Hear Lala’s Uplifting New Song ‘Barriers’

Hot on the heels from opening for Irish singer-songwriter Dermot Kennedy in Boston last month, American singer and actress Laurissa Romain aka Lala is now out with a fresh single in the shape of the enriching “Barriers.” The vocalist worked with lyricists Carlton Thompson SR and Julie Solinger as well as recording engineer John Arbuckle on the track. In this interview with Rolling Stone India, the artist talks to us about her new song, what she’s got coming up and more.

According to your Spotify, I saw that you’ve been releasing music since 2017. Tell me about when your tryst with the arts began both as a musician and actress?

I released my first single ‘Wasn’t Love’ in 2017, but I had been singing and performing my whole life. I grew up in New York City so needless to say the industry was all around me, my mom is an actress and I used to go to auditions and stay backstage with her from as early as when I was six months old, so I think it was just ingrained into my being since birth [laughs]. I started in the arts as a child actor in musical theater, landing my first job on Broadway in South Pacific at the age of nine. When I started transitioning into TV and film there wasn’t that instant fiery passion for it like there was for musicals. I soon realized it was the musical aspect that made me love and miss theater, so I tried my hand at writing, and it stuck! I’ve since then found a love for TV and film acting, even doing straight plays that don’t include music or singing. I’ve now been lucky enough to combine the two passions with previous roles portraying singers or more recently working on publishing and sync deals with the films I’m in to include songs on the soundtracks which has been my most exciting and an endeavor I’m most proud of so far.

When did your new song “Barriers” come about and what can you tell me about it?

The song was written for me, inspired by a film that I will actually be in and filming soon! It needed to match the film’s energy, it had to feel uplifting and have an overall sense and message of togetherness, with everything that has come to light in the past year(s), I think it came naturally to put out something that hopefully inspires people to see beyond our differences and focus on ‘love and unity’ to quote the song itself. ‘Barriers’ will be featured on the soundtrack of the film that inspired it, to be announced!

You mentioned that the song and yourself are going to be part of an upcoming film, what can you reveal about that?

All I can say about the film that ‘Barriers’ is tied to is that it’s a story about the trials and tribulations between races, two kids who grow up in extremely close proximity with wildly different experiences and neighborhoods who have the same dream and the different but similar paths they have to take to achieve their goals.

How was your experience opening for Dermot Kennedy recently?

Opening for Dermot Kennedy was such a surreal experience I am so grateful to have been chosen by him for it as well. It was so reassuring to have been handpicked by someone who in my opinion is an absolute genius and a poet. He is very integral with his artistry so I don’t feel like he would just let anyone open for him especially for a crowd of 6,000 plus people on the last day of his U.S. tour, so I take it as a real honor that he saw something in me and believed in me enough to give me a chance. The show itself was incredible and was part of the reason I’m choosing to put out new music, the crowd’s response to my originals reignited a flame I didn’t know needed to be sparked!

You also stated you’re lining up gigs too? Where about are the shows going to be and when?

Yes! I am planning a show to celebrate the release of ‘Barriers,’ I will be singing all of my originals along with some of my favorite covers from my rooftop cover series on YouTube! The show will be in New York City on Saturday, October 2nd at The Greenroom 42.

How is the rest of the year looking for you?

I have a very exciting Fall season to look forward to! Currently, I’m in the running to open at the Hollywood Bowl Radio.com has an annual competition and this year I’m in 1st place so far! I have an appearance on one of Bravo’s hit TV series coming out a week prior from the set release date of a Netflix film called The Man Behind the Camera, previously known as Kurt, that we shot last year! Overall, I spent the beginning of this year focused on acting and modeling, the middle of the year focused on music and I’m hoping to close out this year by continuing to combine the two and land a sync deal or more roles that follow singer/actresses.

Stream “Barriers” on Spotify below and on other platforms. Get tickets for Lala’s New York City gig on October 2nd here.