The sky is not the limit for Lala the creative director
Published:Friday | August 12, 2022 | 7:33 AMKerese Oakley-Williams / Gleaner Intern
“I believe in no limitation.” These are the words of 23-year-old content creator and creative director Lauren Tomlinson, also known as ‘Lala the CD’.
Tomlinson was born and raised in Ocho Rios, where she was introduced to the cosmos of natural and authentic creativity.
With a deep desire to explore and see the world, she decided to take an unconventional route in her studies and pursue a four-month academic voyage with Semester at Sea, where she was exposed to cultural perspectives that further helped to develop her love for the creative arts.
Back home on Jamaican soil, she began working with corporate companies and hotels on their creative direction. “I did work in videography, photography, and my true passion, creative directory,” she stated. Thus, ‘Lala the Creative Director’ was born from her sincere desire to express her creativity, whilst working on diverse projects.
Recently, she was awarded academic scholarships to attend The Savannah College of Art and Design in Georgia. Here, she hopes to continue to develop her passion for branding and advertising in the direction of art creation.
While in school, she has been simultaneously working with local artistes and fashion brands to help create beautifully arranged content. The world traveller strives to work in the field of directing music videos, as she has a deep appreciation for the art. “Music has such an impact on our world on a broader spectrum,” says Tomlinson.
“I creatively directed the single, ‘Lonely’. I directed the album cover and I creatively directed the music video,” she says of the recent work she has done with the artiste Zac Jone$ for his social pages and musical content. In addition, she has been working with the Mina Robertson fashion brand Haveli to direct their content.
Inspired by her many cultural experiences in countries such as Ghana, The Bahamas, Croatia, Spain, and France, the world traveller strives to use her exposure as inspiration. “I reflect upon things that I have seen in my travel, and I try to recreate it.” Tomlinson believes that her encounters have contributed to her assembly of creative ideas. She urges young people to aim to travel the world and experience new cultures and lifestyles. “Travelling also builds up a certain resilience in you when you face problems,” she adds.
With hopes of leaving a legacy in the hearts of the youth in Jamaica, she urges her generation not to limit themselves, but to venture out into the creative industry. “We are all creative in our way and sometimes that creativity is put into a box.”
She wishes to inspire people to see the world as their classroom. “I wish to spread the culture worldwide,” said a cheerful Tomlinson.
With hopes of branching out and developing her photography skills and international clientele, which includes Burner Boy, Tomlinson concluded,“I want to be a world-renowned photographer, particularly in music.”