Art, Advice and Stories

NEW SINGLE

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Fresh, catchy and empowering!

Hi Lisa, welcome to VQS!
Tell us a little bit about you and your music.

I’m a Filipina-American singer-songwriter based in Southern California.

I am creatively influenced at a young age by Disney light, Disney dark, pop, r&b, rap, surf, punk, rock in addition to my strong Filipino and American roots. I have been musical since I was a small child, up through college. Recording in the world of pop ever since with a focus on using my music and ever-growing platforms to empower through vulnerability.

This year, I was honored in being named one of the newest members of The Recording Academy. I also produce and host my ongoing musical exploration podcast called Sound Scrub, which shines a light on my talented colleagues.

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Congrats on the release!
What was your inspiration for this new song?

Released on September 24, 2021. “Focus On Me” is more about that rollercoaster ride that your inner thoughts go through when getting lost in something that has nothing to do with you. I believe I texted my co-writer, a girl named jaen, about something that I saw online and she simply texted me back saying, “Focus.” I responded saying, “Focus on me,” and she came back to me saying that we should write a song about that and we did!

Photo by Sam Scarce

We co-produced this with Canadian pop producer, John Frame, and the first thing he created was the moving, warped bass that I instantly fell in love with. I thought it fit the lyric perfectly and really set the tone for this song. Going from this heavier feel and transitioning into a cool, easy breezy chorus took a little time, and there was a lot of back and forth as to how to accomplish that. This was my first time working with John and he was able to capture the mood of the lyrics for each section of this song perfectly while keeping in line with the Lisa Danaë sound that has been developing for the past couple years.

What lessons would you like to impart with your audience?

The biggest lesson from this song is reclaiming your power.

As humans, we are continuing to navigate through the ever-changing algorithms while learning how to adapt to living through a pandemic, where it can be difficult to remember to take a deep breath.

It’s very easy to lose track of yourself and your purpose with social media constantly being pushed in your face. “Focus On Me” really encompasses the breath of fresh air that you are looking for to help you snap back to be present within yourself.

What is your favorite part of the song?

My favorite section would be the bridge.

I remember writing this bridge and coming out of the writing session thinking about how much I loved the lyric and the melody. This lyric seemed so simple, but it had this impact to it that really took my breath away, especially with the line, “Like Alice in Wonderland, but all alone”. This section also took the longest to figure out production-wise.

I love darker sounds, but not too dark to complement the production of the song. I also tracked the vocals for the bridge with very minimal production. I figured out what elements should be brought in without taking away the rich, intimate vocal that I performed.

Anything else we should know about it? Future releases? Upcoming events?

I’m currently writing my upcoming 7-song EP, which I plan to release in 2022.

It will feature “STARLET”, “Weigh Me Down”, “Focus On Me”, and four unreleased songs. I’m really looking forward to this project and the stories that will be revealed. There will be songs about happiness, loss, change, empowerment, grieving, new beginnings, everything that makes up my life right now. There will be a song for everyone, depending on the stage of life that you are going through.

Other than writing, I’m looking forward to strengthening my relationships and connecting more with my community, and will be collaborating with WishBus again on their Indie Tuesdays segment with Morgan Ashley on October 12th!

Connect with Lisa

Website | Instagram
Facebook | Spotify | Youtube

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Article by: Philip Garcia

Ms. Pontevedra

About the Author

My experiences in life taught me lessons that are meant to be shared and inspire people. I thank my family for the motivation and my God, who orchestrates everything. My life, to Him and Him alone.