ICYMI: #WomanCrushWednesday IG Live featuring Lisa St. Lou

BY LAURA HARPER/WWR Staff Writer

With a powerful voice and a background in both opera and musical theater, few can say they have fully embraced their musical calling quite as completely as Lisa St. Lou.

St. Lou had her first exposure to singing gospel and blues at a young age when she would perform in the choir at her grandmother’s church. At the time, she had no idea that her career would one day revolve around that very genre.

Early in her career, St. Lou travelled between Missouri, Boston, and New York to study different music styles, leading to her earning her master’s degree in opera. However, she soon learned that opera was not a good fit for her.

“It was not music that I felt passionate about,” St. Lou said. “I wanted to do it all.”

Eventually, St. Lou rediscovered her passion for blues music and has since launched her career in a new direction with a music style that fits her powerful, lyrical voice. In fact, she came to the realization that blues was a natural fit; in high school, she used to create and perform religious songs set to Mariah Carey karaoke tracks.

“I never sought out blues, it was just always there for me,” St. Lou said.

Recently, St. Lou released an album called Ain’t No Good Man. She performed the title track of this album during the interview alongside her partner on piano, a song that was inspired by the concept of girls in fairytales always seeking a “good man.” This inspiration would eventually extend even further to set the mood for the rest of the album.

“Something happened with this album,” St. Lou said. “I don’t feel like I need people to like me anymore.”

Instead, St. Lou is focused on finding happiness within herself and embracing all that she is. Mostly, she wants to be a role model for her kids; being in her 40s, she wants to show her children that she never stopped pursuing her passions.

As she has progressed in her career, St. Lou says she has learned to focus less on trivial matters such as her age and focus more on trusting her gut instinct and continuing to do what she loves.

“I can’t see myself doing anything else,” St. Lou said. “My goal has always been to create and express.”

Although the release of her album was pushed back a year due to the COVID-19 global pandemic, St. Lou says she is finally excited to have it out to the world and is currently in the process of planning a few small local shows at outdoor venues.

In addition to a few live performances, St. Lou also intends to release a series of twelve music videos over the coming months, one for each track on the album. Three of those videos have already been released and posted on her YouTube channel.

“Talking is one thing, but actually showing up and doing something is completely different,” St. Lou said.

For more on Lisa St. Lou, you can check out the entire interview on the @OfficialWomenWhoRock IGTV channel on Instagram.