Larysa Jaye is an everyday woman. She’s energetic, charismatic, loving, and passionate. Mostly, she’s an individualist at the core. Being fully supported to be herself at a young age, she thrives when she is able to find her own lane and commit to it. She carries a number of duties, with the most important ones being a wife and mom. Without these roles Larysa wouldn’t be who she is today. She has a contagious joy that spreads to everyone that she comes into contact with, including family and friends. And through her gifts and talents, she gives joy, encouragement, and inspiration. Larysa is a Nashville, TN-based soul artist who synthesizes a broad range of influences in her performances. “I have a very eclectic style that I like to believe reaches every person in the room, regardless of background or music preference. There’s this “girl next door” feel that I have and I think that’s what draws audiences in. I’ll flow from genre to genre seamlessly, throughout a show without losing the essence of my artistry,” she says. Larysa grew up playing piano around her house and singing at church and school. She picked up the guitar when she was 16 and started leaning heavier on that instrument after moving to Nashville. “I was a PK (pastor’s kid) growing up. So, although I don’t proclaim to be a Christian artist, that still weighs heavily in my songwriting. My songwriting is a blend of life experiences and creative release. I am a talker, but I’m not big on trying to explain my feelings. So, songwriting is an outlet for me,” she says. “My music is a blend of Soul, Indie Folk, Americana, and even elements of Country when it comes to story telling. It’s definitely been a process discovering where to focus my concentration as an artist.”
The story of how she began is quite interesting. There’s no logical explanation for a little, black girl out of Wyandotte County in Kansas City, Kansas to have made it all the way to Nashville and somehow make a name for herself, with a guitar no less. She even had three children out of wedlock, but with a support system who provided constant encouragement, Larysa never gave up on her dreams. “It wasn’t easy and there were many times I couldn’t make gigs or couldn’t make music because of a lack of money and baby-sitters, and who knows what else. Thankfully, every time I wanted to have a pity party the Lord would place someone in my life at the just the right time to remind me that I wasn’t forgotten,” she said. “I remember back around 2009-2010, an event was held in Nashville every Sunday called Lovenoise that featured local artists. They also had an open mic. I remember getting my guitar and finally convincing myself to participate. I performed and was surprised at how supportive everyone was. Eventually one of the producers asked me if I wanted to perform my own show. I agreed, while not even knowing where to start. My first show was packed and very successful. I didn’t know it at the time, but I was pregnant with twins. All of the momentum from the show dropped off and I took a year off from everything to focus on being a mom. Then, around 2012, I got back into the swing of things but focused more on the singer/songwriter scene. I attended a lot of Caucasian venues and learned how to captivate an audience with just me and my guitar. I also learned how to talk to the audience and introduce myself and songs.” As of late, Larysa has been using a more simplistic instrumentation to bring focus to her lyrics. She has birthed another child just this past January, and has found a joy in being able to perform a variety of styles and entertaining various audiences in many different places. She has also found peace in getting back to why she started performing music. “I initially wanted to share my story. By returning to my roots, I have began playing those songs that pull on ones heartstrings. In Nashville, a lot of times the shows are a mix of people coming to support, catch up with friends, or grab some food and socialize. All that means is that they came for a party or a good time. Although I love being the highlight of a good dancing and bumping show, I am finding so much fulfillment in getting back to me,” she stated. h
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