"Let's get St Albans dancing again" - if you have been in the city centre over the past few weeks you may have seen this message paraded on a blue placard as a local DJ hopes to connect the community through her music.
Born and bred in St Albans, Lauren recently took over a popular coffee shop, hosting a DJ set under the brand 1111AM Club.
Her ingenious marketing strategy has captured the attention of the public as she wanders around the city centre inviting people to chat and join her for evenings of music.
Lauren's upbringing was steeped in music, writing and producing since the age of 12 and studying theory at university.
She told The Herts Advertiser how the 1111AM concept was born out of a difficult moment in her life.
"That idea of connection is really what sits behind the 1111AM Club. After losing my brother in 2020, I went through a period of grief where I completely shut myself away," Lauren began.
"I struggled with my mental health and anxiety, and what pulled me out of it, more than anything, was people and music.
"My friends and family were incredible, and my cousin encouraged me to try touch rugby at Old Verulamians. That community aspect gave me a sense of belonging again, and that feeling is what inspired me to start the 1111AM Club.
"The idea is simple. It’s about bringing people together through good music and real human connection, all while supporting local independent businesses."
Lauren chooses unconventional spaces to host her sets as there is a "lack of electronic music venues" in the area. Saint Peter's Street Coffee is the event's "home base", but she hopes it will expand further.
Currently, Lauren has two projects: her singer-songwriter alias, Lauren L’aimant, where she has built a solid following on platforms like Spotify, and a newer project, 1111 - her DJ and producer alias, which is dedicated to her late brother Ian, who passed away on November 11, 2020.
She explained: "Our shared love for electronic music is the backbone of this project, and everything I do is rooted in that bond we’ll always share. I know he’d be proud of all this, and it’s a driving force behind its longevity.
"DJing is the newest addition to what I do, but I’ve well and truly fallen in love with it. I’ve been doing it for around three years, but before that I performed all over the world as a vocalist.
"I toured the US supporting RÜFÜS DU SOL and recently DJed at Pikes Ibiza, which has such a unique, intimate energy. It felt like a house party, and that’s exactly the kind of atmosphere I want to recreate with what I’m building now."
The club's launch at Saint Peter’s Street Coffee earlier this month proved to be a "massive success".
"We had people dancing, sober, at 11am on a Sunday morning, and seeing people so happy and free was a really beautiful thing to experience," Lauren commented.
"It genuinely felt like a room full of friends at a house party, just like it did when I played at Pikes Ibiza, just without the perfect weather!"
The response was said to have been "phenomenal" with social media posts striking mini-virality locally and the St Albans community showing their support. She has accrued nearly 4,000 followers on her 1111musicuk Instagram account.
She continued: "It really feels like people are ready to get behind something like this. Our music scene, especially the electronic side of it, has been missing for years. I’m very much from the Batchwood era, and that energy is so missed."
Lauren pledges to keep the events accessible, running both daytime and early evening sessions as she "does not want to be out until 3am anymore" and believes this energy will be reciprocated.
"At its core, the 1111AM Club is about tackling something bigger," said Lauren. "We’re in a time where a lot of people feel disconnected and isolated, and I really believe music and dancing can bring people back together.
"If I can create spaces where people feel that sense of connection again, even in small ways, then I feel like I’m doing something that actually matters."
Looking to the future, Lauren is working on collaborations with Waffle Wands and Japes, the DJ also revealed that she is in talks with The Maltings for an event.
"I’d love to take it even further and eventually run festivals in places like Verulam Park, but for now it’s very much a learning curve," she concluded. "I’ve never run events before, so I’m figuring it out as I go. It’s scary, but exciting at the same time.
"Another big part of the long-term vision is giving back to the Pioneer Club, which played a huge role in my life growing up. I’m currently planning a mini festival there in August, which I’ll be announcing soon, as well as a Boiler Room-style skate park rave. For any events held at the Pioneer, all ticket sales will be donated directly to support the work they do for young people in St Albans."
1111AM Club's second event is taking place on May 3, to find out more or book visit https://ra.co/events/2421385
Share