A Conversation with ‘SuperYou The Musical’ Creator Lourds Lane

By: Jacob Elyachar, jakes-take.com

It is a pleasure welcoming singer-songwriter and the creator of the SuperYou The Musical, Lourds Lane, to Jake’s Take.

Lourds is an accomplished singer, songwriter, and violin shredder who inspires her diverse audiences. She is also committed showcasing female talent through the Medusa Festival, which is a sold out New York City music festival. Lourds is also a two-time finalist for the Fred Ebb Musical Theater (2012 and 2017) and spoke at TED twice.  Lourds also created SuperYou the Musical. This musical focuses on a comic book artist who learns to love herself when her superheroine creations, who are all aspects of herself, come to life.  There will be a special concert presentation of the musical at New York City’s the Players Club on April 22.

In this edition of A Conversation, Lourds shared the SuperYou The Musical origin story, her mission to bring female superheroes to Broadway, and talked about her nonprofit: the SuperYou FUNdation.

Jacob Elyachar: When did you get interested in music? How did that passion evolve into the desire of pursuing a career in the entertainment industry?

Lourds Lane: I started playing classical violin and piano when I was three, practicing many hours a day.  When I was a seven, I had a particularly rock star moment when I jumped off the stage during a violin solo.  I played the rest of the song walking up the aisles by the audience, as the crowd cheered and clapped in time.  In that moment, for the first time in my life, I felt true joy.  I understood that music is all about love, connection, and community. But at the end of my performance, my conductor reprimanded me.  He told me I made “a mockery of classical music.”  This was a huge turning point in my life as I no longer had desire to continue to master classical music.  I started pressing down harder with my bow to see if the notes could distort like a guitar.  I began to compose my own endings to popular concertos.  This one moment initiated my slow and steady journey of creating a life of my own design without rules, which ultimately led me to fronting my own rock band, touring the country with my band after I graduated college, and garnering a devoted national following.  Yes, there was a time when I was all about pursuing a career in the entertainment industry but the truth is, the way I live my life right now is that I just focus on pursuing joy and everything else follows.

Jacob Elyachar: Could you share the SuperYou the Musical’s origin story with my readers?

Lourds Lane: Origin story, ay?  OK. One day in the Tenth Planet of NOF (Nerds, Outcasts, and Freaks), an introverted violin playing misfit named Lourds Lane realized that her superpowers get activated whenever she is in service of others. So, she created a musical called SuperYou when she was experiencing doubt, insecurity, and pain because in the creation of superheroes, she remembered her own superhero wings. In empowering others with her music and her story, she empowers herself. And so while meditating on the highest hill of the Tenth Planet of NOF, Lourds births a baby with a Supernova.  This child is here to awaken people to their own unique superpowers.  Her name is SuperYou.

Jacob Elyachar: Following the success of Wonder Woman, Black Panther, and Captain Marvel, how important was it to make sure that female superheroes make it to Broadway?

Lourds Lane: Of course, I am psyched to be able to introduce new iconic female superheroes to the world, but that was not my goal. I just wanted to create a platform where strong women can own their unique powers, talents, and quirkiness. The goal is to notice and celebrate the “super” that already exists within all of us. The story is told from the voices of powerful women, but I hope that the shift and uplift will occur whether you are female or male.

Jacob Elyachar: What were some of the challenges that you faced during the SuperYou the Musical creative process? How did you overcome those obstacles?

Lourds Lane: Although I am a stand for others owning their powers, I go through my battles with feeling enough.  In one particularly dark moment, one of my songs magically popped up on my computer. It made me feel so uplifted and empowered, that I dropped to my knees and cried.  I remember hearing the lyrics and composition like it was the first time.  At that moment, I could not believe that the song came through me and I felt so infinitely grateful.  My music sang to me to remind me of my worth. Just like the comic book artist protagonist in my musical is awakened to her power when her superheroine creations come to life.  In that magical moment, life imitated art.  It propelled me to keep creating and believing because I realized that what gets birthed through me is boundlessly bigger than me.

Jacob Elyachar: Let’s talk about the upcoming performance of SuperYou the Musical at the Players Club. What can audiences expect from this production?

Lourds Lane: Expect that your face will be melted and you will walk away joyful, empowered, and uplifted.

Jacob Elyachar: In addition to the SuperYou the Musical, you started the SuperYou FUNdation. Could you describe this nonprofit to my readers? How can they support it?

Lourds Lane: The SuperYou FUNdation is a global arts and music-based educational 501c3 for youth and adults to notice and celebrate the superhero qualities in themselves and others. 90 percent of the schools we work with are in low-income districts, serving at-risk youth, we have a significant waiting list, and we could absolutely use the support. To learn more, here is an overview video: https://youtu.be/2AIt7y-aGMk.  If the mission inspires you, please consider donating at: https://www.crowdrise.com/donate/charity/superyoufun/0.

For more information about Lourds Lane, visit her website! You can also learn more about SuperYou The Musical by visiting the show’s website. You can also connect with Lourds on social media with the Instagram, Twitter & YouTube channels.