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For OnesToWatch’s 11-year anniversary, we asked alumni to interview an up and coming artist they admire. Today we’re excited to bring you this conversion between a OnesToWatch OG, Lauren Sanderson, and her friend Seb Torgus.

Grunge and hot pink have never looked so good together – Lauren Sanderson juxtaposes pop and grit like a chef in their genius. It’s giving primal scream, hard beats, and lesbian summer all at once. Her music is like a personal invitation to care less about the opinions of other people and more about your own inner knowing. And with consecutive smashes over the past few years, our inner knowing is leading us towards Lauren’s latest self-titled album, by the way. 

Theatrical, alternative, and all in, Seb Torgus is everyone’s heartthrob. Dedicated to visual storytelling and lyrical truth serum, Seb recently saw his listeners mushroom - practically overnight - with his single "LA I Love and Hate You." His transparency in the track is precisely what makes it so addictive, jumping from fan to fan and eventually landing him a coveted slot at Yungblud’s Bludfest in Prague this summer. 

Enjoy this candid discussion between two powerhouses about their art and staying true to themselves through it all. 

Lauren Sanderson: We look this sexy, I think it should be filmed. 

Seb Torgus: I agree. This is sad. 

Ok, so what's the 1st artist that you remember falling in love with? 

It would have to be David Bowie, I would say, because I've just never seen anyone with that hair or the outfits and the fluidity that he had. I think one of my earliest memories was watching a live performance of his, and that was the 1st time I feel like I was introduced to theatrics on stage. He was really the 1st person that made me feel like you can dress however you want, you can move however you want. And also…I feel like this is a crazy hot take, but he's almost like bigger than his music. Like, he's larger than life. It really made me feel like it's more than just music and it's entertainment and it's kind of an escape.

Yeah! I feel like all the best artists, at least in my opinion, are bigger than their music. I was just talking to somebody the other day about who I think is one of the best artists of all time, and we all have different reasons why we connect with artists. But to me, Miley is one of those people where it's like, she can put out any song and I'm gonna back her because she's one of those artists that I saw, and I was like, that bitch does what she wants! She isn't asking, like, “what do you think of this? What do you think of this?” Like, as a woman or whatever, she's someone who I'm like, she doesn't care about looking pretty. She cares about bossing up and owning this shit. 

Right! She broke the mold. Remember, she came from such a cookie cutter machine and then, I know you feel the same way, but I'll never forget the VMAs. I feel like she changed the way…you market yourself and how you break into a different kind of chapter of your career. And we were so young, we didn't even understand that, but now looking back and studying it…she's considered a blueprint to break into a bigger audience, you know? 

Yeah, and same with David. I feel like artists, we don't consciously make decisions. They come to us and then we just act on them and David's one of those people…you can tell he didn't consciously think, “how am I going to get people to…” and that's what you do. So that's cool that that was your first artist. 

Yeah. Well, you know what's so crazy? I grew up on Madonna. So for me, Madonna and Gaga were like…just because I was a guy doesn't mean that I couldn't connect with them. I felt like they really also made me feel like, “oh, this is possible. I can do this.” Even watching Gaga and how she carried herself…I always connected with her. And my mom only listened to Madonna. [Laughter] 

So that's just what I grew up on. I would say honestly, besides David, she really broke the mold for me to be like, “oh no, this pop star entertainer persona is possible.” You know? 

Yeah. Also another person who just does what she wants. As I go on further in my career - and maybe you feel the same - as you meet these bigger people, like the top people, you realize that the thing that is different about them…is that they just do what they want. And they don't explain it and they don't need validation. They are their own validation. Even with meeting Fred…he is such an inspiration to me now because he doesn't do what he doesn't want to do. 

Yeah, he moves at his own pace. He's always been like that.

Yeah. And the same with, you know, David, Miley, Gaga, Madonna. Okay. Let me think. When did you know you had to pursue music? 

