Lara Lark: The Real Ethereal Musician

It has never ceased to amaze me to know that there are published authors and albums published in local shops in my area. It is remarkable to see someone go through with their dream to be a creator. It’s remarkable to me because I’ve always known about music through the radio and TV. Someone who has gotten to a global effect, but I gotta tell you the most powerful thing is seeing someone’s accomplishments on the shelf to be discovered before it takes off. This artist I have listened to talked to and had the opportunity to spread the word of her enchanting, ethereal sounds. I’m grateful that I got the chance to talk into reach out to this musician before she gets famous because I do not doubt that the singer is going places.

Lara Lark is a musician of two albums: Seeking Paradise and In The Flow with another album of classic Rock with the new release of her cover of Bruce Springsteen's I'm On Fire. More will be talked about about her newest venture at the end of this article.

The Discovery Of Lark

I'm always up for new artists to listen to as I am still expanding my library of music to listen to. But Lara Lark's songs are unlike anything I've ever heard. It struck me right in my solar plexus.

One day, I was shopping at the crystal and rock shop in my state of Virginia called Sticks, Stone, and Bone. Every time I walk in there, the most beautiful ethereal music plays but this feels more than just ambiance music. It was like that moment in the Shawshank redemption roll the prisoners looked up to enjoy the beautiful music playing from the loudspeaker. I felt cleansed upon hearing these songs while I was shopping, I asked the owner about the music to find out who the artist was and that the shopkeeper knew the artist. The next time I went in, the shopkeeper gave me a copy only on the promise that I give a review.

I listened to about three times. And then I came home and it became a part of my writing routine, my yoga, my meditation, my personal YouTube music playlist, and my road trip music.

With the people that know me in real life, they know that I’m a woman of my word, I immediately went to my purse and got the name that Shelli, the shopkeeper wrote down for me and I contacted Lark to thank her for her the songs that she created. Not only did I contact Lark, but I also went back to the shop and told Shelly that I loved the album. The thing about Shelli is she’s one of those people that you want to have when you’re a musician, she always plays Lark’s album Seeking Paradise in the shop and always has a display at the cashier desk. If it wasn’t for Shelli I wouldn’t of known about Lark.

I’ve never had a selection of songs that felt like an entirely different vibe every time and didn’t have much singing so you could enjoy the music more.

I contacted the musician of the album, and I gave her my praises for how much I enjoyed the album. I geeked out when she messaged me back, I’ve never had that experience of an artist I love conversing with me and I felt so honored and humbled that I got to talk to the person of the album I love.

When I traveled back to Sticks, Stone, and Bones, I chatted with the shopkeeper, Shelli, who always informed me how Lark was doing with her creation. Anytime I came to Sticks, Stones, and Bones, I consistently asked Shelli if Lark was gonna be putting out any other albums. And I was always told that she’s currently working on the next album.

When I finally got the chance to get her second album, In The Flow, I couldn’t wait to listen to it. Like many musicians, It still has the signature sound but with different tones and themes.

The wonderful enchantment in Lara Lark's songs, is the songs have an individual identity, so I can flip to any song for how I'm feeling. If I just wanna get lost I listen to Pensive, if I want to be immersed into meditation, I listen to Paradise.

This album upholds its namesake by being called Seeking Paradise. this album is exactly what you would want to hear when you need peace, comfort,

An Interview with Lara Lark

I saved the best for last.

In the process of writing this article, I contacted Miss Lark once again and informed her about this article, and I gave her some interview questions.

Q1: How early in your life did music start to make more of a prominent place in your life?

I only just started back up about 3 years ago.

I was headed for LA after high school but life took a turn and it set me down a different path for 10 years.

I had the opportunity of any dream for any musician.

I scored a gig to work with a hotshot producer out there who found me on YouTube when YouTube had just started. At one point I think was one of the 6 most-watched people on YouTube. That’s not saying too much as it was still so small. Man, if I had kept up with my channel God knows where I’d be!🤦🏻‍♀️😆

The producer and his wife (songwriter) flew me and my friend (videographer/manager-ish) out to audition for an album she’d written. They told me to go home, settle up my life here, lose 10lbs and stop tanning. 🫤.

In my efforts to lose weight I met my husband. He was a friend and he knew how to work out so he started training me and the rest was history. I stuffed away my dreams for 10 years trying to trying to fill that void by choosing a new kind of spotlight as a fitness icon and creating fitness videos by creating fitness video programs that I wanted to reach the masses with. but that ended when I found yoga and wanted to then become a “rockstar yogi” who makes popular videos, travels to teach workshops and gets articles in yoga journal, and asked teach at conferences and festivals. The videos were always the thing I wanted to do most But the biggest hang-up with that was having good quality royalty-free music to play in the background. Music was what fueled my classes. It’s what my classes were known for. I taught each class as though it was choreographed even tho it was always freestyle. But I couldn’t pull it off without a well-crafted playlist of all my favorite electronic chillout songs. One day I was walking into Chipotle and a man stopped me to ask about my truck. It had a business wrap on it and he said he’d been meaning to check it out so he said, “ here, while we stand in line let’s do a little shameless self-advertising.

