Meet Laurissa “Lala” Romain | Singer/ Songwriter & Actress

We had the good fortune of connecting with Laurissa “Lala” Romain and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Laurissa “Lala”, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
Quitting my day job was probably the biggest risk I’ve taken, but I’d almost dare to say starting that job was an even bigger one.

I started as a child actor, I grew up in the industry, by the time I was in my pre teen/ young adult phase of life I craved a passion that I found all on my own. It happened that makeup was something I was naturally interested in already, I really enjoyed stepping out of the spotlight and helping others feel beautiful and preparing them for their performances / shoots or events.

I say it was one of the bigger risks because the entertainment business makes you feel like you’re always on a time limit, stepping out of that world, especially coming off of a huge credit like being on Broadway, there’s an uncertainty of “getting back in” for lack of better words.

But as if a sign from the universe something really random happened, a video of me singing resurfaced online and got some attention from a reputable website naming my performance in the top 10 best covers of that song. At the time I had come full circle and worked doing makeup backstage on Broadway, my video was shared around the cast, to the crew, and eventually landed in the hands of the production manager who one day pulled me aside and said, “you need to audition for this show!” Within a month of that conversation, I found myself in callbacks to be IN the show I was doing makeup for. It had brought back so many memories and a love of performing I had almost forgotten about.

I ended up quitting my job as a makeup artist and re-decided being on stage is what I am meant to do. I haven’t done makeup since, but I am so grateful for that time in my life and for the amazing cast and crew members who believed in me and pushed me to take that risk.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Music saved my life, when I was 14 years old I had a close call battling an auto immune disease, it left me temporarily immobile, in constant pain, it would even feel hard to speak at times, but somehow singing felt easier, I didn’t feel pain when I would sing, no matter how much I lost I always had my voice. Listening to music gave me hope, it inspired me, it helped me feel alive. Now that I am healthy and in remission, my biggest dream is to create music that heals. Music that gives advice when no one else is there, music that tells a story, sometimes is a little humorous, music that puts a smile on the listeners face. I want to give that same joy to someone else and I want to continue singing for the rest of my life.

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?
I’m from New York City, so you can’t really go wrong and it feels like anywhere you go you can find something amazing to do! Specifically I’m from Hell’s Kitchen so naturally I’d say see a Broadway show, stop into Dave & Busters, pick between a million options on restaurant row, but also go off track from the busy streets of midtown and go all the way west to the water, depending on the season you’ll see a beautiful sunset, it also tends to be a bit quieter and is beautiful for taking nice walks.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I want to thank you Mom and Dad for always believing in me and supporting me in any venture I’ve ever wanted to go on.

My manager Lisa Calli and my agent Barry Kolker & Huascar Vizcaino for always rooting for me, for being on my team and working so hard to lift me up!

And last but certainly not least a few very important people who helped push me to even try and pursue my dreams, even when I didn’t see the greatness in myself you all did, without you who knows where I would be! Thank you Wayne Brady, Norm Lewis, Justin Scribner and Anthony Wayne.

Website: www.Inthelandoflala.com

Instagram: www.Instagram.com/Inthelandoflala

Twitter: www.Twitter.com/Inthelandoflala

Facebook: www.Facebook.com/Inthelandoflala

Youtube: www.YouTube.com/heyguysitslala

Other: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5fHVqHrW2Ws8GKzKd0xvRR?si=Ts8tHGdnQXSeXJEVQXn-5w Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/album/barriers-single/1583894629 For any of my other links go to www.Inthelandoflala.com/social

Image Credits
Justin Patterson Madeline Jaye Sophie Harris