No one knows Lauren Jauregui, 22, better than herself, she admits. The singer is absolutely slaying the solo game these days, and she told HollywoodLife all about the triumphs, struggles and everything in between at the 2019 Inspiration Awards, Benefiting Step Up. The singer, who was honored at the May 31 event, revealed her best advice for combatting bullies online, and how she “protects” her energy. “Focus on the constructive criticism that the people that know you personally give you instead of focusing on what a bunch of strangers who don’t know you project to you about what they see,” she tells us. The singer, who now boasts more than seven million followers on Instagram, also admitted that she’s learned how to handle the endless attention. “It used to [bother me] when I was younger but I’ve grown to a point of understanding that it’s separate from me and I don’t take it so much into consideration when I value myself, because I know who I am and I know what I offer. A person on the internet who doesn’t know me can’t tell me what I’ve been through or doesn’t even know what I’ve been through so they can’t possibly decide what I need for myself or project my energy like that,” the songstress says.
The former Fifth Harmony member released her most recent single, “More Than That,” at the top of the year, and claims to be her own best support system when it comes to her bustling solo career. “I support myself the most and God, just because that’s at the core of everything and it all floats from within. When I found the belief in myself, I started really being myself and really honing in on who I was so that’s my big thing. And my family of course, my friends who have always been super supportive in my life and all of the mentors that I’ve had in my life that have been able to guide me and shake me and help me grow as a woman,” she told HollywoodLife.
While striking out on her own may seem daunting following the massive success of the girl group, for Lauren, it’s a personal journey that she’s happy to be on. “It’s actually really beautiful I think for all of us to be exploring ourselves and to be at a place in our lives where we’re exploring our own, personal journey,” she said. That being said, fans can look forward to even more music in the year ahead from the singer. “I have some new music on the way for sure,” she revealed. “I’ve just been working on my album. It’s been a really beautiful, gratifying process, creative process, just getting to know myself and dive into the depths of what I’m feeling and write about it.”
Between playing live shows and recording new music, you’d think Lauren wouldn’t have time for much else, yet she still remains active in her philanthropic endeavors. She was all smiles at Step Up’s annual Inspiration Awards, which aims to empower young women, and told HL just how much it meant to be there. “I’m just very excited to be a part of any kind of situation where the community is uplifted and empowered and makes them feel more secure with themselves and prepare for the future,” she said.