In honor of Women’s History Month 2021, we are featuring LVDY!
HOW IT ALL STARTED…
Aubrey Mable and Kathleen Hooper met in 2012, while studying abroad in New Zealand. It was one of those chance encounters where kindred spirits resonated, which launched the beginning of a beautiful friendship and their musical partnership: LVDY (pronounced “lady”). While living in Denver, the duo started busking on the streets – slowly discovering their sound and enchanting audiences with their storytelling and folk-style voices.
In the last two years of producing music together, LVDY has travelled and performed around the world – including places like London, Paris, Dublin, Bristol, as well as all around the United States. Aubrey and Kathleen lovingly call their internationally-based, devoted fans the “LVDY Mob”, a following that grows exponentially every time these charismatic women set foot on stage.
LVDY POWER & GOALS…
The LVDY name – with the “V” – is a homage to historical symbols of womanhood. Aubrey and Kathleen use their voices and their platform to promote the feminine - digging deeper to recognize and celebrate femininity and beauty. With every gig they play, LVDY supports and endorses female-owned businesses, venues, and aspirations. They are an entirely self-managed and female-run enterprise; hiring female professionals on all levels of the industry, including: music recording, PR, musical back-up, and so much more.
STYLE & INSPIRATION…
On the whole, LVDY is inspired by nature, and seeking spiritual and sound alignment with powers higher than the self. As Kathleen expresses, LVDY’s songs are “heart anthems” and it is their purpose as musicians to “create light and love through sound, [since] music is one of the most powerful forms of connection”. For this LVDY duo, their muses include artists such as Rising Appalachia, Maggie Rogers, Lake Street Dive, Joy Oladokun, Sara Bareilles, and Joseph.
Aubrey and Kathleen speak to learnings gathered from performers across all genres – especially their “command of the stage and presence, and how they interact with the audience”. They also shout out to cultural and political feminist icons, and the women (cis- and transgender) who helped pave the way - including but not limited to: Stacey Abrams, Laverne Cox, Oprah, Ellen, their moms, and many more brave, courageous, funny, and wise lady trail-blazers.
FAVORITE SPACES & PLACES…
Some of LVDY’s favorite performance venues include the Wisconsin Arts Lab in Milwaukee, Hostetter’s in Steam Boat Springs, Hotel Utah in San Francisco, and Main Street in Telluride. Colorado will always be home and where the heart is for LVDY (check out their 303 Magazine interview here).
This last summer, LVDY got creative with open-air performances and conducted a Front Yard Tour in the Denver region: 7 front yards, pop-up shows every hour, performing for passersby and fans who travelled to see them play. Aubrey and Kathleen express their love of live audiences - especially during these socially distanced days when musicians are mostly performing for computer screens or remote applications. As Aubrey notes: “the energy shared with a crowd is what makes live music magical.”
LATEST & GREATEST…
“Everything has changed with live music, and it will take a while for things to come back around with the music scene,” Kathleen notes, “We want to be part of spearheading the movement and momentum.” Aubrey and Kathleen used this year of transition to be proactive in creating music, finishing an album via Zoom and Facetime collaboration – making it happen despite the physical distancing and various challenges presented.
LVDY’s album Gold will be released on April 16th, 2021 – available for purchase and streaming on all music platforms – check out their website and Instagram to purchase merchandise and stay in touch with the most recent news. LVDY is also the ecstatic recipient of an Augment Musician Grant (more info here), which they will use for their independent production efforts.
If you want to help support Aubrey and Kathleen with their self-managed musical production/performance endeavors - and provide financial backing for a collective of powerful, beautiful women - contact them here.