We were lucky to catch up with Lori Lofstrom recently and have shared our conversation below.
Lori, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Do you wish you had waited to pursue your creative career or do you wish you had started sooner?
Music has always been apart of my life between singing in church choirs, taking piano lessons, and teaching myself other instruments. However no-one encouraged me to pursue that as a career. This led me to focus on a corporate career most of my adult life. I’m good at it, but I’m not passionate about it. A little over six years ago, a friend encouraged me to pick up the guitar agaIn after 20 years of collecting dust. A little bit nervous, I pulled together about an hour’s worth of music to play an “anyone=can-sign-up” amateur hour at a local cafe. The thing was – I kind of fell in love with performing and started writing music again. I started by playing open mics sharing my original songs. but little did I know how much my life would change after an open mic in December 2017. I moved, started getting paid for playing music, made so many connections and friends all which led to recording my first album, Finding Home, released February 10, 2023. Recording was something I never dreamed I would do. Sometimes I look at the younger musicians and think how lucky to start pursing something you love so young. Then at other times I realize that my corporate job allows me to pursue my passion without the same financial burdens. Coming to this later in life makes it easier to deal with some of the pressures that I may not have been so smart about in my twenties. Working in technology or the music industry has its unique challenges for women. My past experiences impacts how I manage moving forward with music. Sooner or later? I think it’s more about the right time. I have a magnet on my fridge to remind me “Your not too old and it’s not too late.”
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
There are days that I wonder “how did I get here?” I think many things in life happen by accident and then it’s what you decide to do with that can lead you down a new path. That probably best explains my pursuit of music as a career. At this point in life I have 2 careers, but that doesn’t limit putting in everything I can into music. Most of the time outside of the day job is spent performing, writing music, practicing, and connecting with people who inspire me to keep moving forward. At the center of what I do is offer entertainment. For venues, music brings people in and sells more food/drinks as people stay to longer to listen. The interesting thing about the arts, especially music, is it invokes emotion within people. Moments that make me the proudest are when listeners come up to me and tell me how a song touched them personally or when they sing along with my original songs. My style has been coined Americana Soul as it represents a variety of music genres and my soulful vocal quality. I think people crave new music. They want to hear more than the latest 20 popular songs they heard on the radio or just the music they grew up with hearing. My original songs are at the core of what I love to perform, but mixing in covers with a little twist makes for a more interesting show. Now that I’ve completed my first album, I will be doing more recording. I plan to explore other options outside of live performing to promote my music. When all is said and done, the music I create is what drives me to keep doing more.
Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?
From my perspective, the biggest struggle has been helping them understand that this is about who we are and not just what we do. As a creative, there is a internal drive that is being fulfilled by developing something within us that is a need, not a want. For so long, I didn’t pursue my passion for music. I dabbled in it, but never fulfilled the need to develop it. When I decided I would move to a part of town that provided me more opportunities in my journey, a friend asked me “Are you sure this is’t just a phase?” it wasn’t that she wished me ill-will, she just didn’t understand at that time. Later she came out to hear me perform and she said “You’re really happy.” She got it. For a creatives, not pursing those passions leaves you with an emptiness. I think the other thing that is hard to understand is what defines success. Culturally, we tend to base success on how money one makes and how high they rise in their career. For creatives, we will dream of making it big, but we also find success in what we create, share, and learn along the way. I wrote a song, Gypsy Heart, that has become a metaphor for my journey as a creative. The journey always leads you home – not a place, but finding yourself at home with who you are and what you need in life.
How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?
The best way to support is to show up. Its key to support the local artists. Go to their shows. Support the businesses that support the local artists. Spend money at the venues, tip the creatives, and buy their art. In the world of music, streaming is good, but buying music is better – download or buy the cd/album. Ask an artist to sign their cd – it’s an amazing feeling. Often musicians depend on grants and donations to record their music so support as you can. Be encouragers. Follow them and share their social media posts.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.lorilofstrommusic.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lllofstrom
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lorilofstrommusic
- Youtube: https://www.instagram.com/lllofstrom
- Other: https://linktr.ee/lorilofstrom
Image Credits
Karin Heitzmen, Rya Peck, Jenny Fenlason