News
Indigenous Music Countdown #2 & #6
Hey!Very happy to say that there have been two Top 10 singles in the Indigenous Music Countdown since last December:
"You Are Light (Lynne's Song)" - my tribute to my sweet mama, made #7 and #2 in December 2022.
And "Freight Train (Mother Hubbard mix)" - my friend Glen Hubbard's remix of "Freight Train" hit #6 this August 2023.
I also recorded three new singles in SPANISH/español this Aug-Sep in Tenerife, España with a fabulous producer/writer, Fabio Harmanus. What a treat and amazing time it was learning about different phrasings, pronunciations, themes of Latin Pop and Latin Urban music.
Live well, and listen to great music friends!
xxxx - Sep 18th, 2023
Indigenous Music Countdown Top 40
Happy August music lovers,Thank you to all who came out to my three recent performances in Victoria this June and July. Your support and smiling faces are truly everything and I really enjoyed each unique gig:-)
Stoked to relay that the latest release, "Freight Train (Mother Hubbard mix)", is making it's way up the Indigenous Music Countdown Top 40! Sitting at #25 this week, this is its fourth week in the Top 40, nestled among greats such as William Prince, Julian Taylor, Carsen Gray and Jeremy Dutcher.
Check out today's hottest releases at indigenousmusiccountdown.com. And if you want to vote for the tracks you like best, it's free and easy to register:-)
Enjoy the August heat. - Aug 3rd, 2023
RAW Artists Canada, July gigs - Victoria
THANK YOU to RAW Artists Canada for putting on the June 23 Victoria event @ The Hudson Public Market.Photo: Dean Kalyan, kalyanstudios.com
Expression: I guess this is my improv face - I was coming up with a new tune during soundcheck!
“Freight Train (Mother Hubbard mix) is in the Indigenous Music Countdown Top 40!
Go to indigenousmusiccountdown.com to listen to the newest top songs. You can vote for songs you like too!
Upcoming gigs: Victoria
July 18 - Cameron Bandshell, Beacon Hill Park 6pm-6:50pm - Victoria, BC
July 22 - Songhees Plaza, Vic West 5pm-6pm - Victoria, BC
CDs will be on site - just ask! Walk away with your own personalized & signed Lola Parks CDs only $10 each or
Get a three-release bundle for just $25.
You can also listen & get the 2003-2020 Lola Parks catalogue directly from my lolaparks.com website too!
No middle-person. No hidden fees. Just you and the music.
*2022 and 2023 releases will be available at http://www.lolaparks.com very SOON!
Very excited to play & sing for you LIVE again. See you soon, Victoria! - Jul 11th, 2023
Pre-Save "Freight Train (Mother Hubbard mix)" Now!
Hello hello music friends,Stoked to release a new, re-envisioned version of "Freight Train" on Friday, June 16.
Be the first to hear it, Pre-Save it now: https://show.co/sYEPIZd
Aligned with National Indigenous People's Day (June 21), "Freight Train (Mother Hubbard mix) is a Country Pop tune calling us to reflect: Can we handle the truth, accept what is, forgive, reconcile, make amends - or is it too late? #NationalIndigenousPeoplesDay
The original "Freight Train" was an Americana musical shotgun to your heart, and my return to writing on piano after many years. Now a Pop Country song, it applies to an intimate relationship as well as a sociopolitical human rights context, notably the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC). Human rights abuses and trauma aren’t done or over. Anywhere. We need to be honest with ourselves and each other, to listen, converse, love, respect and move forward together.
"At the roots, we are all connected" - filmmaker Dianne Whelan, 500DaysintheWild.com
"Mother Hubbard" is the collaboration of UK musician, engineer, producer Glen Hubbard & Canadian singer, songwriter, musician Sandy Powlik / artist Lola Parks. Glen and I met and hit it off, laughing for days, in November 2019 at a TAXI conference in Los Angeles. We stayed in contact and have become good friends. Glen's taken to re-envisioning a few of my songs and it's really neat to hear your ideas and songs envisioned in alternate and interesting ways.
Moods: dreamy, quirky, reflective, bright, anthemic, uplifting
Themes: truth, reconciliation, forgiveness, believe, carry on, hope, love
Track Credits:
Sandy Powlik - author, composer, vocals
MJ Dandeneau – bass
Glen Hubbard – remix, revision
Jeff Dawson - producer, engineer
Elisa Pangsaeng – mastering
Cover Art: photo - Stocksy, design: Wishpond - Jun 1st, 2023
"You Are The Best" out NOW
Hey friends,New female empowerment track, "You Are The Best" comes out Friday, May 12.
Well, it was supposed to be released on May 12. But guess what?
1. Post-Production delays didn't allow the initially intended release - which was on International Women's Day (March 8). So now...
2. Tenderly aligned with Mother's Day, it's set to be released on May 12. Except...
3. I was waiting for it to show up in "Upcoming releases" on Spotify so I could submit for editorial and set up a PRE-SAVE option for you and.... Wouldn't you know it - release dates hopes dashed yet again (production delays led to three missed release dates already in the last year) - nothing in "Upcoming." But wait - why do I see "You Are The Best" under "Releases" and saying "released on Feb. 10, 2023"?! An error by my Digital Service Provider... who will remain nameless, shit happens, and coincidentally, I've just signed an agreement with a publisher/sync agency who will be taking over the digital distribution, only not just yet. Ay karai!
