STARLA feels her way through the songwriting process in a similar way that she did as Stephanie, but with a lot more ease. Aided by modern recording techniques, writing songs with her electric piano in midi-form, playing and directly recording her guitar and bass–able to edit sounds and textures later on in the computer–she finds more grace in how she approaches her instruments. 

“I just know, as soon as I sit down to practice, a new song is going to fall out. It’s just how it is. So I always practice on record now. Just to get the idea. Lay it out in it’s first form. But the best part is – I don’t have to play it perfectly. I don’t even necessarily have to know how the whole thing goes – I can just lay down the parts I hear right now and go from there.”

This step-by-step, layered approach to songwriting and music production has opened up new palettes for STARLA to express through. Influenced by rock and roll, indie, alternative, hip hop, classical, and jazz, STARLA weaves her favorite sound signatures through layers of synths, guitars, bass, drums, while often featuring a clean and classic piano tone and primarily undistorted voice. 

“You know, I love a stripped back singer-songwriter sound. But I also love Led Zeppelin. I love Tom Petty. I love the Beastie Boys – I love Enya! There’s so much that I love about music in general, but I really love visceral, live bands. So when I write and mix – I like to imagine there’s a band playing. It helps a lot when I’m trying to figure out where I want some notes to sit, or how I want to pan certain instruments. I want there to always be a sense of – seeing and hearing the musicians in the room, even though it’s all just me on the recordings.” 

It’s not just the band that’s in STARLA’s music, it’s her magnetic vocals and lyrical acumen that resonates deeply with so many listeners. Songs with themes of encouragement or determination, of being present or playful in the moment, or simply enjoying the opportunity to fantasize and bliss out.