Meet Layken

Today we’d like to introduce you to Layken.

Hi Layken, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
I was four years old the first time I ever stepped foot on a stage and picked up a microphone, singing “Big Deal” By LeAnn Rimes in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Now at twenty-five, I still carry a microphone, now in a small leather backpack as I walk down Broadway in Nashville, Tennessee.

I grew up singing anywhere I possibly could, I stuck an affidavit in my pocket and sang in bars long before I could have a drink in one. I sang at restaurants, the Centennial Rodeo Opry, fairs, musical theaters, and more. I am incredibly lucky to have a family that has always been so supportive.

When I was eighteen I attended the Academy of Contemporary Music at the University of Central Oklahoma, and at twenty-one, I found a home in the corners of dusty dim lit dive bars in my hometown of Oklahoma City.

During that time I also had the incredible opportunity to travel, and play a show opening for the late Joe Diffie, and Stoney LaRue in Hardner Kansas, and spend every weekend learning, singing, and entertaining with some really incredible musicians. I am so grateful for all of the support I felt when performing back home from friends and family, I wouldn’t be where I am today without them.

I moved to Nashville in July of 2019, in my truest fashion (on a whim) and it has without a doubt been one of the best decisions I have ever made. Since moving here I have recorded my current single “Heartbreak Town” and now spend my days playing some really amazing venues right here in Nashville, Tennessee.

I feel so lucky to be able to do what I love, and there is nothing quite like the musicians you will meet here. I have felt nothing but genuine support from the people who have welcomed me with open arms into their bands, and onto their shows.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I think everything that we love is going to come with struggle. The best thing you can do is take a step back and take a moment to be proud of where you are and how far you have come. You’re going to hear the word “no” a lot, and you are going to run into people who might not like what you are doing–from the songs that you play to the way that you look. When those obstacles inevitably come, I find that a very dramatic pair of fake lashes, or an extremely long bubble bath always seems to help.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a singer. I am a songwriter. I am a musician. Most of all, I am a performer. There is absolutely nothing more magical to me than a live audience. Thank you, thank you, thank you to every single person who has stepped foot in a venue to listen to live music. Without you, there is no show.

Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
My favorite thing about Nashville is truly all of the musicians here. There are so many incredibly talented people, giving you so many opportunities to learn and grow as an artist yourself. It is uplifting to be surrounded by so many like-minded people.

My least favorite thing about Nashville is the traffic. Anytime I am stuck in traffic, I sit and dream about the (usually calm) streets of South Oklahoma City.

Contact Info:

• Email: laykenmurie@gmail.com
• Website: www.laykenurie.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/laykenmusic
• Facebook: facebook.com/laykenmusic
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l274f_rIEQY
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/4Pt9G1pl6UCJs4EZCTvweG?si=ebeca66dd70c4b2d

Image Credits
Mel Hyde and Tim Thurman, Danny Isgro