Today we’d like to introduce you to Irene Lock.
Hi Irene, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
My name is Irene Lock (born Irene Loche).
I come from a beautiful island in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea called Sardinia (Italy).
I’ve been playing guitar since I was 6 years old, and I’ve always had a huge passion and love for American and English rock and blues music.
I’ve been lucky enough to be able to make music my full-time job.
I have traveled a lot in my life and have played at some of the greatest venues in Europe, starting from my homeland to the mainland Italy and further on to the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Scotland, and finally here in USA.
I’ve always dreamed to be here and had the chance to spread my music and improve myself as musician and artist.
My journey here started in 2013, it was the first time for me in Los Angeles and since then I knew that there was something here that I needed to be done.
In 2015 I came back to LA and my best friend convinced me to try a Magnatone Amp, that’s how I’ve met the Magnatone CEO, Ted Kornblum.
His amplifiers were amazing and I knew that I’ve found something special.
Not so much time later I became the first Magnatone woman endorser.
I started to make more connections and I came back here frequently.
I had the chance to meet amazing musicians and artist, such the renowned guitar maker and designer Bill Asher.
I tried one of his guitar and I’ve been so impressed and amazed!
A real good friendship born with him and in 2018 I started to represent his brand “Asher Guitars & Lap Steels” as endorser.
Bill and his family always believed in me and in my talent, so I started to think to make a big change in my life, and finally 6 months ago that thought became real. I left my homeland, my parents, I selled everything I had and I moved here in Los Angeles with my husband and our cat Nalu.
Since the first time I putted my feet here a lot of things happened, not all of them were good, but deep inside of me I knew I had to do something here, besides the difficulties and the hard time we all passed through because of the pandemic.
Nowadays I’m recording my new album along with the amazing artist and producer Steve Postell (Immediate Family) along with Leland Sklar on bass and Steve Ferrone on drums.
I started a crowdfunding campaign on GoFundMe to help me to accomplished my dream.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
Yes, definitely.
I come from an island in the middle of the sea and my generation (I’m 30 now) feels like is lost.
How could I describe it? In my homeland it’s hard to build a future and to feel safe about it; Also, as a Sardinian woman who wants to write American songs and music and being an Artist, it was hard for me to find the right path and feel like I was in the right place to be.
I felt like I was stuck.
So many people told me to change my mind and try to write and sing in Italian.
Well, maybe they were right, but I really believe that if we have to failed in life, it’s better that it happens because of our choices, just ours, and I don’t want to be regret about my choices.
Even the Pandemic didn’t stop me. I supposed to move here in April 2020, I had to stop everything even if I’ve already had my ticket ready to go and my savings already invested to this movings. All world was shotted down and I had to put my faith and trust on my life, that’s how it went.
During that time, so many friends of mine and artist they found themself in the music, like the lockdown was a big breath and a sort of opportunity to getting closer to their arts.
For me it was different, I started to put in doubt myself and everything I was secure to, I fought those emotions and I discovered to be surrounded by amazing people, first of all my husband who never left me alone.
He supported me in my dream even when I had doubt of it, and since we’re here, we have found so many difficulties but still, we’re here together, stronger.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m a guitar player, singer, and songwriter.
I started my career when I was young.
I collaborate since 2009 with my trustworthy music partner Gian Luca Canu, we’ve been playing and touring together for 14 years.
My main music genre is the Blues but since I started my own project as “Irene Lock” I expanded my influences to other music genre as Pop, Rock, and Folk.
I like to talk about the things I live and I’d like to find a new way to play the blues and tell about it.
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
I’ve been risking whole my life.
I always had a feeling about me, I always knew I wanted to be an Artist and a musician.
I left High school when I was a teen to follow this feelings, besides everyone were worried about me and my choices.
I invested all my energies and time on me, trying to not be the “best one” but to be just me, like I wanted.
I believe in the imperfections, and I think THAT is where the beauty is.
I love the fact everyone has its own personality and characteristic, and just the same in music, I think it’s the best thing a musician would need to pursue.
Education is important and I came back to my studies later, but what I’m trying to say is that we feel pressure from the society since we are born, and so we are afraid to follow what we really feel it’s right for us.
My opinion is we need to raised ourself following our passions and our choices, even fail, and then improve us and make our passions our job following our identity.
It’s a risk, but it’s worth it, I think.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.irenelock.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/irenelockofficial
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/irenelockofficial
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/irenelock
- Other: www.gofundme.com/irenelock