Turns out he was an electronic chillout musician whose music already appeared in several of my yoga playlists! It was truly divine intervention. He told me I could use his music for my videos!

I went home and realized I maybe I should mention I’m a singer🤔.

I sent him one of my old videos from YouTube. He wrote me back and said…”ya know, usually when people send me their music it gets real awkward real fast…but damn…let’s keep talking.

I realized…hey, I’m musical…maybe I can do this myself. This way I’ll get exactly what I want out of a class just like my well-crafted playlists.

For two years he guided me to figure out what tools I need to get started making my own music and be self-reliant.

And that brought me to where I am now.

Q2: Where is your favorite place to write music?

In my home studio. I’ve truly become a hermit. I love being in my space and having the freedom to do what I need to do to get in the best headspace to create.

My husband and I travel van-life style and I also get inspired when I’m in nature so I’m always sure to bring some producing essentials with me.

Q3: What is the one song from your entire discography that people still tell you that they love?

That’s a tough one. Both albums are experiential so I’m usually told they enjoy the whole album. If I had to pick I’d say from the first album-To Montezuma and Canyon Spirits, and from the second-Memory and The Silence Hurts both sets neck and neck.

Q4: Is there a song that you had a lot of difficulty that you didn’t expect to have?

Yes, Call of the Wild took forever. I considered trashing it so many times. The Silence Hurts was also a challenge.

Q5: If you don’t mind sharing, what is your musical process like?

My creative process doesn’t always look the same. With the last two albums, I had an intention to make them fit into a class or provide an experience. So I put myself in the shoes of the listener and wrote what I would wanna hear in that moment. I always had to practice yoga to each song to make sure it fit. When it did I knew it was right.

Q6: What musical artists inspire you?

During the time of my last two albums I was mostly inspired y artists like Tycho, Ryan Farish, Odesza, and Enya.

My latest music is inspired by Pink Floyd, Fleetwood Mac, Odeszza, Lord Huron, and my own style.

Q7: How do you deal with creative burnout?

Creative burnout sucks. All we as musicians want is to be uninterrupted. We just wanna keep making music non-stop for the rest of our lives.

The burnout usually comes after a big release. Which is why I’m happy to now be releasing singles now so I can keep the momentum going. I really don’t experience it much anymore but after my last two albums, I fell into deep depressions that took a lot of work to get out of. Thank God for my yoga and spiritual practices otherwise I wouldn’t have gotten through it. Which is why I believe wholeheartedly that God took me off the path I was on at 19 so that I could gain the wisdom I have now to make it in this industry, rather than be worked to death and turn to drugs and alcohol to cope like so many pop-stars have done and I certainly would have since I have a history of substance abuse.

Q8: This is just a personal question, but what’s your favorite crystal and rock if you have one?

It’s hard to give you just one. My favorite crystals are chrysocolla, labradorite, shungite, tanzanite, garnet, citrine, moldavite, and Lapis Lazuli. I wear all of these stones all the time unless I’m dancing. chrysocolla and Lapis are probably my go-to though. The choker I don’t take off is chrysocolla and the Mala I charge the elements with is lapis.

How To Find Out More About Lara Lark

I asked Miss Lark how she would like to be contacted and you can find her on these outlets of social media.

➡️Instagram & YouTube

I mentioned at the beginning of this article that Lark's recent album she’s working on is going to be bringing a blast from the past. Recreating a psychedelic chill vibe to the classic rock hits, she put it best when she explained it like this

In the 60’s and 70’s there was a great awakening in our society and music played a monumental role in that. I believe we are at the brink of another spiritual awakening today and I want to reintroduce these epic masterpieces back into todays society by putting my own spin on them to offer a new but nostalgic experience for todays listener. These songs and their message are timeless and in an effort to reach the ears of the digital age, I think a modern production will help. I don’t think music will ever be as good as it was than during the era of The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Simon and Garfunkel, etc…so I’d like to try a renewed and remastered attempt at reaching my audience with the help of these rock legends. “Rock and Roll will never die”✌🏻

Upon hearing this excerpt about her upcoming album my ears are tingling with excitement.

This was an honor to get to spread the word about this wonderful woman and all of her soothing sounds. I look forward to the future of her musical accomplishments, my ears have been blessed by her amazing music.