Today we’d like to introduce you to LADY E.
LADY E, we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
It all began with my mom. Before I was born, she was playing me music in the womb, and throughout my life, she surrounded me with it. She is a music teacher who taught me to play piano, guitar, flute, clarinet, saxophone, and how to sing. My grandma was always playing records, and my grandpa loved playing piano with me. But in the beginning, my love for sound took a backseat to my first ambition – to one day go to the Olympics as a figure skater. In my early childhood, I trained and competitively skated at Ice Castle International in Lake Arrowhead, while playing music in school bands, orchestra, and choir. However, after an injury in training, my skating ambitions were crushed and our family relocated from California to the east coast – completely turning my world upside down. It was a tumultuous time, but music remained as a constant and was my saving grace.
After high school, I was eager to find my way through the world on my own. I moved out of my mom’s house and relocated to Philadelphia, working multiple jobs to make ends meet. I was a waiter, bartender, caterer, fine-dining server, and a room service attendant, etc. Embracing my inner band-geek, I taught myself about the intricacies of professional audio gear and even did some work in audio gear sales and as a live sound engineer. Yet all of those jobs eventually left me feeling overworked, uninspired, and burned-out. Despite working multiple jobs, I was struggling to pay my bills. I barely had time to sleep and was always on the hunt for another gig – and yet somehow still found the time to go deeper into the exploration of sound. My friends and I were into the underground jungle drum and bass scene, where I was DJ’ing and working as a promoter for the local clubs. I spent hours listening to music, looking for material to incorporate into my sets. Some of my favorite artists at the time were Talib Kweli, Bjork, Norah Jones, LTJ Bukem, and Bebel Gilberto. These artists, in particular, made a huge impression on me because they were not only writing their own songs but producing as well. I wanted to produce, so I decided to take some classes.
Attending the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, the mysteries behind the endless sea of knobs on audio mixing consoles began to be revealed. One of my teachers, Gordon was the chief audio engineer of Sigma Sound and took me under his wing as an apprentice. Gordon taught me about every knob and its function. How to record, mix, splice tape and everything else an aspiring audio engineer at that time would need to know. The journey challenged me, and I began to see that working with sound was my destiny. Unfortunately, all of this magic was happening in the midst of a revolution in the recording industry – everything was shifting from analog to digital. Sigma Studios was shut down and sold, and I was cast adrift without a star to navigate by. My family on the west coast offered the opportunity to relocate, and I had to admit that I missed California. So I sold all of my possessions (except my clothes, turntables, and vinyl records), moved out of my apartment, and drove all-the-way out west.
After arriving in California, I resumed my audio education and enrolled at Musician’s Institute in Hollywood, where I completed the recording engineering program and started a job at Paramount Recording Studios. There, I had the opportunity to work with top talent, on state of the art audio recording gear. I also took a turn into the post-production world as a QC engineer and machine room technician, learning a totally different end of the audio spectrum, mixing sound for movies and television. Around this time, I discovered the amazing world of acupuncture and Eastern medicine. I met an acupuncturist who not only healed the physical pain of repetitive stress injuries but also helped me lower my anxiety and quit smoking. She always played Tibetan bowl CD’s during my treatments, and that is when I noticed something resonating within me – something about these bowls and their sound was speaking to me on a very real and different level, helping me heal and transcend.
But once again, revolution struck to interrupt my blossoming career. This time in the form of the Actor/Writers strikes (2007-08). Unable to keep their staff employed, the company that I worked for went bankrupt, and again, I drifted into the unknown. Although this was an unwelcome interruption to my career, it gave me the opportunity to reflect on my options and opportunities, and I was young enough to not be opposed to taking some chances. So on a whim, I once again sold my possessions, gave up my apartment, and traveled – this time to Europe. I backpacked around Iceland, Denmark, France, Ibiza and worked in Spain, Italy, immersing myself in the people, cultures, and languages of Europe.
I returned a changed person and resolved to dive deeper into traditional Chinese medicine, learning about herbs and QiGong. The world of wellness began to open up my heart and mind, and I took classes on Reiki and energy healing, sound healing, and crystals. But it wasn’t until I was exposed to the particular magic of crystal singing bowls that I received the clearest vision of my path ahead. I was called by the sacred sound of the universe, attending all the sound baths and classes I could find, practicing to refine my technique, and traveling to meet with other practitioners and masters in their temples of sound. I eventually took the leap into independence and started my own business – Divine Sound, crafting my own style of sound healing sessions, where I play crystal bowls, shamanic instruments, and sing songs and mantras. My path has been long and winding, with lots of seemingly wrong turns and dead ends. In hindsight, I can see that where I have arrived now is truly due to the culmination of my prior experiences, applied in ways that I never before could have imagined! Now, my journey continues, guided by the light of inspiration and gratitude I feel to be able to share such a positive and beneficial experience with those willing to come listen with me.
We’d love to hear more about your art. What do you do and why and what do you hope others will take away from your work?
I am a shaman creating art through sacred sound.
My body and voice are a channel and a vessel for spirit to travel through. One of my teachers explained it best saying that I am a conduit for Source, the sound bath I create is not about me as a person, it’s about my connection with the divine and willingness to assist and connect.
Imagine that you are floating in a relaxing bathtub yet instead of it being filled with warm water it is being filled up with soothing sounds that encompass your entire being, creating a feeling of peace and relaxation, a kind of massage for the soul.
During a session, I ask people to sit or lay down comfortably closing their eyes and focusing on their breath, I tiptoe around ever so quietly like a fairy incorporating various chimes and tones guiding my clients into a meditation while I play crystal tones alchemy singing bowls and other instruments such as Gongs, rain sticks, flutes, crystal pyramids, the ocean drum, tongue drums, ohm wands, rattles, Shruti box, harp, etc. while using reiki energy and crystal therapy, unique to each session.
My message is:
Music=Medicine
Sound Heals.
I hope to pause time and create beautiful moments inside of people’s minds through sound.
My greatest wish is that I could offer to others the healing that I have personally experienced through attending sound baths and music therapy sessions. The possibilities and results are endless!
Artists face many challenges, but what do you feel is the most pressing among them?
I believe that one of the biggest challenges facing artists today is the overabundance and distraction of technology.
The overstimulating catch 22 of the internet provides us with an endless well of knowledge where we can get whatever we want, right when we want it while simultaneously causing laziness to occur and further disconnecting us from ourselves and from others.
Some people are trying to look like clones of other people sometimes forgetting how unique and special our own individuality is.
I see myself and others staring down into the abyss inside of our devices instead of looking up to see what’s happening in the actual moment in front of us.
I am so guilty of this device addiction and often find myself scrolling aimlessly or comparing myself, feeling discouraged or stuck, lost for ideas when I could have just taken a walk outside to ground myself or connect and discover imagination and creativity.
Do you have any events or exhibitions coming up? Where would one go to see more of your work? How can people support you and your artwork?
People can view a portion of what I do on Instagram, however, I try not to reveal too much of the magic online because my art occurs best in person, in real-time.
You can discover your own journey through sound by visiting the Divine Sound website and there, you can customize a private, group, or special event sound bath through online booking and email.
I also distribute/sell Crystal Tones alchemy bowls, providing a customized and intimate experience for those looking to acquire crystal singing bowls of their own.
I will be releasing a CD/record of my music in 2020 and a book in 2021.
I am open to collaborating with other musicians and am eternally grateful for this opportunity and welcome your love and support.
Contact Info:
- Website: divinesoundbath.com
- Phone: 310-507-5508
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @divinesound422
Image Credit:
Photography by Kate Voda Photography
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