A connoisseur of mixing glimmer and grit, LALKA will lure you in with her stark vocals and bewitching visuals. Originally trained as a classical musician, she grew tired of performing the music of dead white men and began to explore her own artistic ability. Now a musician, songwriter, director and producer in her own right, LALKA is carving her own space in the Brisbane music scene.
LALKA’s earliest musical memory consists of her performing at a piano competition in a frilly yellow dress at just 5 years old. She speaks fondly of dressing up and insisting her au pair watch her sing and dance. Since then, she has gone on to be influenced by likes of FKA Twigs, Grimes, and Banks whilst simultaneously creating her own unique brand of electronic beats.
“The main challenge I’ve had to overcome as an emerging artist is to get over my own insecurities and to trust my own creative intuitions. Having spent so many years in the academic classical music world where the culture is very white, very male-centric and hypercritical, I had to learn to manage self-doubt and find my own identity as an artist,” she said.
LALKA is self-taught in music production and uses piano to frame her song’s compositions. Combined with her interest in sampling random sounds around her house, her skill set allows her to call on a broad sonic palette when creating new music.
Her debut single Dare You To Love Me, is inspired by President Trump’s travel ban on several Muslim-majority countries to the US. Described as a dystopian pop track, her music and lyrics deliver an honest and emotional message.
“I didn’t set out to be a “political” artist – my goal is to create music that is gratifying in a way that people can experience viscerally – but I also want to write (lyrically) about things that matter to me.”
The music video for Dare You To Love Me seems to be the perfect introduction to LALKA. Self-directed and edited, she uses a variety of aesthetics to enhance the song. Rather than presenting a traditional story-line, LALKA conveys an attitude and vibe to enchant her audience.
After experiencing an outpouring of positive feedback, she’s now gearing up to release her second single whilst continuing to work on other songs.
Unafraid to stand out from a crowd, LALKA is certainly an artist you’ll want to keep your eyes on.
DARE YOU TO LOVE ME – LALKA
