Artist Name: Jenni Smith

Release Name - Laugh Louder

Release Date - Friday 21st February 2025

Genre - Country Pop, Pop

Tamaki Makaurau-based pop-country singer-songwriter Jenni Smith reveals her new song ‘Laugh Louder’, a sassy, sunshine track about leaving toxic relationships behind and finding personal joy and freedom again. The perfect new year song, ‘Laugh Louder’ beautifully sums up letting go of the old and moving on to have a fun-filled fresh, new start.

‘Laugh Louder’ is a celebratory break-up song, revelling in the fact that leaving someone doesn’t always end in heartbreak, but can lead to a rediscovery of freedom and sense of self, and the knowledge that life can get better because sometimes the grass really is greener on the other side!

Jenni says: “’Laugh Louder’ is written about my personal experience of leaving a relationship with a toxic person, someone who wanted to dull my light. When I left the relationship I thought I should feel sad but instead I felt free and like I could finally be every part of who I am. Writing this song was the most therapeutic thing ever. I started out writing a brassy, revenge song but I ended up writing a light-hearted song about leaving negativity behind and moving forward to enjoy my freedom.”

Written by Jenni with the help of her friend Agustina Rivas, Laugh Louder’ was recorded, produced, and mixed by Jenni’s regular collaborators: renowned engineer/producer Scott Seabright (Mumford and Sons, Broods, Six60), musician Neo Aiono-Fukushima, and mastered by Chris Shetland of KOG Studio. The track is also accompanied by a charming video directed by Connor Magatogia, with cinematographer Riley Aitken, and co-starring Nikolai Pasichnik.

“I started writing this song, completed a verse and a half, then got stuck. I called my friend Agustina and she helped me finish the song. She encouraged me to embrace my sassy side and let the anger I had about the relationship show in the song. And I’ve worked with Scott and Neo together on many projects - they are the dream team. Their ideas helped give this song the uplifting sound it needed.”, says Jenni.

The 24-year-old singer-songwriter happily embodies the girl-next-door trope with her romantic, personal song-writing style being a perfect match for the pop-country genre. Jenni lives and breathes music, and since joining New Zealand’s vibrant country music scene at the age of 12, she can lay claim to a couple of notable achievements: taking out Songwriter of the Year at the 2018 NZCMA Entertainer of the Year Awards, and 2024’s song ‘T-Shirt’ landing at #3 on the Official NZ Singles Chart.

There's something for everyone in Jenni's country- influenced writing; whether you want a hoedown, to cry for hours, get sassy, or confess love, you can bet she's got a song for it! Jenni will be touring nationwide this July, so keep your eyes peeled and ears to the ground for tour dates and catch this uniquely talented young singer live.

Stream ‘Laugh Louder’ here and check out the video below!

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