That's good. Well, I think it was always tricky with me because I started in theater, but I also was a skate rat and loved sport, so it was confusing because I was like, you know, “is this me? Am I allowed to kind of be on stage?” But it also was a cool experience. And it was really the theatre for me…my first experience of like, “oh, I know I'm a performer. Like, this is just what is in me,” in whatever medium that is. Whether it's through music or acting or TV or being backstage, I just knew that that was it for me. I did vocal jazz. I tried out for all the musicals and I was in them, but I never got the lead part. I was never good enough at that time. Well, I was good enough, but they were just sleeping on me. 

But I was like, okay…I definitely have to get better. I'm a competitive person. So it was really after high school. I was rejected so much from all the plays or even going for auditions and I just kind of started making my own thing and putting it out. I realized like, there's really no rules. Even if you don't think I'm good at this or don't think I'm a good singer or don't think I can do it…so be it. It's been a long ride, but it was the best blessing because it made you realize, like, there's an audience for everybody. 

Yeah, you just are you. Especially when you are one of one - and I believe we both are - there's no path that we’re following. It's not like we can look around and be like, “okay, so this how many followers they had when they made this happen.” We can't do that. 

Did you slash do you struggle with like…how you were saying you were a skate rat? You also like theater and people like David Bowie, who you're probably thinking in your head, like, did David Bowie like sports? Do you ever feel like you need to pick one or you feel like it might not make sense to people? 

I think 100%. I've always struggled with that because I was such a different guy growing up. I was definitely way more feminine. I kind of was this lanky, emotional dude. I grew up with a single mom for a long period of my life, and I always kind of connected to the feminine side. And when you're growing up and you're around a bunch of jocks or skaters or whatever, you're trying to kind of find yourself in that. I love sports, but I didn't look the part, you know? 

The same with theater. Even when I was in theater, I felt like “this is me,” but even then I still didn't feel like I looked the part. So it was like, no matter what I was doing, I never felt like I looked the role for it. And that kind of stuck with me forever. 

Because of this record I have that's been going crazy – I think this is the most I've ever had new people discovering me – sometimes I feel like, even though I look the part, I might not belong in this crowd. Or like, “really? Like you guys like me?” Or when I'm performing live and dancing crazy…I'm always like, “oh my god, they're gonna think I'm insane.” But...now I'm starting to get more comfortable with it where I'm like, you know, like, “this is me.” You probably feel the same way with your music. When you're on stage doing your thing, people who like your music and they're sold on you, no matter what you do, they're gonna love it. 

They're gonna come. Yeah, they're gonna go to the show and...the more yourself you can actually be, the more people are able to actually have something to look up to. And you're going to be the next person who people are like, I can like sports and dance. But also love the theater. It's cool to see how it goes in different ways and generations. I'm so glad that you're having the moment that you're having because I think those moments are so important for an artist for an artist trusting themselves. 

Yeah, yeah. It's crazy because - you know how it is - you make something and you love it to death. To anyone or any artist who might be listening…you're gonna make something, and if your gut inside is telling you you love it, even if it might not be your sound right now, or it might be a different direction, but you feel it in you…this might sound cheesy…but you have to lean into it. 

And everything happens for a reason. I made this record 2 years ago and it's been sitting. I went through phases of sounds, trying to discover myself because I truly believe if you want to be the biggest, you have to continue reinventing yourself until you find your core. That's what I've done for so long and so many people came out and like, “oh, you're always changing your sound or you're all over the place,” but that's what it takes to succeed. You have to go through that. You get better. You learn, you fail a lot. And I went through all this shit with having this record like sitting on a laptop. 

Exactly. It was there the whole time. 

And then all of a sudden…the algorithm picks up. Next thing you know, I'm finding new ways to market it and then it starts snowballing. And that blew up and it set me up for this next journey that I'm about to turn this corner into. I'm so grateful. So grateful. 

Oh, yeah, it's great. I'm just glad you get to have that. You're an artist who…everything you do is so intentional and so well done…

Thank you, same to you…

For myself, even this ‘COME SAY SUM’ shit like, I always love that song. Even if nobody ever gave a fuck about the song, I would still love it the same. And the fact that it came out, and then Fred heard it, all of the little dots…that gave me that inner reassurance: I know. I know. 

