Lachlan Grant is Splendor, a musician who has spent the better part of his last four years crafting a debut album. Recently we were gifted the first single from that record, an earthly jam called Pristine.
Off the back of that release and leading into the next, we caught up with Lachlan for a chat.
Splendor’s aim goes beyond providing pleasing music to listen to – he aims to inspire the same peace in others which he finds in himself.
HAPPY: Hey there mate, thanks for sitting down with us. What are you up to at the moment?
SPLENDOR: Greetings Happy Mag, thank you for the opportunity to reach out and share from your platform. For the past four years I have been writing and producing an album called The Choice Is Yours. A conceptual album inspired by introspection, inspiration and higher conscious awakening. The intention of this album is to remind people that they have a choice to be co-creators of their reality and further inspire them to embrace authenticity free from judgement.
HAPPY: For those who haven’t come across Splendor, what’s the elevator pitch?
SPLENDOR: Roots Rocking Folk – Splendor Music offers an expression of understanding conveyed through story-style songs. Splendor represents peace, presence and infinite possibility. Splendor aspires to inspire people to focus on what they love, harness their strengths, and refrain from focusing on correcting weakness.
HAPPY: Pristine is spoken in the third person, but I’m getting the sense it’s autobiographical. Is the story about yourself?
SPLENDOR: The song Pristine began as a poem I wrote during the recording of my first project The Drifting EP. It’s a story about someone brave enough to let love guide them and not fear. Many of us are born into a situation of displacement where our purpose for existence becomes severely distorted. If we are not encouraged to think freely and pursue our dreams then we become conditioned by labels, stereotypes, and media manipulation. I believe the universe reveals its secrets to those who dare to pursue their dreams and awaken to their true authenticity. They become impossible to control, more innovative and more inspired to live. Pristine is very much an introspective lyric but particular language techniques are utilised to create characters, places and scenarios for others to relate to.
HAPPY: What did you find most difficult when transcribing such a long story into a single song?
SPLENDOR: It is a real skill to convey a message using as few words as possible. Sometimes it’s very hard to consolidate what could be a long story into a contemporary song lyric. As a school teacher I have learned that you must be direct and straight to the point or your audience loses engagement. The story of Pristine is about a young person who is raised in the desert but only through desire and determination does he find his “Pristine, Perfect Place”. I used the metaphor of a desert to represent isolation. The ocean is a metaphor to stand for one’s internal dream and desire to discover the unknown. The character ‘he’ refers to anyone who wants to associate with it.
HAPPY: It seems like you’ve really come to peace with yourself. Is this something you hope to help others accomplish with your music?
SPLENDOR: Indeed, the only way forward that I have found is through complete self-acceptance. I would love nothing more than to inspire people to move into their authenticity and become sworn guardians of their inner peace. Splendor Music is organic, reassuring and intended to take the listener on an introspective journey within.
HAPPY: You’re obviously more comfortable outdoors, is nature an inspiration to your songwriting?
SPLENDOR: Absolutely, nature’s vibration is always high. From long walks along the beach to snowboarding down mountains, I feel most at peace when immersed in the purity of Mother Nature. Although, I am very introverted at times. Hanging out with my guitar in a quiet darkened room with incense burning serves me as an effective creative setting. My lyrics and ideas often come from being in nature, but the quiet room is ideal for crafting poems into songs.
HAPPY: Where are some of the most inspirational places you’ve been, creatively?
SPLENDOR: Throughout my journey I have spent time in some very inspiring places. Since leaving New Zealand in 2010, I have lived a rather nomadic lifestyle. Places that have heavily inspired my songwriting are America’s North West, The Japanese Alps and the Snowy Mountains. Snowboarding has been a huge inspiration for my songwriting and I am most passionate when living in a place where I can do it.
HAPPY: What’s going on down the line?
SPLENDOR: For the next few months I will be focusing on preparing the release of my new album The Choice is Yours. We will be releasing another single after Pristine and will then prepare the full album release for later this year. With meaningful lyrics expressed through authentic music, I hope The Choice is Yours’ can bring confidence, strength and acceptance to anyone feeling run down out there. Like everyone, I need to eat so until Splendor Music begins producing sufficient revenue, I must hold down my job as a school teacher and continue working to keep the dream alive.
HAPPY: Thanks for the chat!
