Meet Lyla Joyce

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lyla Joyce.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Lyla. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
It all began when I heard Christina Aguilera, Celine Dion, and Faith hill sing. I couldn’t get enough of these powerhouse vocalists. Luckily, my mom had a kid’s performance group at the time. So I got to perform around town with them and cover all these amazing singers.

When I hit my teens I ended up switching to homeschooling so I could do music full time and tour with my pop/punk band that I had formed with my then-boyfriend. We did things like the Warped Tour and local shows in our hometown San Antonio, TX for years. My bandmate and boyfriend were, unfortunately, battling cancer during this time and passed away. After that, I definitely took all the hurt and began using my own solo music as an outlet. I took everything from going through the loss of one of my best friends to growing up listening to these amazing female vocalists and being in the crazy punk scene… and put it into this new solo project.

I am a real rebel at heart, which still carries on to my music style now. I went from being in punk and rock bands to doing the style of music I had always dreamed of doing but never thought I could. I always admired country artists when I lived in Texas and thought one day when I was a solo artist I would pursue a career in country. Well, here I am now doing my version of country music.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Smooth road is a light word to use. My journey in the music industry has been full of ups and downs. I have struggled with the loss of my band member/boyfriend to cancer, sexism from managers and industry professionals, to people completely destroying contracts with labels and investors. It’s been difficult to overcome people that should have been on my team, constantly telling me I was overweight and to look sexier. That I was too much and way over the top. The way I seem to deal with it is by eating cake in front of the people that told me I was fat. Wearing something more outrageous and even more ME around the people who said I was too much. Putting my hurt and views into songs. And always continuing being myself through the good and bad side of the industry.

Can you give our readers some background on your music?
I am a singer and songwriter! From the beginning, my music has always been a bit different. I’ve always loved all kinds of music. It took me a couple of years to figure out how to create this country meets my rock/punk roots genre with some poppy sticks in your head type melodies. I think that’s what truly sets me apart in the country world. I’m not afraid to bend the rules. I’m not ignoring my roots in rock and I’m in no way America’s sweetheart. That would just be a plain lie. I love testing boundaries and I’m okay with being the outsider. Maybe because I always have been. I’m most proud of the year I have planned ahead.

I’m releasing 12 months of new material that I’ve been hoarding in my emails for way too long. I hope to be able to raise awareness in the country scene for the people that feel misunderstood. I am a vegetarian that is pro-animal rights, cruelty-free, and supports the LBGTQ+ community and has never supported discrimination of any sort. You can love country music and not be a stereotype. So I’m hoping to use my music to open minds and raise money for these communities.

What were you like growing up?
I would say, I was almost the same growing up as I am now. I always wanted to play dress up and picked out the craziest things to wear. I was that kid showing up to school in a fluorescent orange fur jacket and extra-large hoop earrings at nine years old. I was very vision-oriented and constantly wanted to sing or be near a piano.

I loved writing poems (most of them quite Edgar Allan Poe) which scared my parents a little. I had a lot of crazy ideas growing up, but I think you have to be partially insane to want to be in a musician. Besides the insanity part, I was also a super perfectionist. Sort of a chaotic perfectionist. So as a kid I made a little list of goals that I’ve wanted to accomplish before I die… or long list. I can’t say they are very materialistic. More about reaching an audience, touring, performing. In general, I am just the same rebellious kid I used to be!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.lylajoyce.com
• Email: trbentertain@mac.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/lylajoycemusic
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/lylajoycemusic
• Twitter: www.twitter.com/lylajoycemusic

Image Credit:
Robert Uncles
Maria Quintana

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