Meet Alarke | Artist-Entrepreneur

We had the good fortune of connecting with Alarke and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Alarke, what role has risk played in your life or career?
A few years ago I did something I never imagined I would’ve done. I booked a month-long trip to Cuba to dive into the unknown, learn Cuban piano and percussion, paint, practice Spanish, unplug, travel, relax, and challenge myself to see if I really could go after a wild dream.

I ended up writing a Cuban jazz album and hiring a 6-piece Cuban jazz band to record it (Cuba Diaries by Mary Alouette), collaborating with Cuban and American hip hop artists on an album (Hip Hop Está Vivo En Cuba) and filmmakers on a documentary, and performing at Havana’s coolest cultural venue, Fábrica de Arte.

What unfolded showed me that it’s possible to create experiences in your life beyond your wildest dreams.

Now, let’s back up and get the full story. It’s about creating something when doors were shut and opportunities didn’t seem to pan out. At the time, I was a Gypsy jazz singer and electronic musician in New York City. Thinking that artists who had integrity didn’t “sell out,” I imposed a starving artist mentality on myself.

I desperately desired to travel and land an artist residency that would boost my career and give me confidence and external validation. I got rejected from most of them except for a Brooklyn Arts Council grant for a songwriting project that ended up providing meaning and financial support.

Then it hit me.

The only person who could ultimately recognize my worth was me.

No longer would I let someone else’s agenda determine my fate.

I decided to make my own retreat.

I’d had Cuba on the back of my mind. I scrounged together some cash and a friend loaned me some money. It had to happen.

The universe then handed me the most incredible experience when I surrendered and went for it. I see it as a prototype for life.

I say this to continue to stay open, trust intuition, and know that anything is possible.

The next year, I sought to create another wild dream in the summer and live on a Greek Island to create music. However, I didn’t have the money to pull it together.

Out of nowhere, I received a phone call to volunteer as a music director at a refugee camp in Greece. The thought of supporting others in finding a moment of joy and humanity made it an immediate yes, and I joined Broadway, film, and tv talent and crew in facilitating a Shakespeare project in Arabic, in which the residents were the actors.

I learned the most important thing we have in life is our relationships: spiritually, internally, and with others in our lives. I’m still in touch with some of the residents today.

What’s a bonus is that afterwards, I found romance with a skipper on a yacht and sailed the Aegean Sea, explored Santorini, Mykonos, and Paros, rode motorcycles through vineyards to hidden beaches, and connected with locals to learn about Greek culture.

These are just some stories. I’ve also sang opera in castles in Italy and Austria and at Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center under the baton of Placido Domingo; sang Gypsy jazz in Romani caravans in France and headlined at the Rainbow Room and the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage; sang the national anthem solo for the Baltimore Orioles, Washington Nationals, and DC United over 24 times; competed in the Apollo Theater’s National Tour; worked as an audio engineer apprentice at a boutique music studio in New York City and assisted sessions with A$AP Rocky; and worked on a vineyard at an historic château in France.

Another major risk has been through sobriety and letting go of my identity connected to drinking culture. Coming from a high functioning yet dysfunctional family that’s faced alcoholism and addiction, my risk is to question my own identity around worthiness, love, and abandonment. I had a problem with drinking and smoking weed to numb my feelings, so in risking letting go of this major part of my identity to face myself, I’ve gained profound self-awareness and esteem.

The most incredible night of my life was participating in a psilohuasca ceremony. I realized my soul is alive throughout eternity, I already have everything and every feeling I’ve ever wanted across lifetimes, and thus I ultimately have nothing to fear.

My favorite quote from A Course In Miracles: “Let me learn to give the past away, realizing in doing so I am giving up nothing.” Everything I hold onto is connected to my ego and past perceptions of my identity.

From my spiritual perspective, once I surrender and take the risk of letting go of thinking I need to be the puppet master of my destiny and simply pursue what lights me up while staying grounded in responsibility and authentic connection to others, that’s when life unfolds beyond my wildest dreams.

Now, as a pop and electronic singer, songwriter, music producer, DJ, and artist coach, my risk is pursuing my path as an artist-entrepreneur despite not having a guarantee that the work I do will play out in accordance with my dreams.

I continue to release new music that’s getting more future-forward with each track and explore the frontiers of technology. I’m fascinated by web3 and NFTs and am investing in crypto and building my platforms into this space.

All of the most meaningful moments in my life came from risk and nothing in life is guaranteed, so you might as well go for it. Risk is my friend.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I’m an electronic dance pop singer, songwriter, music producer, DJ, and formerly an opera singer, Gypsy jazz singer, musical theater artist, film actress, and audio engineer. I love collaborating with other artists in writing for sync and toplining with other producers’ works.

