Earlier this year, Lauren Jauregui took a three month-break from social media which she said had an “incredibly positive impact” on her mental health. Speaking with Billboard, the singer opened up about her decision to disconnect from the online platforms for a little while, what it’s like to come out during the digital age, and what fans can expect from her debut solo record.
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
Jauregui, who recently teamed up with The Hershey Company and attended their “Makers of Good Teen Summit” in New York City, spoke with teens about overcoming cyberbullying and fostering a future of social inclusion when it comes to social media.
Chatting with Billboard at the event, the singer explained that it is important to have conversations and raise awareness to combat the feeling of social isolation that young people can feel.
Related
“I found myself…comparing where I was to where everyone else was,” she says. “I just needed a break from that, and it helped me a lot, taking a break from it and just really focusing and honoring myself.”
The “Expectations” singer also addressed the fact that for LGBTQ+ teens and young adults, social media can make the coming out experience that much more difficult because there are a lot more eyes on them.
“I know that when I personally chose to come out, I did so because I was a little bit forced out,” she notes. “But then, at the same time, it was about taking ownership, and by that point, I was personally so comfortable with my queerness that I didn’t really pay too much attention to what people were saying about me, cause it wasn’t relevant to me if people were saying something about my sexuality, cause I had personally accepted it about myself and loved myself for it.”
“When you accept those things about yourself and you love those things about yourself, it becomes very hard for somebody who’s a stranger to tell you that that’s not cool,” she adds.
In the interview, Jauregui also discussed her forthcoming debut solo record, sharing that she has been “writing like crazy” and that she is very excited about what she has made.
“I’m so proud of the way that I’ve been able to articulate my point of view,” she says. “I’m emo, so you’re gonna get some deep, dark lyrics from my soul, but some bops too…It’s gonna be really fun. I’m really excited to share it with the world, but I’m just kind of packaging everything and still finishing up some songs.”
You can watch the full video interview with Lauren Jauregui above.