Lia Menaker has been singing for her entire life — her mother claims she sang “Sixteen Going on Seventeen” from the “The Sound of Music” as a two-year-old. An experienced actress, singer, songwriter and pianist, Menaker describes her shows as “if Fiona Apple met Joni Mitchell at an old cabaret club.”
Menaker will perform from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Oct. 1 at One World Cafe in downtown Moscow as part of her 2017 East to West Coast Solo Tour.
The Atlanta-based musician has worked in various positions, from an actress to an Emergency Preparedness and Response Team member for the Center for Disease Control. Though it was often pushed to the side, Menaker said she always knew music was her true passion and calling.
“My roots are definitely in theater, and that will always be a part of me,” Menaker said. “There’s typically a sense of theatricality and storytelling to my music.”
Menaker performs a blend of pop, rock and soul music in a unique way that highlights her passion for musical theater.
Drawing inspiration from her own life and wild imagination, Menaker said she considers her music to be stories in song form. She said she also enjoys “just playing around” with her recording equipment to find new chords and lyrics.
“Sometimes I can just be playing around with chords on the piano, and just saying whatever words come out, and those lead me to a song,” Menaker said.
With 2017 marking her first major tour, Menaker said her experience has so far been incredible. For the storyteller, connecting with devoted fans and new listeners has been the most rewarding part of her journey, she said.
“Working off of the energy of the crowd, connecting with them… can be fun, especially with a smaller, more intimate crowd,” she said.
Menaker said she appreciates the constantly changing venues and crowd sizes for the wide variety of performances she is able to give — sometimes playing for a packed room and sometimes being able to crack jokes with individual audience members.
“People crave to connect, and (to connect) through art, which is the most beautiful thing to me,” Menaker said.
Members of her audiences across the country have sketched her during concerts and written her poems.
She said those personal connection with strangers can be especially meaningful to her as she travels across the country, away from her family and friends.
“I’ve had to be alone with myself a lot, and often without a podcast, or music or a friend to talk to. That can really be a powerful thing if you let it,” Menaker said.
Even when facing dead cellphone signals and long drives alone, she said she is determined to make her tour a positive experience.
“I know it’s made me a stronger woman and a stronger human being in general,” Menaker said.
Menaker’s Moscow performance promises to be a reflection of her theatrical style. No matter the concert attendance or the length of the road ahead of her, Menaker said that performing is “110 percent completely worth it” and is fun for her as a musician.
Beth Hoots can be reached at [email protected]