Taylor Harris's music career started after a Friday night of karaoke with friends. Now known as Lady Lark, she is set to launch a dance virus with her new album Permission. Backed by a new band, Purple Funk Metropolis, she'll be performing a release show at the Fine Line alongside fellow Minneapolis-St. Paul based band, Heiruspecs.

"They're so talented, and I wanted to make sure that when I come out with this new album that I had these guys behind me bringing that energy, bringing that funk, bringing those good times," Harris told Andea Swensson about her new mates in Purple Funk Metropolis.

It's already been a few months on the road with them, she says, with only one mishap of accidentally locking the keys in the car during their Midwest Music Exchange tour. Going from Winnipeg to Milwaukee, the Lady Lark gang came back to perform in Minneapolis at Ice House for the first time at the end of the tour.

"It was so much fun," Harris said. "I had never been to Winnipeg before and really had mostly just played in the Twin Cities, so getting to go out to different cities, different audiences, and seeing how they reacted to Lady Lark was a lot of fun."

Through both her live performances and recordings, Lady Lark has been inviting people to the dance party that is her music. Listening to her latest album Permission — a musical collection best indulged in while driving with the windows down on a sunny summer day — serves as the admission ticket to join the celebration, she says.

"This album, all the songs — what Lady Lark is all about is having fun, giving yourself permission to enjoy those things that bring you pleasure," Harris said. "Whether it's falling in love, going out with your friends, it's dancing, it's all those things."

Music has been her source of comfort and happiness since she was a little girl blasting her CD player in her room in need of a change in attitude. "It was where I go to become happy," she said. Now, just as she uses music to get through rough days, Harris is embodying that uplifting power for everyone on Permission.

Heiruspecs's Midway Felix, and Har Mar Superstar helped craft those uplifting vibes with intense piano riffs and trumpet solos, on the songs "Shopping Bags" and "Rendezvous."

Lady Lark will be playing those songs and others from her newest album on May 10 at the Fine Line.

Songs Performed

"Rendezvous"
"Right Kind of Love"
"Shopping Bags"

Hosted by Andrea Swensson
Produced by Jesse Wiza
Engineered by Michael DeMark
Visuals by Nate Ryan
Web feature by Kayla Song

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