Today we’d like to introduce you to f1oater.’s front woman, Laura Short.
Hi Laura, we would love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Ever since I can remember I have loved music. At age three, in the church choir, if I did not know the words, I made up my own. I started learning piano at age 8 after aurally teaching myself my favorite tunes and knowing I had something there. I began writing my own tunes melody and lyrics at age 9 and before I knew it was fully combining all those talents by age 14. I knew I had to pursue music in any shape. So, I set my sights on Nashville the songwriter’s mecca, and focused on honing all the business and creative skills I naturally possessed and turned them into real assets to propel my writer and artist career.
Once I graduated from MTSU’s recording industry/songwriting program, I spent the next couple of years writing all styles of music to figure out what exactly I wanted to say and sound like an artist. After a few solo releases and an alt-rock duo, I found myself needing a new endeavor to push, so I started f1oater.. I didn’t know what I was doing when we started. All I knew was that I had a clear vision of wanting to start a punk rock/ pop-punk band and had the lyrics, melodies, and chords to do it. I teamed up with a local producer and we created “CARDBOARD”. With no budget or paid marketing, we saw great organic outreach to real individuals also finding themselves belonging to everything and no one.
A community for people to be exactly who they are. This propelled me into performing live shows, continuing to write a full concept record depicting the road that led me to f1oater., and finding a kick-ass band who could hone that pop-punk writing style and sound. After about a year of cultivating new songs with guitarist and writer Steven Martin, the record has been written and two songs released. We play monthly in the Nashville punk rock scene and have more music in store for our listeners.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Considering this artist project came about after being left on the opposite side of the country on my last band’s independent tour, I’d be lying if I said the road to “f1oater.” was an easy one. I had to reassess how much I loved music, who I would continue to make it with, and where I could go in my career from the ashes of another endeavor.
One specific lesson I learned while making music is the hard reality that life does not stop for your dream. You have to ebb and flow with what is thrown at you both in and out of your control. One big scenario I can think of is when I broke my foot not once but twice while on the journey to this artist project, “f1oater.”
It was a physical hurdle put in front of me to see if I could stand the mental and emotional stagnant period to find ways to be productive physically other ways while I had to depend on others for physical help; a very humbling lesson this was. It ultimately shaped me into the strong, determined artist I already was as a person and only fed into this band’s story.
As you know, we’re big fans of f1oater., LLC. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
I started f1oater., LLC at the end of October in 2023 as a testament to how established myself as an independent artist, label, and publisher had come in a year. I specialize in the music business side, A&R, and Administration sectors besides being a creative, performer and writer. However, the business side of my venture is only a small factor in the impact I am trying to make on the community near and far from me.
Besides making gritty, angsty, raw, authentic, original, fresh, punchy, dynamic, attention-grabbing, philosophical, thought-provoking punk-rock with pop elements including jazz theories music, many things set “f1oater.” apart from others.
What I’m most proud of through the branding of “f1oater.” is the sense of inclusion of people from all different walks of life to find a sanctuary of understanding and empathy no matter what you look like, come from, or have been through. When you come to our live show or listen to our records, you feel a little less alone and heard than you were before.
Music has been my lifeline to coping with anxiety and depression. It combats my ADHD, harnesses sporadic thoughts, and creates something so beautifully chaotic it re-inspires me to live. Music’s been one of the only things in my life I kept going back to that made me feel like life was worth living, that I had something to offer the world and my time was not done on this earth. My relationship with music has certainly evolved into a more professional and legitimized endeavor, but the one thing that has never changed is the steadfast rock it provides for me to have a safe place to express my thoughts and feelings.
My message is hope for the unbelievers. I hope I make my listeners think, like really go deep into their psyche and think about not only their life but how their role in society is bigger than “This is my world and you’re just living in it”. Community and inclusion are the biggest pillars I stand on. You don’t need to look, act, or think in a certain way to be human because we all are, which is the beauty of authenticity. Be yourself and lean into it! That is what being a “floater” really is.
Who else deserves credit for your story?
I have worked with many artists/bands, producers, mixing engineers, and mastering engineers during my ten years in Nashville. Collaboration in my eyes is the ultimate key to raising your bar for success. Teamwork does make the dream work. I love hearing others’ styles, sharing my vision, and seeing what we can chemically concoct.
Working with Johnny Cochran on “CARDBOARD” during the summer of 2022 completely re-shaped my collaboration process by giving someone production control to bring my songwriter and artist vision to life. We created the branding and artist elements around our first single and developed a sound that would resonate with listeners and future collaborators.
After releasing the initial f1oater. single, I went out into town and started my search for who would make f1oater a band. I met Steven Martin who is now f1oater.’s main guitarist and songwriting/producer collaborator and began working on what would become the band’s upcoming concept record which defined the ending of one chapter and rebirthing of another.
I brought along others like Kayla Dunbar, Dave Strumfeld, Paige Keiner, Alex Ducros, and many others to write the songs that became f1oater.’s first concept record.
Once I had found a group of solid musicians and writers, I knew I was ready to produce the first EP I had written with many different types of talented writers and musicians, I stumbled into a NY Producer, Alexander Frieden, living in Nashville who was dying to work on harder rock stuff.
Five recordings later tracked by JD Tiner at Spotify’s Notable Studio here in Nashville, we caught the attention of legendary Rock Mixer, Mike Sapone. This was our ultimate stamp of approval for going in this genre lane and push we needed to go full throttle into this EP/LP Era. Mike mixed our first single off the EP, “Don’t Know Why” and was mastered by Brett Romnes.
I now have a band that has cultivated our live sound and songs into what you hear today including Steven Martin, Johnny Fera, Anthony Foglia, and others. We are continuously writing and even have songs in store to release after the concept record.
Pricing:
- Downloading a single for your favorite artist is only $1.29.
- Buying a T-shirt from your favorite artist is only $20.
- Purchasing a CD from your favorite artist is only $10.
- Buying Vinyl from your favorite artist is only $25 – $40.
- Supporting your favorite artist’s Patreon is only $10 – $50 / month.
Contact Info:
- Website: f1oater.me
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/f1oater.me/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/f1oater.me
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-short-70671592/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@f1oater.
- SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/f1oater
- Other: https://linktr.ee/f1oater.me
Image Credits
KVA Visual and Carlos Torres/Vintage Mynd