Amid and despite muchos foibles, fumbles, errors, and delays, the release is still in time for Mother's Day and I am still excited to release "You Are The Best".
Evidently available on all platforms NOW.
Go to https://www.linktr.ee/lolaparks to hear it on your preferred platform.
It's a female empowerment track nudging all females, but truly all humans, to take the time and care NOW to celebrate yourself and all the wonderful & weird females - and humans - in your life.
Remind yourselves of your intrinsic value, your unique way of being you, as only you can be and do.
Let yourself be happy, healthy; cool, confident, competent; strong, smart, sexy & successful.
Be You - it becomes you.
"Stand strong and true to you, 'cause you are the best!" - Apr 28th, 2023
Change of Season, Upcoming
Hello music lovers,In Mazatlán, most snowbirds and half-timers have left and the season is winding down fast. I've not tried for more gigs, so now gig once/week: Lola y Los Lolos @ Pedro y Lola's on Sunday evenings.
Stoked and honoured to:
1 Do a Latin American music Research & Composition Mentorship devised by yours truly and supported by the BC Arts Council, with "la jefa", sync and music supervision guru Patricia Carrera (Control Freaks Music.mx).
2 Be a Mentor in the Minnekhada as Muse Songwriting Project, through June 11 in Kwikwetlem, BC.
3 Play a Lola Parks Trio show on July 21 @ fave venue Hermann's Jazz Club in Victoria, BC.
Stay in communicado, I'll keep you posted on any changes or additions and see you in June & July!
Be well - Apr 19th, 2023
Upcoming shows in Vancouver
Hello!Enjoying performing in Mazatlán again this winter. With more solo shows and more variety in acts and offerings, the musician and music lovers community here is growing ever closer and more supportive.
I'm ecstatic, however, to have been invited to perform at two very special events this month in Vancouver.
March 21 @ The Roundhouse, Vancouver, BC, 7:30pm: Songwriters Association of Canada presents "SONGBIRD NORTH" featuring JORDAN KLASSEN, JOHN GOGO, LOLA PARKS & SHARI ULRICH (Host). Get your tickets here: https://SongBirdNorth124.eventbrite.ca
March 22-25: BC Association of Aboriginal Friendship Centres (BCAAFC) presents "GATHERING OUR VOICES" featuring SNOTTY NOSED REZ KIDS, DJ KOOKUM, LOLA PARKS & many more! *Private Event* *SOLD OUT* https://gatheringourvoices.ca/
See you soon, Vancouver! - Mar 5th, 2023
Don't Delay...they say...
Happy 2023 music lovers,Very happy that I was able to record six new songs and release three singles in 2022. Recording was met with an uncanny, unprecedented amount of delays, "it's either one thing or another..." (Gord Downie) ... a sport's race, a surgery (neither mine, fortunately, ha), a miscommunication (or many), change of direction leading to no-electric-guitar-rentals-in-Perth-for-cheap or short-term... OK. So!
Excited to have recorded two remakes, and get the 6th track finished pronto. Plan to release 2-3 singles and an EP in 2023 - "la vida sigue," amigos: life goes on, my friends, and so must the music and we!
Stoked to be performing live right now in Mazatlán. Here's this two-weeks' snapshot:
Thu, Jan 19 @ Water's Edge Bistro, Centro Historico, 7-10pm: Lola & Benito (duo)
Sun, Jan 22 @ Pedro y Lola's, Plaza Machado, 6:45-10:30pm: Lola y Los Lolos (Dave Oakey, Benito Meschoulam, Darío Avila, Javier Murillo)
Wed, Jan 25 @ Macaws Bistro, Centro Historico, 7-10pm: special evening of music -- solo Lola
Sat, Jan 28 @ Torres Mazatlán (VI Resorts), Cerritos, 5-8pm: solo Lola
Sun, Jan 29 @ Pedro y Lola's, Plaza Machado, 6:45-10:30pm: Lola y Los Lolos (Dave, Benito, Darío, Javier)
Thu, Feb 2 @ Water's Edge Bistro, Centro Historico, 7-10pm: Lola & Benito (duo)
Then - after several flight cancellations and other impasses that precluded me from going to Nashville for the first time for the 2022 Sync Summit, led by CEO/sync agent/mentor Mark Frieser (Sync Summit, Disconic), I'm booked and headed to Sync Summit 2023 in Los Angeles, CA Feb 6-11 - Mark's last foreseeable live event, where I'll finally get to meet Mark and "la jefa", the most amazing woman, mentor, music supervisor and Control Freaks founder, Paty Carrera, and many other incredible music supervisors & sync agents.
Gracias al universo, gracias a todos por su apoyo duradero.
Thank you, Universe, and thank you all for your enduring support.
la vida sigue y la vida es buena - Jan 20th, 2023