Lisa De Novo may not be a household name just yet, but in the Charlotte music scene, the singer-songwriter/guitarist is a force to be reckoned with. Like most independent artists, the work never ends and one must have many coals in the fire to keep it stoked.
The same is true for the hard-working De Novo. When she’s not touring with her band, you can find her hosting open mics, working in a local studio, teaching guitar and ukulele lessons to Charlotte youth or giving her time to local non-profits like Girls Rock Charlotte, which is where I first met Lisa. “The camps are so amazing and inspiring,” says Lisa. “You get to watch groups of shy young girls turn into fearless rockstars, who get to perform their own original songs in less than a week! I wish I had a camp like that when I was growing up! I am so proud to be a part of it!” And I concur!
Lisa is a colorful character, with an infectious personality that commands attention…think Rainbow Brite with a guitar. Maybe growing up in a large family with five siblings, molded her to stand out naturally. In May 2018, she released her first full length studio album, “The Big Bang” and then spent a month on the road with her first major US tour, which landed her in Hollywood, California.
I would describe her latest release as Americana/Pop/Rock, reminiscent of Matchbox Twenty, if fronted by a more cheerful Alanis Morissette.
Her debut, was an acoustic EP called The Stars Align, which she released in 2016. You can easily hear her influences intertwined throughout both albums, which range from Lauren Hill and Norah Jones to Fleetwood Mac and Switchfoot. Dubbed as the “family scribe” by age ten, she already had three detailed album ideas, complete with color-coded parts denoting background vocals for her sisters.
With two albums under her belt and a lifetime of songwriting material to boot, all before the age of 30, De Novo’s music career is sure to be a promising one.
Inspired by watching the movie Selena at a young age, set her on her path. Her father calls her his “American Idol” and luckily, her entire family is supportive of her unconventional life path, which consumes most of her time.
Touring and running your own business is a must for independent artists and while it’s rewarding, it can be super demanding, both physically and emotionally, and can leave one road-weary. Lisa says her favorite part about touring is the adventure of seeing all the new cities and her least favorite part is the lack of sleep.
“You have moments when you feel home sick and moments when you feel road sick,” recalls Lisa about her 2400 mile trek to California last summer.
De Novo currently resides in Charlotte, NC and says the music scene is blossoming. “There is already music in almost every brewery and most of the venues do live music every night of the week! I run a few open mic nights in town – Legion Brewing Monday Nights, Pour Tap Room Wednesday nights and Temple Mojo the first Thursday of the month.”
There’s a little of everything and she loves how most musicians are welcoming and supportive.
Catch Lisa and her band in the Queen City at her favorite Charlotte venue, The Visulite on July 10, 2019 where a portion of the proceeds will go to www.girlsrockclt.org
On a more personal note, I’m excited to announce that Lisa and I will be playing our first festival together. She kicks off Women Rock The Rails on Friday May 17th in Clinton SC at Rhythm on the Rails festival at 5pm followed by yours truly, Pam Taylor & The Flyin’ V’s at 6pm, then April B & The Cool at 7:30pm. This is sure to be a fun filled festival, so if you’re in the area, come on out and see the multi-talented, Lisa De Novo.
To hear more from this delightful artist go to www.LisaDeNovo.com for tour dates and merchandise.
You can also find her on music at https://fanlink.to/LDN
