T exas LYDA

from Waves Galveston April 2023

CURTAIN GOING UP

It worked for Madonna, Cher, Adele and so many more - the onename, stage name thing, technically called a mononym. For Galveston-born and raised singer-songwriter, Lyda, reasons for the removal of her surname need only be justified by how good her name looks bedazzled across the back of her favorite denim jacket. Lyda thanks her mother, Gerri, who supports her daughter’s choice to drop the family name, for the crafty sparkle and fringe.

The youngest of eight children, going back seven generations on Galveston Island, Lyda got much of her musical training, like so many musicians under 30 years of age, from YouTube. Though Lyda says her father, Billy, always had a guitar in the house, he also pushed her to learn on her own. She was 17 when she began teaching herself to play the guitar and has since become a confident player, performing everywhere from Mod Coffeehouse on Post Office street in Galveston, which was her very first live performance, to Nashville’s Cabana Taps.

In January of 2023, Lyda was voted “Best Female Vocalist” by the heavily trafficked Galveston.com tourism website in Galveston but says getting back to Nashville to live permanently (or at least get a recording deal) is the goal.

“The plans are in the works, but I don’t have a specific date set yet. The plan is to relocate, collaborate with people in the industry, and hopefully shake the right hands; working and writing for other people. I’d like to grow as a songwriter and I feel like the best way to do that is to write for other people.”

In terms of other writers, Lyda says she admires OneRepublic frontman, Ryan Tedder, for his ability to write for artists in many genres. Tedder has penned hits for Adele, Carrie Underwood, and The Fray, among others.

“He has written across the board in country, rap, and pop. He’s a writer and producer that has just started his own publishing company. I started listening to him when I was 12. His vocals are amazing. He’s not just a singer, but a songwriter and creator - he’s been a big inspiration for me.”

Lyda released a 7 song EP in 2016 called “Paper Heart” (recorded in Galveston) and has continued to write, though has not released an official recording since. Her sound, much like her vibrant personality, is upbeat with pop, radio-friendly sensibilities. Her latest effort, a single titled “Fresh” , will be released on all digital platforms on April 7th. Written during a difficult period in her life, Lyda said she made a concerted effort to write a happy song.

“I went through a breakup in 2020. During that time, the pandemic happened and my whole music career came to a halt. I was writing all these sad, depressing songs. They were more like diary entries. Then I just started writing a happy song about a feeling I hoped to have again one day. About moving on – having joy again. All the things I wasn’t feeling at the moment.”

“Fresh” features Lyda on vocals and guitar and was produced by friend and collaborator, Austin Forcier (all other instruments). The track was mixed by Dylan Evers, with harmonies provided by Elisabeth Smith.

Lyda admits her stylistic lean to pop music may have been formed at an early age.

“I was 9 years old when my mom took me to see Jessica Simpson live at the Houston Rodeo! That was my first time attending a concert and I remember seeing her performance and thinking to myself, “I want to be a singer just like that.”

With tours and shows from Galveston to Houston, Texas to Tennessee, Lyda is working hard to perform as much as she can and move her career forward but said she always appreciates returning home to Galveston.

“If I’ve been out of town for a while and I come back, I’m reminded how beautiful and serene the beach is - how accessible it is. You can just hang out on the beach or Seawall and think - it’s so peaceful, calming, and healing in a way. So that’s magic in its own sense. I always go back to the Art Walk events as there’s music everywhere, art, wine – what else can you ask for?”

Lyda will be performing on April 7th, 2023 at 7 pm at Market Station (2310 Market St.) in Galveston as part of her “Fresh” all digital platforms release.