INTRO BY SERA SNYDER
INTERVIEW BY CAMI LIBERTY
PHOTO COURTESY OF LHASA PETIK
Jazz and R&B influenced singer-songwriter, Lhasa Petik, has used her classical violin training to create her own unique sound, and in 2014 she began playing guitar and writing her own songs as a coping method for the hardships in her life. Her debut song “Fading” dropped on May 25th, and can now be streamed on Spotify and Apple Music. She has plans to release an album through Electric Bird Records in the near future.
When was the moment that you decided you wanted to be a musician?
"There have been many moments throughout my life where I have been inspired by music on an incredibly deep level. But there have also been times where I have questioned everything and thought about focusing my energy elsewhere. I don’t think it’s the music itself necessarily that motivated me to continue on, but rather the passionate individuals that I studied with on a wide array of instruments. There was never a definitive moment where I decided I wanted to do music. Rather, it’s a decision that I choose to make on a daily basis."
Who are some of your musical influences?
"I have never been one to listen to much music, simply because it was such a big part of my life. I actually began to cherish silence and almost resent sound, since music started to seem like a full time job. Between teaching violin and guitar, participating in multiple groups and writing my own music, I was surrounded by noise. However, in recent months I have spent a lot of time listening to Lorde, and taking a lot of inspiration from 'Melodrama.' But overall my biggest influences have been my parents, music teachers, and people like Hudson Lee [producer] who share the same passion for music as myself."
You just released your debut single, “Fading”. Can you tell us a little about the song and the inspiration behind it?
"'Fading' actually was one of the first songs that I ever wrote, and it quickly became one of my least favorites to perform. It wasn’t because I don’t like it, but because it shows a lot of vulnerability. 'Fading' exposes a part of myself where I’m not the independent individual that I want to be, but rather a fragile girl who needs someone to pick her up and help her heal."
Why did you choose “Fading” as your first single?
"Honestly, it wasn’t exactly my decision at first. I just kind of asked Hudson which one he wanted to work on first, and his first choice, (much to my dismay) was 'Fading.' I am definitely much more content with that choice now, and I’m stoked to finally put it out there."
We also heard that you are working on an album – is there anything you can tell us about it so far? What can we expect from it?
"I am currently working on my first album, which pretty much tells the story of my high school life. A lot of the songs on it were written years ago, and just recently revised to tell a bit of an updated version of my first loves, first heartbreaks, and first parties. Throughout my high school years, I had the incredible privilege of traveling to Australia, Africa and Europe, so I hope to incorporate sounds inspired by my travels to hopefully create a unique but still relatable album. I also plan on taking a lot of influence from classical composers like Tchaikovsky and Beethoven, to give a bit of credit to what initially inspired me to start music."
What are some goals that you hope to achieve as a musician?
"Overall, I want to create complex music that has more to it than meets the eye. I want to challenge listeners in a way that encourages them to think. Rather than having a lot going on, I hope to juxtapose different songs against each other both musically and lyrically, to symbolize the contrast in life. But my biggest goal is to improve every day, by pushing myself to express all the passion that I have, as well as learning from all the incredibly talented musicians that I work with. Luckily I have a Hudson as my partner, collaborator and cheerleader, and I especially look forward to exploring where music takes us together."
Aside from the album, is there anything else we can expect from you soon?
"Obviously my album is first on the radar right now, but I’m a lot more excited about my next project, which is creating a non-profit organization called the 'Melodic Minds Project.' Its goal is to promote mental health for at-risk youth through music and other arts. This idea came to fruition when there was a state of emergency called in a community because of the high suicide rate. Perhaps most alarming and shocking was the suicide of a 12 year old girl. Often rural communities have no extra-curricular activities to give these children the opportunity to have hobbies. Although music won’t magically give individuals the will to live, the hope is that it will give these kids a creative outlet to let out their emotions, both positive and negative. Shoot MelodicMindsProject a follow on instagram at, instagram.com/melodicmindsproject to stay updated as this idea becomes a reality."