We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Laka. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with LAKA below.
Alright, so we’re so thrilled to have LAKA with us today – welcome and maybe we can jump right into it with a question about one of your qualities that we most admire. How did you develop your work ethic? Where do you think you get it from?
Growing up in an immigrant household, I saw firsthand the hard work my parents put into everything they achieved. My dad arrived in this country at 16 with his family from Bolivia, not knowing any English. He went door to door looking for a job and soon started working as a busboy while attending high school. My mom came to the U.S. alone from Peru in her late 20s, with $500 in her pocket. She learned English, found a job, and rented a small room in a house shared with several others. She even salvaged a mattress and a lamp from the neighbor’s curb to furnish her room. Within a few years, both my parents had completed their university degrees, earned master’s degrees, and climbed the corporate ladder—all while raising my siblings and me.
Watching my parents grow and sacrifice to build a life for our family taught me the true meaning of work ethic. They always wanted the best for my siblings and me, encouraging our passions and making sure we had opportunities to grow, like enrolling me in after-school activities. I remember when I started violin lessons at age 4. For several years, my mom would sit with me after school (after a long day of work herself) to help me practice for an hour each day. This was one of many activities my parents supported me in.
This example of dedication and commitment became the standard I lived by. Our upbringing instilled in me a deep sense of discipline, resilience, and the understanding that hard work is essential to achieving any goal, no matter the obstacles.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I’m LAKA, a Latin pop singer-songwriter based in Los Angeles, known for blending American and Latin influences in my music. I was born in Fairfax, Virginia, to immigrant parents from Peru and Bolivia, and my music reflects the rich tapestry of my heritage. It speaks to the experiences of those, like me, navigating multiple cultures.
With 14 years of professional singing experience, I’ve built a background in operatic music and musical theater, which I further honed at Berklee College of Music. There, I earned my degree in music business with a focus on voice.
Over the past 5 years, I’ve worked as a full-time songwriter, collaborating with amazing artists like CARLING, Kalie Shorr, Joalin, and Maia Reficco just to name a few. I’ve had songs featured on major brands like Adobe and Sony PlayStation, and I had the honor of performing at President Obama’s second inauguration and providing background vocals for James Taylor at the Kennedy Center Honors.
In 2023, I was honored to be selected as a mentee of legendary songwriter Jenna Andrews through the nonprofit organization She Is The Music. This experience has been deeply inspiring, and this past fall, with She Is The Music and Push Up Bra LA, I helped organize a 3 day all female writing camp to continue the mission of empowering and fostering a community of women in the music industry. I hope to create more events like this in 2025.
My debut single “Claw Marks” is out on all music platforms. It would mean the world if you take a listen and let me know what you think! The music I create dives into introspective themes, touching on growing pains, the feeling of not quite fitting in, and the complexities of balancing two cultures. I draw inspiration from artists like Labrinth, Lana Del Rey, and Rosalía, crafting haunting melodies, honest lyrics and some genre bending. I’m excited to share my voice and my stories with the world, inviting listeners to join me on a journey of self-discovery and cultural celebration.
I wrote this at a time when I was feeling very lost and confused with my purpose in life. Being in music can be very volatile, and sometimes it feels like you’re throwing shots in the dark. I knew that in order to be happier, I had to follow my gut and my heart but being resistant to change and getting in my own way has held me back for a long time. It got to the point where life started pulling me whether I was ready or not, leaving claw marks behind as I go. Once I accepted and let life take me where I am supposed to go, things started falling into place. I was always scared of being judged and picked apart but letting that go and doing my artistry for me feels freeing. Now that Claw Marks is out, it is a full circle moment because I am on the other side of my fears.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
The three skills I believe are most impactful in the music industry are learning how to make meaningful connections, understanding the business, and keeping your ego in check.
When it comes to networking, my advice is simple: attend as many shows, events, and parties as you can. You never know who you’ll meet! If you find it difficult to talk with strangers, try connecting on topics outside of music. People often appreciate when you show interest in them as individuals, rather than just focusing on their musical career.
As an artist, having a solid understanding of the business side of things is crucial. A lot of musicians struggle with getting paid fairly for their work, but it’s something you can learn. All You Need to Know About the Music Business by Donald S. Passman is an excellent resource and a great crash course on the subject.
Lastly, one of the most important qualities for any creative person is having no ego. When you’re in the studio, collaborating to create something genuine, the last thing you want is someone dominating the room because they feel the need to be heard or prove they’re the best. Everything you do should be in service of the song. There are times when I share only a few ideas during a session, giving the artist space to create; other times, I take the lead when needed. It all depends on what the song calls for and who’s in the room with you. The goal is always to serve the song and the artist—not yourself.
Do you think it’s better to go all in on our strengths or to try to be more well-rounded by investing effort on improving areas you aren’t as strong in?
When I first moved to LA, my sole focus was improving my songwriting. My goal was simple—write 300 songs. Now that I’ve reached that milestone, I wish I had started developing other skills sooner, like piano, production, vocal production, arranging, guitar, and vocal techniques. Writing in Spanish is another area I wish I’d explored earlier. These skills all have a direct impact on your songwriting, enriching the creative process and giving you more tools to express your ideas. The more skills you develop, the more valuable you become, not just as a songwriter, but as a collaborator.
It’s important to have something that’s your main focus—your foundation, the thing people know you for—but always keep pushing yourself to learn more and expand your abilities. Growth is key.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carlacalderonmusic/?hl=en
- Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/carla-calderon-984399131
- Other: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6C5xI9nEx4hhbrFw97bc1i
Image Credits
Holy Smoke Photography
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