Meet Laura Ishida | Singer-Songwriter / Musician – Lead Singer and Bass Player for The Howling Faith

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

Hi Laura, how has your background shaped the person you are today?
I’m from Los Angeles – born and raised in Culver City. I’m the daughter of Mexican immigrants, which makes me 2nd generation Mexican-American. My background and my family’s journey to this specific part of LA definitely had a huge impact in shaping who I am today. I was brought up in a way that fully embraced the ties to my Mexican heritage – the food, family gatherings, the music, books, watching movies from Mexico’s cinematic golden age (Dolores del Rio, Cantinflas, Pedro Infante, etc…). I was (and am) very close to the immigrant experience despite having been born here. I grew up speaking both languages, but Spanish was the main language for me at home. On the flip side, having grown up on the Westside and going to schools in this part of the city immersed me totally in the diversity by which I was surrounded. My parents were not of the generation that wanted their kids to assimilate completely (i.e. like generations before them who didn’t want their kids to speak Spanish for fear of being ostracized which is what Mexican-American kids of prior generations might have faced). On the contrary, there was a sort of quiet resistance in my family to ‘give in’ to American culture, but it was inevitable. Ironically, my family made the Westside our home and there weren’t as many Latinos growing up on this side of town back in those days. My exposure to these diverse cultures and identities has subliminally seeped into my music in one form or another. From a very young age, I was listening to my father’s records – Chuck Berry, The Carpenters, Credence Clearwater Revival, Linda Ronstadt, while also listening to rancheras and nortenas at home and family gatherings. My world growing up was one of contradictions, this constant push and pull tension happening on so many levels.

And then there’s the work ethic and indefatigable nature that those coming to the U.S. from another country typically possess, with little to their names but a hope and a promise…my parents certainly gave me the gift of that example and I’ve been told that I’m restless to a fault.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’m the lead singer and bass player for my band The Howling Faith. We’re a rock trio, all native Angelenos hailing from different parts of the city. and our approach to our music has been described as a a non-conformist meshing of styles. We write songs that are a little bit garage / psychedelic rock, a little bit twangy, some dreamy shoegaze, and everything in-between. I don’t set out to write a song that fits into a certain genre, but somehow our music ends up flirting with some of these styles.

I’m most excited about our new song recordings; our first single came out in January 2024 called “Days and Days,” and we recently released another single called “Out Of Time.” We have a couple more releases slated for early summer and fall. I’m so proud of what came out of this recording process and the end result. I feel that these songs have captured the true intent and sound my band and I have envisioned for years, and these singles are a culmination of our musical evolution. We’re getting back to playing some live shows around town later this month and into the summer.

The journey is far from over for me and it’s a continual effort to get to where I want to be as a musician. It remains a challenge to expose our songs to new listeners and gain new fans, but it all starts with a good song and these new recordings, I hope, will resonate.

I’m a musician who’s also a mother (I have 2 children), I’m a wife, and I work full-time in a line of work that’s highly demanding, so I’m constantly pulled in different directions. It’s extremely difficult to stand out in the music scene, especially in a city like LA that is saturated with so much amazing talent. That being said, my story is that my music is so intertwined with my identity and who I am at my core that how can I not pour myself into something that chose me long ago. I’ve been chipping away at my music for more than 20 years now, It’s been a marathon, not a sprint (as much as I wish I could sprint to my goals!). To anyone reading, give my new tunes a listen, you won’t be disappointed.

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?
Our food scene is exploding with so many good options, but I have to say, I can go for street tacos any day of the week…There’s also Teddy’s Red Tacos (Tijuana style birria tacos) – soo good; Coni’s Seafood is one of my faves if I have a hankering for Mexican Seafood (Nayarit style); Del Rey / Mar Vista area has some of my go-to’s – Sakura House if I’m craving tonkatsu, Rasselback for some German sausage and spetzel. I spend a lot of time in Little Tokyo, so food options are a plenty there, but I actually really like Korea BBQ House in Weller Court; Mario’s Peruvian & Seafood near Hollywood; if i’m craving pizza, Pizzanista in the Arts District; Little Jewel of New Orleans in Chinatown for some legit po’ boys and their crawfish mac n cheese never disappoints, and Mercado Buenos Aires in the Valley for authentic Argentine food and bakery/deli. I can go on and on when it comes my favorite food joints here in LA…

Drinks…I love breweries and there’s no shortage here in LA. Some of my go-to’s have shuttered in recent years but those still standing that I dig are Boomtown Brewery in the Arts District and Homage. The Redwood Bar is always a cool spot for drinks and live music (we’ve played there a handful of times over the years). Escondite in Little Tokyo is cool too.

One of my favorite things to check out in the summertime is The Grand Ole Echo for live music on Sunday afternoons. It’s such a cool space to see bands jamming in the patio on warm afternoons/evenings while acts are alternating between sets on the main stage. Like I said, there’s so much musical talent in LA and a lot of really cool acts converge at the GOE on Sunday afternoons in the summertime.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My husband, Robert. Without his unconditional support of me as a creative and a musician, I wouldn’t get to immerse myself as fully as I have into my craft. I also want to give a shout out to producer and recording engineer Manny Nieto. Through his guidance and encouragement, my recent material has taken my musical journey to a whole new level…

Website: https://www.thehowlingfaith.com/

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

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

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thehowlingfaith1197

Image Credits
Piero F. Giunti JM Chaides Danny Rodarte