Meet the Musician: Ariela Fleisig, singer and harpist

This post profiles Ariela Fleisig, singer and harpist. She has participated in five Showcases and is currently working on projects with fellow Flashbanders, so keep an ear out!

 Like many others, I didn’t find Flashband; Flashband found me. I’d confided in a friend of mine who’s a talented local musician (Maryjo Mattea of Two Dragons & A Cheetah and Doctor Robert & Penny Lane; check her out!) that I’d always wanted to be the lead singer of a band, but that I thought it would never happen. She knew a few musicians who had great experiences with Flashband, and encouraged me to check it out.

A few months later, I finally decided to try out a jam. I was really, really nervous; mostly worried that I wouldn’t be good enough or that I wouldn’t know any of the songs people would want to play. Jamming can sometimes be tough for vocalists that way—we don’t always know what to do with just a random key or chord progression. Once I got there, though, everyone was really welcoming and friendly, and I soon found a great group of musicians to play with. 

To me, Flashband has meant the opportunity to live out a dream. I’d sung in choirs, a cappella groups, and even a competitive karaoke league, but to be in a band and really help shape the music I make instead of taking directions or using a cookie-cutter mold is a truly unique experience. 

To those who are new to Flashband, don’t be afraid to speak your mind, and if you’re extroverted like I am, make an effort to give everyone in the band an opportunity to be heard. Everyone deserves a say in whatever you’re playing, and that quiet bandmate you have usually has something valuable to share. 

Don’t be afraid to jam, especially you, vocalists! If you’re a singer and folks are jamming in a given key/chord progression or playing a song you don’t know, you can always scat or use words to other songs you know already.

People often ask me, “What genre do you sing?” and I always refuse to answer the question. There’s no need to stick to any one genre in the DC scene to be able to play and have your music appreciated. The beauty of our community is that musicians support and play with each other across genres rather than just forming homogeneous lineups. Everyone’s way more exposed to music they might not otherwise hear, and that allows us to make more interesting and completely new music. 

I also love to perform. When I’m on stage, I go by “Lala,” which probably sounds like I think I’m a real-life Mystique taking on the persona of an MTV VJ. The description’s not so far off, though—on stage, I feel like a completely different, more confident person. There’s no better feeling than taking all the energy from a crowd and giving it back tenfold. 

I’ve also grown a lot as a musician and a person. Every time I play with a new Flashband, I get to play with a completely new set of musicians, and every band has its own unique set of challenges to grow from. 

Music has always been intertwined with family for me. Most of my earliest memories involve music: dancing around to a song my mom was playing on the piano, learning my times tables by singing along with a tape, and even singing blessings with my parents and sister over holiday candles. To this day, whenever I’m with my mom in a car and “California Dreamin’” comes on, we roll down the windows and belt it out together. Music’s also my favorite therapy. I’ve gotten through the toughest times in my life by finding the right song and a friend and singing together.

Want to be featured in an upcoming Flashband Meet the Musician? Contact Deborah Lash for more info.