Toronto’s own Lost & Profound gives a dark yet lovely sound that’s perfect for any rainy and gloomy day. This romanticized melancholy is achieved by the Stevie Nicks-like voice of Lisa Boudreau accompanied by the physchidelic rock-inspired lyrics, guitar, and production of Terry Tompkins. The duo bring a laid-back sophistication that could get you through any day with your head held high.
I got the chance to speak with Lisa about her experiences, inspiration, and more!
Germ Magazine: Let’s begin with how you got into music. When did you know this was something you could and wanted to pursue?
Lisa: My extended family is very musical, so I had live music around me a lot growing up. When I was in 1st grade, my teacher had me sing a song in a local music festival. That’s when I figured I must be a better singer than the average 6 year old. When I was an adolescent, my older brother had a rock band, and my parents let them rehearse in the basement. That’s when I knew I wanted to be a singer in a band. But I fought through a lot of anxiety and stage fright for many years to get me to the place where I love being on stage.
GM: Where do you find inspiration for your music?
Lisa: I’m getting some direction from my other half Terry for this one since he composes the majority of our music. But I know without having to ask him that our relationship — we’ve been married for over 30 years and have 2 grown sons — is about 80% of the song fodder. The rest comes from stories that we hear, books we read, epiphanies we have, and experiences we have when under the influence of our herbal remedies 😉 (Weed is practically legal in Canada now…)
GM: How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard it?
Lisa: That is the point at which I hand someone our business card and direct them to the website to take a listen. Lol! Asking someone to describe our music is a challenge because on any record of ours, you can hear anything from Floyd-inspired psychedelia to a traditional-sounding mournful sea shanty. I always tell people that our music can be moody, uplifting, sexy, sad, heavy, sensuous, or dark… depending on what song you’re listening to at the moment. But somehow Terry and I have a definitive sound, and no matter which one of our songs you’re hearing, it sounds like Lost and Profound.
GM: As a woman in music — a notoriously male-dominated industry — has it been difficult for you at all to be heard or taken seriously?
Lisa: Hell yeah! Boy, do I have stories! Too many to list here. We should get together for a glass of vino sometime. 😉 I remember playing in a sh*t hole in northern Alberta one time and having the rednecks yelling things like, “Get that chick off the stage and play some rock n roll!!” Really makes a girl feel warm inside, ya know? And then there were times in the studio when we were working with a male producer, a male engineer, a male husband/band partner, had a male record company exec weighing in on everything, and I was 7 months pregnant. It was very easy to come off as being a hormonal crazy woman when I disagreed with the guys in the room.
GM: Wow! Do you have any advice for young writers and creators?
Lisa: Don’t compare yourself to anyone. Follow your own voice and trust your instincts. Otherwise you’ll start to second guess everything you do and you won’t be creating with integrity. We’re always influenced by everyone and everything around us, so breathe it all in and let it come out of you naturally. And be grateful for your gift. So many of us take our creativity for granted, and that’s a sure way to hold yourself back. Wake up every morning with gratitude for your gifts and the art in your life, and you’ll just keep attracting more to you. It’s a truly beautiful system!!
GM: That’s really great advice. What can we expect next from you?
Lisa: We’re planning to release an EP of new material in the 4th quarter of this year. Can’t wait to begin recording!!
GM: Can’t wait to hear it! Finally, where can we find you and your music?
Our website, Spotify, iTunes, and check with your local retailer if you want some sweet, sweet vinyl! You can also order vinyl, CDs and downloads on lostandprofound.ca.
GM: Thanks again for being interviewed!
Lisa: My pleasure, Shelby!! Let me know when you’re in Toronto and we’ll have that chat! 😉
Check out the video to Lost & Profound’s song “Bad Sister”:
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