Yeah. And you know what? That's a really important thing. And honestly hearing your journey of it is so rewarding because it's so true. You've been at it for so long. You've had so much success. And you've always been yourself. No matter what sound or what type of song you made, you've always been you. And it's something that people can rely on. I always tell people I don't expect everyone to like my stuff. I don't expect you to be a fan, but if you can come on my thing and be like, “oh, no, like, well, I trust this artist and he is putting out good work, it might not be for me,” eventually, I could turn you into a fan. It takes time. It takes months. It takes years. 

Yeah. It takes time and it takes context to really fall in love with the artist.

Okay, on the next one. What's something you've learned as an artist in the past year you would tell your younger self? 

You have to fail. 

Mm. That's good. 

You literally have to lose. Because once you lose and fail, you can only look up from there. When you're starting out, all you want to do is win. All you want to do is get the fans, get the engagement. You want your post to pop off. You want your song to get playlists. You want to get on all the blogs, but...you have to just know what it feels like to have absolutely nothing working because, if you really want this, it puts a different beast in you and you will figure it out. I always found a way through and that teaches you. You flourish once you start realizing that.

Because that’s, again, what sets you apart as artists. That's the only thing that's gonna get you from here to here, being like, why doesn't anyone give a shit? I give a shit. And then you have to give a shit more and you always have to fill in the blanks where other people may not pull through, you have to pull through.  

It’s up to you. No one's going to chase that for you.

Being from the Midwest…how do you feel like that changes you as an artist and impacts your career now? 

I think we can both relate to this because I feel like we both have that background. The Midwest life…I think people are just so content there and it's so simplified. You get your job, you find your spouse, you get the kids, you try to get a house, and that's that. And some people love that. It's a great way to live. It's comfortable. And I think that's a big thing…it's so blue collar. That blue collar part has really helped me in my journey out here because that always has been a part of me. You know how it is, hustling. Like, I was a janitor…[I] thought that that was my life. I was going to work at this building with my grandpa because everyone in my family is an immigrant and does this. And it's just what I thought life was. And once you start figuring out that it's more than that, you start applying some of your tactics there into your artist career and business. And even now with things going on with this record, I still feel like there's that janitor in me. If I'm trying to book something or trying to shoot something or get a marketing roll out, there's that janitor. There's that blue collar, midwest kid who's applying his tactics into that. And I think, like, you probably feel the same way when you're working on stuff. There's always that person in you that was hustling back where they're from, feeling like there might not be anything bigger, you know? 

Yeah. And I think the more successes that come, it's more exciting being from the Midwest because we didn't see any of that growing up. But then you get a cool collaboration. You get a magazine, you get an interview. You know, I got the Taco Bell worker in me. I just, and I'm sure you get this too. Like when you were when you were little, did you watch award shows? 

Oh, all the time. I idolized that. That was my escape. For a while, so many people were trying to tell me to kind of dial down my image. I'm always having no shirt. I'm always in leather. I've always got my hair down. And I know you're on the same wave. And it was really confusing because people would make this point of like, “oh, you got to make people connect with you.” But, you know, excuse my language…how the fuck was I connecting with Madonna watching her on the MTV awards come out with The Gorillas and I'm sitting in a really tiny apartment at my grandma's with Jesus crosses all over the place? Like so Croatian, Euro, like everyone's an immigrant. I feel like I see myself in this. And I didn't have anything. 

I think it's cool to point that out because I'm the same. I was in small town Indiana sitting on the couch in my cookie monster pajamas….big gulp in my hand watching Fergie on the MTV awards. 

And you saw yourself in her. 

We were born with that in us. To anybody reading this…if you wake up in the morning and you feel like you have that in you, that's not an accident. You aren't supposed to push that down. I can assure you anyone who's ever told you to soften or calm down or not be so out there, it’s all projections of their own insecurity. It's actually nothing to do with you. 

Yeah. That's once you realize that, it's game over because you're like, oh, okay. 

I know you're a big visuals person. If you had unlimited funding and could create any music video, what would it be? Any funding, anywhere anything. 

