About Me





Hello! My name is Lauren. I'm a member of indie band Brand New Friend, and I'm also a freelance journalist working across radio, print and online. When I'm not making music, I am probably writing about it. I'm currently a funded PhD candidate at Ulster University, researching online music fandom and the cultural politics of pop culture.

I'm a regular contributor to Dig With It magazine, an independent magazine based in Northern Ireland. I also work with BBC Introducing Northern Ireland on Gemma Bradley's ATL Introducing show. I create radio packages exploring social issues, youth culture and the arts, and I have interviewed artists including Snow Patrol, Black Country, New Road and YONAKA. I have an MA in Media and Broadcast Production from Queen's University, Belfast and I am the host of the Degree Abroad Podcast. 

I love playing with words and sounds and have experience in researching, writing, presenting, proofreading, audio editing, interviewing and journalistic reporting. I'm always looking for new projects to work on, so if you would like to collaborate, please get in touch at laurenstewartjohnson@gmail.com.