Kate Vandermeulen – Contributor 

On Sept. 5, Bishop’s closed out O-Week and kicked off the academic year with an epic concert featuring artist Lu Kala. Just hours before the concert, The Campus was lucky enough to sit down for an exclusive interview with the singer. 

Photo courtesy of Lu Kala Instagram

Kate: Thank you so much for sitting down with me. This is so exciting! I’ll start with your sound. It’s such a diverse mix of both pop and also it’s super personal to you. Where do you think that style came from?

Lu Kala: I feel like my sound is a big combination of everything I heard growing up: from just being a kid and going on the school bus and my school bus driver playing the radio, and then just some classic divas that I liked from the ’60s and ’70s. I’m always trying to bring some of that feeling, make it feel very current, and then also add my vulnerability to stuff. I think sometimes people forget that artists are real humans. As much as I love making pop music, I still like to put things into it that are really real to me. 

Kate: As a Congolese-Canadian artist, how has your identity influenced the way that you write and also the way that you perform your music? 

Lu Kala: Congolese music is super lively, and [Congolese musicians] are really amazing performers and vocalists. So I think that all my sass comes from me being a Congolese girl. Also, I’m one of eight kids; therefore, I feel like I was always trying to get attention. I would perform for my whole family. Anytime people would come by, I’d be performing for them. So I feel like that’s actually what gave me the confidence to really be in this industry as I am.

Kate: Your concerts look like a blast. Do you have a pre-show ritual that gets you hyped up to perform? 

Lu Kala: Pre-show, honestly, I try to listen to my vocal coach’s recordings that she’s sent me. I’ll try to do a warm-up, drink a lot of water, and then I’ll take a spoonful of honey and shove it down my throat. Side stage, [I’m usually dancing to loosen up]. It always gets me in the mood, so by the time we hit the stage, there’s no jitters. The Diva- She’s arrived. 

Kate: And do you have a favorite song to perform on stage? One that’s most fun? 

Lu Kala: That’s so hard. Okay, most fun? I love doing Hotter Now. I just feel the energy in the room. I just love the way I finish Hotter Now. My band and I worked really hard to build this very specific moment, so it’s definitely my favorite moment in the show.

Kate: You’re one of the biggest artists we’ve had in a really long time, so this is a huge moment for us here at Bishop’s. Have you had any moments in your career that have been kind of like an “I’ve made it” moment? 

Lu Kala: Honestly, I feel like I’ve had a couple of those moments. Being from Canada, the first time I made it on Top 40 radio was really crazy for me. I was completely independent- there was no label behind me. So that was a really big moment for me. But then, even something kind of like when TikTok had its first-ever festival and they booked me to perform. It was me on the same stage as [artists] like Charlie Puth, Anita, and Cardi B! The fact that I was one of the emerging artists that they really wanted on their stage was really crazy. That was my first time performing in an arena, too. 

Kate: And last question for you: Do you have any tips for Bishop’s students trying to enter their Pretty Girl Era?

Lu Kala: Yes, I do! You know the Pretty Girl Era queen is here; class is in session. Drink your water. Your skin will be clearer, and you’ll feel so much better internally. I drink a gallon of water a day. Get your beauty sleep. I’m not the best at that, but I really do believe once you get more sleep, you wake up with a [clearer] mind. Go to the gym. I started working out pretty intensely at the top of this year. It’s also just good for [your] mental health. I also think everyone needs like one to three “bad b*tch” affirmations. You know, something that you tell yourself, because every moment is not going to be good, and the world’s not always going to love you. You still have to love yourself.

Kate: Well, I have been taking notes, and I will definitely be entering my Pretty Girl Era! Thank you so much for sitting down and chatting with me today. I can’t wait to be front row at the concert tonight!
Lu Kala: Thank you for the interview! Show up and have fun. There’s gonna be emotional moments tonight, but most of the moments are gonna be really fun. So I want people to dance!