Erin McLaughlin is a local singer and songwriter also known as the fearless Ruby Force. Her music is modern and fresh, encompassing sounds of traditional country and folk with an indie rock twist.
McLaughlin discovered her love for music during her childhood. Though her mother says she has been singing for as long as she could remember, the young musician began to sing properly with her church when she was around seven-years-old.
With the support of her church choir, McLaughlin learned harmonies and melodies and gained insight and wisdom for the first time. Experiencing music through her church confirmed her desire to continue performing, which led to getting her first guitar and teaching herself to play.
“I asked anyone and everyone who could show me basic guitar chords to teach me something new on the guitar. One of my friends gave me my first Epiphone made by Gibson, and I always had rhythm, that was one of the first things he noticed when he put the guitar in my hand,” McLaughlin said.
From that point on, McLaughlin felt all there was left to do was gain the life experiences needed to have something real to write about.
“I went through a series of family loss, so I finally had something to write about, and I never looked back,” McLaughlin said.
Last year, McLaughlin released her first album, “Evolutionary War,” under the persona Ruby Force. The album debuted in late June and was listed on Rolling Stone magazine’s 10 Artists You Need to Know: June 2017.
The album was created over a span of six years and features a variety of songs, inspired by different aspects of McLaughlin’s life. This is where its title “Evolutionary War” comes from. She describes the “evolution” of the album as all the changes and mixing applied to her songs over the years, and the “war” as an ode to her dedication in creating the album, as well as the obstacles she went through to bring it to life.
“The closer you get, the more resistance it feels like there is sometimes. So, you need that fighting spirit, for sure, to make a work of art,” McLaughlin said.
There is no doubt that this same spirit is what sparks her fire on stage as the insatiable Ruby Force, McLaughlin’s stage persona. The beauty of Ruby Force, aside from the general coolness of the name, is that she provides McLaughlin with a place to be vulnerable without judgment.
“She cannot do anything wrong. She just expresses herself. Whereas Erin has to live up to a lot of expectations,” McLaughlin explained.
Ruby Force is Erin McLaughlin, free from inhibitions and expectations. She is only responsible for one thing: expressing herself through music, which in turn allows her to deliver an exciting rock star performance.
“She is me, and she is a rock star,” McLaughlin said.
Currently, Ruby Force continues to play shows in the Los Angeles area and plans to keep creating new music and recording in the future. To listen to her music and find out about upcoming shows, visit her website at rubyforcemusic.com or find her on social media under Ruby Force.
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