Women We Love: Laura Osnes

''Laura is a woman that walks into a room and takes your breath away. She is imbued with feminine grace and beauty, and gifted with the voice of an angel. 

When Laura so generously sang the Aladdin song “A whole new world” at our NYC boutique opening in 2016, her voice rang as clear as a bell, the purity of which filled our hearts and created such silence in the room as no one dared miss a moment. 

Laura is a woman who is living her life to its fullest, who understand the gifts that she has been given in her beauty and talent, and has courageously carved out her unique way of expressing this in the world. 

I love her sense of integrity in all that she does, from little hand-written thank you notes, to her delightful joy that she expresses from moment to moment. It is purely contagious…and if there ever was a real-life Disney princess – this is it!!! 

I am honored to present Laura, in our series of “Woman We Love” … as a woman that I find deeply inspiring and a muse for my creations.

With love, CD X''

Our interview with Laura:

What inspires you and gives you strength?

In my personal life, my faith and my family have always provided strength and hope for me. I am so grateful for an encouraging support system through the highs and lows of life, along with the grounded belief in the Lord. 

There are also several inspirations I’ve had professionally, including Julie Andrews, Susan Egan, Shirley Jones, Kelli O’Hara, Lea Solonga, Victoria Clark, Rebecca Luker, and Sutton Foster!

Do you remember your first acting performance?

I absolutely remember my first performance. Besides singing in my kindergarten talent show, my first role was playing a munchkin in the community theater’s production of The Wizard of Oz. My mom made my costume; I had no feature lines or solos, but I loved it. And I remember looking up to Dorothy and thinking, “I want to play her some day!” (And I did, twice!)

Do you have any rituals before you go on stage?

My routine is different for every show. I don’t actually have any superstitious, must-do rituals, but I like to warm up my voice, stretch a bit, and visit my cast mates before a show starts.

What is the best way to De-stress?

Honestly, a night in watching tv or a movie on the couch with my hubby and pup. A night in together is rare for us, so we take them when we can!!

If you had one superpower, what would it be?

Flying would be so dreamy! I got to play Peter Pan once and even getting to fly on wires made me wish I could do it all the time! However, the practical side of me wishes for “supernatural health” so I could scream on roller coasters or have a drink at a party and still be able to sing and do my job. Not having to worry about getting a sore throat, hoarse voice, or broken bone again would relieve a lot of pressure in my life, haha!

What advice would you give to women in 2018? 

My hope for this generation of women is a deeply rooted sense of confidence in who they are and the gifts they’ve been given. As women, we constantly compare ourselves, seek validation, put value in meaningless things, dwell on imperfections, and drown in insecurities. I would advise women to be proud of their own unique talents & beauty, learning to respect and stand up for themselves, while also fiercely taking care of each other.

 What is the perfect way to start and end your day?

I’m not always the most consistent at this, but I believe the best way to start the day is a little devotional or prayer time. I’ll get some coffee and take a moment to be quiet, gain perspective on what’s important, and get my mind and heart in the right space to take on each new day. It’s almost the same for the end of the day — After watching that movie with hubby and pup (if we’re lucky!), I take a moment of gratitude to count my blessings before bedtime.

How do you overcome fear?

Again, my faith helps ground me in offering a hopeful perspective — God is greater than my current problem. I also try to listen to and trust that little voice inside... your heart, your gut, whatever you want to call it... that voice usually leads you the right way in the midst of fear.

What does success mean to you?

“Success” can have so many implications, but to me it boils down to being able to make a living doing what you love. Even better if you can make a difference doing it with people you love in a place that you love.

What has been your greatest achievement?

In the midst of some wonderful career successes and dreams come true, I am proudest of saying “yes” to my incredible husband, Nathan, and making it through 10-years of marriage already! :)