Five Questions With Vocal Master Lalana Martin

Lalana Martin, Vocal Teacher at LessonFace.com

Lalana Martin is a name to know in the music industry. She grew up in the midst of the soul music era, and the depth of her voice and instruction were informed by this unique time. At the age of just 16 Lalana was accepted to Berklee College of Music, where she studied vocals prior to leaving to tour with the great Barry White. Lalana continued her run with Patti Labelle and other influential musicians before deciding, at age 28, that the time had come for her to begin teaching her artform. She then founded the Vocal Workout Singing School in New York City's downtown SoHo, and has grown the business to the point where numerous notable singers, including P Diddy, have enlisted her help in reaching their potential.

Lalana was kind enough to answer this week’s Five Questions after an evening class with a student on LessonFace.

LessonFace: How did you first get introduced to music in general and in particular to singing, and what kind of music were you listening to at the time/growing up?

Lalana Martin: I was first introduced to music through my family, that was natural and music was a part of our home. Growing up, we used to listen to everything, from Stevie Wonder to the Spinners to folk music. We also made up our own songs. Dad and I played the rhyme game, where whoever couldn't think of a rhyme on the spot loses a point. Smokey Robinson and Earth Wind and Fire were both mentors to me at an early age. As a young person, I experienced the heyday of soul music in a way that participated as it was being created.

LF: Did you take vocal lessons or have particularly influential mentors early on, or later as you progressed? Can you tell us about your time at Berklee?

LM: I took vocal lessons starting at age 11 for years from an experiential and transformational genius, Mr. Arthur Samuel Joseph, who shaped my discipline as far as performance style and technical vigor. His experience and path to success was an influence over my voice and my progress, and a scholarship at Berklee College of Music offered me an even deeper opportunity by placing me in an environment of world-class musicians.

I sang professionally as a background singer supporting that level of musicians and finding my own artistic voice for 12 years before founding the Vocal Workout Singing School. I found it more artistically challenging after that time to stay at home and to write and teach rather than travel and continue to perform music we had mastered, but I had been singing at a high level so long that it wasn’t as great of a game changer. Being at my school and seeing the students grow and flourish into world-class artists has been a welcome challenge for me artistically and professionally, stretching me in ways I had not imagined. Sheila Antoine [who sang “Climb Ev’ry Mountain” from The Sound of Music] was a major inspiration as a vocal teacher and taught me how to breathe, and to care for the students.

LF: What got you interested in teaching online and through LessonFace? How long have you been doing online lessons?

LM: I started teaching online lessons four years ago, but LessonFace gave me the opportunity to enjoy an organized community of musicians, all teaching different instruments, and a way for my teachers to teach from home.

LF: If you had to recommend one video or performance for prospective students to check out in order to understand you and your style, what would it be?

LM: Christy Thompson has some online videos and tracks worth listening to that exemplify my style of teaching.

 

LF: Can you tell us a bit about what's going on with any musical/educational projects you're working on, and any latest news about them?

LM: The vocal school I started has been featured on French TV, in Forbes Magazine and NBC.

Click here to book a lesson with Lalana or here to learn more about how LessonFace works. You can also check out our blog here to read more about LessonFace and our teachers.

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