We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Lola Vialet a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Lola , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

One day, in a middle school gymnasium, I gathered the courage to participate in a talent show and sing in front of the 6th, 7th, and 8th graders. Out of the three times I performed, I’ll never forget how nerve-wracking it was to sing in front of my 7th grade class. Hundreds of students and teachers were watching, including my parents, one of my childhood crushes, and all the black girls who had bullied me every single day. I was terrified of making a mistake, but I took a deep breath and sang every word of India.Arie’s “I Am Ready for Love.” I poured my heart into each lyric, even though my 12-year-old self didn’t fully understand the concept of love. I closed my eyes, and by the last line, I felt tears streaming down my face. When I opened them, I was met with a standing ovation from every person in the room. In that moment, it felt like every minute I spent practicing had been worth it. I rushed to my parents, and we hugged each other, crying together. Then, something truly unimaginable happened—every single one of the girls who had bullied me came up to congratulate me on my performance. I didn’t experience any bullying for the rest of the day. That was the moment I realized that a single powerful performance could change hearts filled with hatred, and it was all I needed to confirm that becoming an artist was what I wanted to pursue full-time.

Lola , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Music has always been my way of confronting past traumas and, more importantly, understanding my relationship with God. From a young age, I wrote poetry and songs driven by my vivid imagination and emotional depth. Growing up in a diverse musical family, I was surrounded by a wide range of genres, and I learned early on that music was a powerful tool for conveying truth in creative, meaningful ways. I became enamored with the simplicity yet profound complexity of Soul music—everything from Motown to the early 2000s Neo-Soul scene. I also found beauty in the lyrical storytelling of Yacht Rock, where folk and rock merged into soulful melodies that spoke directly to the heart. Classical and Theater music, with their intricate compositions and dramatic range, further captivated me and became a focus of my studies during my college years. This rich musical landscape shaped my sonic palette and inspired me to dive deeper into poetry and songwriting around the age of 12. When I got my hands on a piano and a secondhand guitar before graduating middle school, I knew I was on a path that would define my artistry.

At 15, I encountered Jesus, and my creative journey took a transformative turn. Over the next decade, I wrestled with my new identity in Christ. This shift reshaped my artistic vision, and I began to draw inspiration not just from my experiences, but from my relationship with God and the experiences that came with living out my identity in Christ. Recently, I took a bold step of faith and transitioned my music from R&B to Christian music—a move that has allowed me to share with the world what I’ve always held close in my private life and within my inner circle. Though this change is still fresh and a tad scary, it feels like me. I’m in a better place as an artist now than I’ve ever been before, and I feel like my music is even more beautiful because of it.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

I believe a significant part of my purpose as an artist is to tackle topics that society often shies away from. One of my recent singles, “Simple,” addresses some of the trauma I experienced in my younger years, including a time when I almost took my own life. The song also highlights how, in that darkest moment, God used music to save me and show me that hope, grounded in a God-given dream, can radiate into the future—especially for the next generation.

That life-altering experience I had as a child profoundly shaped my songwriting, infusing my music with emotional depth, intelligence, and transparency. To this day, I receive messages from people who tell me how my music has impacted them, inspired them to be more open in their own work, and reached deep into their hearts to heal parts they didn’t even know needed healing. I believe that only what’s revealed can be healed, and through the honest truth shared in my music, I hope people are drawn to the Healer—the Creator who designed them, who deeply desires them, and who wants to cleanse and restore them. Jesus, who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, is the ultimate answer.

My desire is for my music to help people embark on the journey of revealing their wounds and then finding healing. Because, as imperfect beings, we all need healing, and we can’t heal if we don’t first acknowledge what needs to be healed. That’s why I believe it’s so important for people to be willing to confront their pain—to allow themselves to be transparent and open, so they can experience the restoration they truly need.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The most rewarding part of being a creative is the honor of serving as one of God’s messengers. Throughout the Bible, men and women have sung songs for thousands of years to share their triumphs, trials, and trust in God—songs that spoke to entire generations in need of reminders, rebuke, and restoration. This, to me, is the greatest prize: joining the many who have expressed the matters of the heart and spoken to others—especially those who invite or long to invite Christ into their hearts.

Creating music is such a relational experience because it feels like God and I are communicating. It’s one of my favorite ways to spend time with Jesus: writing songs together and being His mouthpiece. Often, I don’t fully grasp the depth of the words until later. I typically record what comes to me in a voice memo or jot it down as it flows, and it’s only after the elements are brought together that I realize just how profound those words truly are. It’s a flow, and when I step back from it, I’m always amazed at how God uses me to create such works.

I really am nothing without Christ. He gives me every word to say and every note to play. I pray before every session and ask God to guide me in every step. I am just honored to witness it all come together and to share it with anyone who is willing to listen.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://lolavialet.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/lolavialet
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lolavialet
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@lolavialet
• SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/lola-vialet
• Other: Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lolavialet

Image Credits
1.31 Photography – Cyril Ojilere