I also coach female artists in pop and electronic music with my platform, SupremeSound.Life. There, I mentor musicians to find their authentic voice and signature sound, as well as to build a career and life they love. I’ve taught thousands of artists for over 15 years and feel this is part of my life’s purpose. I host a free community on Discord and host regular free challenges, workshops, and resources, which you can find on my website and in my newsletter. Learn more at www.supremesound.life

People say my music reminds them of Lady Gaga, Grimes, and Charli XCX. What sets my sound apart is my voice, creative sound design, and memorable hooks. For me, the most important thing is planting an unforgettable earworm in the listener’s ears. Mainly, this is around catchy melodies. I’ll sample my voice and Gypsy jazz guitar and slice it in unique ways in my work.

I got here from growing up doing musical theater, pop, opera, and film. I received my B. Music in Vocal Performance from the Schulich School of Music at McGill University in Montreal, Canada. While training to be an opera singer, I’d go to classes and lessons by day and raves and parties by night. I’d with with the Digital Composition Studio in vocal manipulation and programming computers with Max/MSP. Now I use this coding in my work today using Clyphx with my Ableton Live performances. It allows for easy control and manipulation of virtually every aspect of a Live set in highly useful and interesting ways.

Although I performed opera with the Washington Opera at the Kennedy Center, sang at Carnegie Hall, and performed in Austria and Italian castles in the Alps, it wasn’t for me.

I fell into a career singing Gypsy jazz through a Craigslist ad, and that turned into a full-time singing career in New York City and Washington, D.C. where I was blessed to perform and collaborate with incredible musicians to headline at the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage and the Rainbow Room at Rockefeller Plaza.

While there, I also worked as an apprentice engineer at ishlab studio, working under producers who produced A$AP Rocky and sitting in on their sessions. I learned production by working in the studio by day, learning from YouTube at night, and asking questions.

During this time, I released a few albums combining Gypsy jazz with synths and electronics, won artist residencies and awards, and started building the best fanbase of the most incredible people whom I treasure.

This still didn’t feel fully me; I love dancing and nightlife, and wanted to be performing more in a club setting. So, I transitioned to making more electronic music and would perform with synths, midi controllers, and Ableton with effecting my vocals.

Now I’m releasing tech house and pop dance tracks more situated for the club and am working on integrating vocals with DJ controllers. Although I feel deeply and have experienced a wide range of emotions like everyone else, I want to prioritize singing, dancing and having fun. That’s why you’ll hear more upbeat and uplifting tracks coming out from me in the future.

My message about finding one’s voice, literally and figuratively, through facing oneself and one’s fears. Only through this courageous act can we experience our individual truth and confidently share it with others.

Learn more about my music at www.alarke.com and my coaching programs and resources at www.supremesound.life and sign up to my newsletter at either site.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Hop in for a drive in my Miata convertible through the canyons in the Santa Monica mountains (and stop to take pictures) and grab a bite at Malibu Café before heading to El Matador State Beach. Walk down a path framed by wildflowers amongst epic rocks jutting into the water. Head back into LA on Route 1 along the ocean, and make a detour to check out Hidden Treasures Vintage in Topanga Canyon.

Visit www.restlessnites.com for a curated nightlife guide on dance music after hours parties, gallery events, and comedy shows.

Join NFT communities and go to IRL Alpha at Good Work on Thursday nights in Venice. Join FND DAO (Friday Night Dinner) and spend Friday evenings talking web3, NFTs, and crypto with an exciting and diverse community of artists, entrepreneurs, and investors. I’m also a member of Friends With Benefits (FWB) and Venice Music Co, and would bring my guest to private parties at Soho Warehouse, in hidden galleries in East Hollywood and on Abbott Kinney, and private house parties at residential compounds in the canyons owned by music and entertainment moguls.

Stroll Abbott Kinney Boulevard in Venice Beach and duck into shops.

Hike up the hills in Griffith Park to the Observatory. It’s beautiful at sunset. Did you know Griffith Park was named after a man named Griffith Griffith?

Walk around the Silver Lake Reservoir and check out the shops and restaurants on Sunset Boulevard in Silver Lake.

Spend a day at the stunning Huntington Gardens: https://www.huntington.org

If you need to spend a day working, do it at Second Home in Hollywood. It’s a co-working situation in a garden: https://secondhome.io/location/hollywood

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Gina DeVee of Divine Living is a world-class transformational life and business coach whose work has forever changed my life. I owe so much to this woman! Find her at www.divineliving.com.

Website: https://www.alarke.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alarke_

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maryalouette/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/alarke_

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alarkemusic

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/alarke

Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@alarke_ Spotify: https://bit.ly/SpotifyAlarke Soundcloud: https://www.soundcloud.com/alarke Bandcamp: https://alarke.bandcamp.com Artist Coaching with SupremeSound.Life: Website: https://supremesound.life Discord community: https://bit.ly/DiscordSupremeSoundLife Newsletter: https://alarke.com/newsletter

Image Credits
Buck Lewis, Eric Sharar, Kyle Blair, Kwesi Peters, Mavel Valdes