You started considering a music career after a night of karaoke with friends. Do you remember what you sang?

For so long I was just singing karaoke with friends at dive bars, loving it but never taking it seriously. But when I finally was encouraged to give the singing thing a real shot, I was singing Allen Stone’s “What I’ve Seen.”

Your music has such an uplifting vibe and you’ve spoken about music being a source of comfort and happiness for you since you were young. Do you find music healing?

Healing is one of the many things music can do for people. It brings people together, it helps us get through the best and worst of life, and science has even proven that singing releases oxytocin, which is also called “the bonding hormone,” so yes, I definitely believe music heals.

I love that Lady Lark has multiple meanings – lark as a bird or lark as something you do on a whim. How did you come up with that name? 

When I first started this project as the lead singer, the guys I was playing with and I were working with the name, “Ladies of the Night” — playing with a little irony given I was the only female in the group, and that we weren’t actually ladies of the night. So when we decided to shift our project to a single artist format, we began working off the original band name. Lady Lark was the one that stuck, not only because it made me feel powerful, but it made so much sense given the music I’m singing, the attitude behind the project, and the fact that it’s all about doing something that is fun, adventurous, and feels daring at times. The irony behind my name now is that I’m actually terrified of birds.

You put a lot of thought into your visual presentation as well as the music. Has that always been important to you as a performer?

The visual aspect of my performance has been an evolving element, but it was always something I was mindful of. From the way I dress on stage to the outfits the band wears to the music visuals I’ve made, it’s all about feeling good, having fun, and feeling sexy.

You grew up playing saxophone. Do you still play?

I wish! I was the typical teenager who got distracted by other things and stopped playing instruments (sax and piano). My parents were so sweet and supportive of whatever I wanted to do at the time, so they didn’t push me too hard to stick with it. In some ways, I wish they had, or at least wish I had the foresight to see how valuable being a musician would be, but ultimately I have no regrets. And hey, maybe I’ll pick it back up some day.

Which artists are on your desert island list?

There are so many, but just to name some: Lauryn Hill, Janet Jackson, Lizzo, Allen Stone, Roberta Flack, Ben Harper, Brandi Carlisle, Aretha Franklin, H.E.R., Missy Elliott, Stevie Wonder, Whitney Houston, Tupac Shakur.

What’s next for you and your career?

I want to keep making music, keep people dancing, and have a blast while doing it.