Larissa Lam:
The Revolutionary Singing CFO

Larissa Lam's sultry voice and pop-heavy lyrics have broken her out of Christian rock and into pop music's mainstream.

by Genessee Kim

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Larissa Lam:
The Revolutionary Singing CFO

hen people try to tell me that I won't succeed unless I dress a certain way or compromise certain values I have,” Larissa Lam says, “it just fuels my desire to prove them wrong more.”

     Her three albums and top 10 CCM/Rhythmic hits prove that it doesn't take the Mickey Mouse Club and Barbie bleached locks to be a successful songstress. Her lyrics are God-inspired but her tunes are as catchy as any from more secular artists. Her newest album, Revolutionary blends her powerful, soulfully funky voice with a hearty dose of electronic remixing. “Pendulum” and “I'm Not” are moody and slow, showcasing her startlingly rich vocals while “Breathing More” and “Revolutionary” have a groovy techno beat and inspire major foot-tapping.

     Lam's love of music and proven talen were developed as a child, but her family pushed her toward a more conventional caeer. It wasn't until Lam had spent several years working on the finance side of the music business before she decided to pursue singing as a full-time career. Her parents? They've not only come around but are now Lam's biggest fans.

     Larissa Lam was born in Whittier, California and grew up in nearby Diamond Bar. As an only child she developed an early focus on music. She learned piano when she was five. At thirteen she wrote her first song. But her parents put more weight on her straight-A report cards. Med school, they decided, was the correct choice for her.

     “When I was in high school and told them I didn't want to be a doctor and go into music,” Lam says, “they freaked out.”

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     Larissa and her parents compromised. She attended UCLA and majored in business economics. But she kept one foot in the music industry by working for companies like Polygram, Schnee Studios and Columbia Records and for industry legends like American Idol's Randy Jackson.

     After graduation Lam became the CFO for the independent label NSOUL Records. When one of NSOUL's groups needed a singer sub, Lam filled in. Her parents had had a few years to get over the startling news of their daughter's desire to pursue music. By the time she landed a permanent position with the group, they were her biggest supporters.

     “They had a few years to change their attitudes,” Lam says. “By the time I was working at the label, they were actually the ones encouraging me to go solo. The really believed in my talent and have been supportive since.”

     Despite her success, the singing career hasn't been easy. Lam feels the pressure of the industry's younger-sexier standard on a daily basis. And the emergence of younger and younger pop sensations, she feels a constant pressure to maintain a youthful image. The industry's fickleness Lam shrugs off as a minor annoyance.

     “People are judging you and that they may have certain expectations of you,” she says. “I don't let it bother me too much.”

     In addition to working on her fourth album, Lam is currently composing music for a new musical called Lady of JoyFlower Drum Song author C.Y. Lee. In September Lam tours Hawaii. During the next several months she will travel to Canada and Australia to promote Revolutionary.

     Larissa Lam's pick-yourself-up, non-conformist, independent-woman lyrics make her a role-model for anyone from teens struggling with their self-image, to women battling a nasty break-ups, to Christians who enjoy pop-style empowerment messages.

     When we caught up with her, she had just returned from a tour of Singapore.

     “I love to travel and meet new fans,” Lam says. “One of my goals has been to impact as many people as possible around the world. Music seems to cross all cultures.” PAGE 2

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