Feature | Work

LACES (otherwise known as Jessica Vaughn) proclaims she is a force to be reckoned with in her latest EP “WORK”. Through seven alternative pop songs, Vaughn covers a lot of ground from calling out misogyny and privilege in the workplace, to digging into the pressures of the music industry on young artists. As someone who experienced her own trials as a young person, growing up in foster care and then having the spotlight of a major label shown on her as a teenager, “WORK” is clearly a personal journey for Vaughn. 

Open for Business tells of a fresh start with an upbeat, whimsical soundscape. It gave me the sensation of flying with wandering instrumentals while staying lyrically grounded. Salt challenges the narrative that hard work is all you need to “make it big” and calls out the privileges that aren’t accessible to everyone. "I Quit for Summer" has a fun dance beat, but I appreciated the sharp-tongued lyrics that take a jab at the toxic American “hustle culture”. 

My favorite pieces of this EP are where Vaughn’s raw lyrics and emotions get to shine. She laments the difficulty of relationships in Hard Work while lifting others up along with herself in the self-possessed and empowering anthems Extraordinary and 15 Minutes. Her words are deliberate and decisive, lending extra strength to the messages she is trying to convey with every song. Women’s Work rounds out the album with a testament to her own voice and those of other women who persevere in speaking up in spite of attempts to stifle them.

Vaughn’s strong voice and edgy lyrics in tandem bring to life each unique track in “WORK”. This is a powerful musical journey fueled by a powerful woman who has worked long and hard to stand up for herself and others who have been marginalized.