Gosh, that is maybe the best question, but hardest question ever. Ok here's the thing. With unlimited, which sounds like a dream, I would really love to make a horror music video film. I've always loved when people do videos for all their songs on the album if tangible. Because I think it's still so important to make people visualize who you are as an artist. Everything is so digital now…there needs to be this kind of place where, like I told you earlier, I can trust this artist. 

Yeah, yeah, and your music is so bright and energetic and enthusiastic that that would be such a cool juxtaposition. I mean, you're one of the artists that inspired me in that way because we're all being told at all times, “just make a TikTok, just do short form.” And you're one of the artists that for the past 4 years or so that I followed you, you've always consistently had amazing visuals. Again, you are bigger than your music. 

Wow…thank you. 

I wouldn't have guessed that you were literally just doing this with your childhood friends…to me, it was like a whole production, but it was a story and it is so clear. And also to anybody listening – and I have to remind myself this all the time – you're never as confusing as you are in your own head. 

Right, right. But when you're internalizing it yourself, you're like, is this supposed to work?

I'm like, would Gwen Stefani cuss in an interview? You know, it's like, bitch, you have to just do whatever you would do! 

Yeah, exactly. First of all, I really appreciate that. That means a lot to me because…I'm such a visual person and I think, like I said, I was so frustrated that people weren't really connecting with the music…I wish there were people who appreciated them and kind of gave them more life. But at the end of the day, you know, the numbers never stopped me from continuing to go. If I was affected by numbers, I would have literally been done 10 years ago, you know? 

But there was just something that kept pushing, kept pushing. And that, I think, is the beauty of the art of it. The people who just continue to push eventually break through. Like you have to be over the top. You have to be so annoying. 

And that's another thing [I’d tell] my younger self…I think I tried so hard to make sure I was making stuff that everybody was gonna like or this person was gonna DJ, but...it got me nowhere. And no one cared. So...now I'm in this phase where I really fucking don't care. You will hit that breaking point. By the way, I think you've had a really good success with that, even with this new record. It's like you hit that break. It shows because look at everything that's happening for you, you know? 

The best revelation is when you actually are like, I know it's best for me and I don't give a single fuck about anything else. I feel it from you too. I can feel you like getting out of your cocoon with that right now because I know you've trusted yourself for a long time. Your music has consistently gotten better. Your visuals have gotten better. Your ideas have gone better and, you know, your styling and everything. And you can tell. 

Yeah. It's opening up. And it's just started, you know, 10 years in. 

[Laughter] Okay, let's do a lightning round. I mean, I know this answer, but stage wear: extra flare or basic fit? 

Extra flare. 

Pre-show rituals: solo or with a band? 

I love company. Bring the band, and a beer. 

Yeah, you do love a beer. Songwriting: day or night? [Laughter] I know this one too!

Yeah, I'm a nighttime. Lately, though, I've been ripping the daytime. I've honestly been all day all night. Because now there's pressure. 

There's pressure and there's also snowball. Like, there's nothing more exciting to an artist than a snowball. All right, alternate reality career? 

Um, head coach for an NFL team. 

Ooh, I like that!

[Laughter] 

I'm like, dude, I'd be a Soul Cycle instructor. I’d be like “Come on, come through, focus.” I might be that girl. I'd be running, you know – 

Just you in a cookie monster fit [Laughter] 

Let's go, ladies. Literally! I'm like, with a big gulp at the top. Okay, last question. What do you want to remember about right now in a year from today? About this moment and your mindset and thought process in this exact moment that you're in in your career? 

It's a very simple, maybe stupid answer. I'll say just take a breath. You know? Just like, relax for a sec. Because you get so worked up and you're constantly like spinning, spinning, spinning. And there's really only so much you can control but yourself. It's just kind of like, “hey, you know what? Enjoy it.” Because a couple weeks ago, nobody was paying attention. 

Yeah, well Seb you're the best, dude. 

I'm your biggest fan and it is such a pleasure to do this. What a great, what a great forum to do it too. Thank you guys so much for having me. 

Thank you guys for having us!!