Making A Hit: Oden & Fatzo's 'Lauren'

French house trio Oden & Fatzo have seen a surge in their fanbase in the last few years. It’s partially due to their vibrant mix of house and disco grooves, partially due to their wacky, cosmic aesthetic, and partially due to their biggest hit to date, “Lauren (I Can’t Stay Forever).”

The hit track gives a dancefloor-ready jolt to the admired dream-pop track, “Lauren” by Men I Trust, released originally in 2017. Oden & Fatzo kept the song’s signature bass line and subdued vocals but upped the tempo to a rocking 128 BPM. The track has reached over 30 million streams on Spotify to date and received epic remixes by Claptone and the late Jamie Roy.

According to Fatzo, the track was born from his desire to show his dad the difference between an edit and a remix. So he took a song from his ex-girlfriend’s favorite band, Men I Trust, and added a drum beat and violin. When he showed it to Oden, they immediately loved it and added their flair to the track.

They originally uploaded a bootleg version to YouTube via electronic label Novaj 新し. To date, it’s amassed over eight million views. Its viral success prompted listeners to beg for a commercial release, and it’s easy to see why. Warm, sun-drenched synths flow seamlessly over a super-tight drum beat. Soft vocals seem to give a name to that impermanent euphoria of a great night out, “’cause I can’t stay forever.”

Internet sleuths may notice that the original bootleg gem is slightly different than the official version Oden & Fatzo released in 2021. The trio couldn’t release the original edit due to copyright clearance issues, so they replayed the instrumentals, sourced a similar-sounding vocalist, and spent more than a month in the studio fine-tuning the track. “We wanted people listening on streaming platforms to get us close to the original edit as possible,” they said.

For Oden & Fatzo, “Lauren” is all about hope, freedom, and a party atmosphere, providing an escape for listeners during the pandemic lockdowns. The track has become a fan favorite at their live shows, with audiences singing along to every word.

Despite the past year’s challenges, Oden & Fatzo have continued to perform at gigs worldwide, sharing the vibe of their music with new audiences. “Lauren” has brought them to the attention of a broader fan base, but they remain committed to their funky, cosmic sound that always seems to resonate with listeners on earth.