mini bear
Genre: Electronic
Origin: United States
As a producer /DJ/ vocalist / composer, LA native Lauren Kop has cultivated a vivid musical aesthetic, gaining respected roles within her community such as mentor and emerging talent. Blending musical styles and drawing inspiration from 80s, Y2K pop, funk, and dance influences, Lauren has written, produced, and released multiple EPs and a full length album under the artist name mini bear. Passionate about community building and helping to create opportunities and representation for folks of marginalized genders as producers, she’s taught music production with FEMME HOUSE, Girl’s Rock Camp, and IO Music Academy. An avid Abeton Live user and synth maven, she has collaborated with Moog and Ableton. With years of experience and dedication to mastery of Ableton and music production, her passion for sharing her expertise and empowering female producers has led her to teaching Ableton classes and workshops that focus on maximizing your creative potential through technology.
After majoring in music and studying classical voice at SDSU in San Diego, Lauren returned to Los Angeles and became interested in 80s analog synths and drum machines. Teaching herself the art of synthesis and drum programming, she began producing and composing with her computer in her bedroom. She has created a detailed and vibrant aesthetic, and in the process has become passionate about building marginalized communities who are given the resources to grow their music production knowledge. Over the span of five years, mini bear has evolved her live show into a dynamic performance that evokes emotive and carefree fantasy. She has been featured at events such as KCRW Summer Nights and has performed at some of Los Angeles’ notable venues such as The Echo and Moroccan Lounge.
mini bear released her EP Mind Control in the fall of 2016. Her featured single “Clique” was described by Grimy Goods as “dark electronic flavor doused in analog synth and vibrant breakbeats. It has the ability to sound nostalgic, whilst effervescing with a sharp futuristic tone.” She followed this up in 2018 with her single “cyberlove”, and it is described by Kevin Bronson of Buzzbands as “a laser-guided bounce through the foibles of making real connections in a time where our gaze is fixed on screens more than human beings.” 2018-2020 was a time of deep discovery and intense revelations regarding sexuality and sense of self, and she has a collection of songs that have emerged from her journey that they plan to release in 2022.
