Award-winning record producer’s China Crisis support slot

Lauren Deakin Davies was named Producer of the Year at the NMG Awards (Image: Supplied by Helen Meissner)

Fresh from winning the Producer of the Year trophy at the annual NMG Awards, Lauren Deakin Davies will be opening for Wishful Thinking and Black Man Ray 80s pop-rock group China Crisis at The Horn.

Playing to a sold-out crowd at the Thursday, October 5 gig in St Albans is an honour for Lauren’s solo project DIDI, and is a reflection both of her four plays on BBC 6 Music, as well as her energetic delivery and pithy lyrics.

The 22-year-old musician is still reeling from being finalist for Best Female Solo and then winning Producer of the Year at the swanky NMG Awards, which were held at Cambridge Corn Exchange last month.

Lauren, the only female in the shortlist of five, has been Herts-based Folkstock Records’ producer since she was 18.

Lauren Deakin Davies was named Producer of the Year at the NMG Awards [Picture: Jonathan Watts] (Image: Jonathan Watts)

Her work has gained many BBC Radio 2 and BBC 6 Music plays as well as reviews in national newspapers.

A committed member of the Music Producers Guild, and involved in delivering Red Bull Studios workshops mentoring women in music production, Lauren attracted the most votes in this new category added this year by awards organiser Tim Willett.

Smashing stereotypes as a self-taught, self-employed record producer, Lauren said: “This is the beginning of what is going to be common place, for women to be winning the same awards as men, and it’s so exciting.

“Someone asked me, ‘Do you feel different now you’re award winning?’ and I just feel super happy, and so motivated!

Lauren Deakin Davies was named Producer of the Year at the NMG Awards (Image: Supplied by Helen Meissner)

“I don’t think I am going to be doubting myself as much.

“The award has given me something invaluable, and that is solidifying my confidence in myself and validating my experience and knowledge. I can succeed at this and I will.”

Lauren’s ability to interpret the songs just as the artist envisaged has drawn independent singer-songwriters from all over the country to her studio in Walkern, as well as many Hertfordshire artists, including Stevenage’s Kelly Oliver, Lewis Bootle, Emma McGrath, Minnie Birch, Alexa Mullins, Kaity Rae and Sophie Ray.

BBC Introducing has long supported her work and many of her tracks have gained record of the week on BBC 3CR, both as producer and also as solo artist DIDI.

Lauren Deakin Davies was named Producer of the Year at the NMG Awards (Image: Supplied by Helen Meissner)

Dane End studio Cream Room Sound Productions, run by Martin Lumsden, also got into the finals of the NMG category for Best Studio.

It was here that Lauren, then aged 15, first got the recording bug, when she was in Buntingford’s Freman College band The Folk, which later became Delora.

• For more, visit www.laurendeakindavies.com