About

Lola Parks (Sandy Powlk) is an Indigenous Soul, Folk, Pop singer-songwriter from Vancouver. Her style is intelligent, intimate, evocative, boho chic and deeply influenced by her heritage (she’s 12^th generation Canadian of Montagnais and European ancestry) and stylistically reminiscent of Sara Bareilles, Brandi Carlile, Nelly Furtado and Bonnie Raitt, while staying true to her jazz roots.

No Apologies (2020), her latest album, features the singles, “Dreamer” (July 31) and “Freight Train” (Sep. 4). The latter was a semi-finalist in the International Songwriting Competition (2020). “No Apologies encourages us to own all of who we are, stand strong in our roots and our right to be, speak our truth and stand up to power,” explains Parks. “It’s a collection of songs about female empowerment, dialogue, forgiveness, and celebrating where we come from.”

Since release, music from No Apologies has been added to 20+ curated playlists, including From the Strait (CAN) Noble Vybe (USA), and Talk About Pop (UK), among others, featured on CBC radio, premiered in Canadian Beats and Aesthetic Magazine, reviewed in Nexus (BC), York Calling (UK) and featured in online publications like Cashbox (CAN)), Alternative Nation (UK), Soft Shelter (USA) and many more. Over the course of the pandemic, Parks hosted 10 Facebook livestreams, performed a virtual Canada Day concert, and was selected to premiere Virtual Feast, a new livestreaming platform dedicated to showcasing Indigenous artists.

Parks has created a fiercely independent musical history that includes fronting a 17-piece big band; co-founding and being sole lyricist/vocalist of folk-rock group, Sonnenblume; releasing five studio recordings; winning Female Songwriter of the Year (Vancouver Island Music Awards) and Most Outstanding Musician-Vocal Jazz (Denver Festival, USA); being nominated as Female Vocalist of the Year and Artist of the Year (VIMA); performing across Western Canada and five continents; completing a five-month residency at an eco-adventure camp in Nepal; brief residencies at hospitals in Zimbabwe and Haiti (reorganizing an AIDS clinic, performing); and participating in a peacebuilding workshop in Burma. Music from Parks has been placed on TV's Higher Ground, Mutant Films’ "The Orchard" and CBC’s current Early Edition theme song.

“One seriously amazing voice” - Brett Smith-Daniels, Luxton Fair (Vancouver Island)

 "Lola Parks is the most mature, original, soulful and honest fusion/folk act I've had the pleasure to witness. Sandy Powlik’s dangerous writing and immaculate vocal stylings inspire me to get up tomorrow.” - Barry Newman, Cosmic Debris Mag