to figure out who I am and what makes me happy, and in the past year, I have done just that, and I cannot wait for everyone to hear all the music I have been pouring my heart into.
