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Ep. 192 - Telling Your Love Story Through Your Playlist - Derrick + Lovisa _ Dare to Love
31 Plays5 days ago
Happy Woo Wednesdays!
This week on the podcast, I’m joined by Dare To Love Music — a married duo who have been creating unforgettable events through music for over a decade. From weddings and baby showers to intimate celebrations, they specialize in tailoring each performance so it resonates with your story and your guests.
With Derrick’s mesmerizing saxophone and Lovisa’s captivating vocals, they bring energy, emotion, and connection to every event. Whether it’s the soulful notes of a ceremony or the lively energy of a reception, they make sure the soundtrack to your special day feels like you.
🎷 Derrick Lightning has shared the stage with legends like Dave Grohl of Foo Fighters, George Thorogood, and has performed at iconic venues such as Carnegie Hall and The Hit Factory. His passion for music is only matched by his love for connecting with people and making them smile.
🎤 Lovisa Lightning has performed for the King of Sweden and collaborated with icons like Björn Ulvaeus of ABBA and jazz great Toots Thielemans. A versatile vocalist and instrumentalist, Lovisa shines across genres from jazz and soul to pop and rock, captivating audiences with the emotion and depth of her voice.
In this episode, we dive into how music tells your love story, the magic of crafting a personalized playlist, and why live performance adds an unforgettable layer to life’s biggest moments.
✨ If you want to create the perfect soundtrack for your wedding or event, Dare To Love Music is here to make it extraordinary.
Connect with the duo
https://www.instagram.com/daretolovemusic
https://instagram.com/carissawoo
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Transcript
Introduction and Sponsor Shout-out
00:00:00
Speaker
happy woo wednesdays shout out to my sponsors 17 hats i've been using them for 10 years i just posted a reel about them but my life business was total hot mess express before i started using them missing invoices double bookings you name it a lot could go wrong when you don't have a good c r m So use code HECK YES to get 50% off the entire year. Comes out to like $30 a month, which is such a steal.
00:00:29
Speaker
Get your life back.
Meet Lovisa and Derek Lightning
00:00:31
Speaker
So today on the podcast, I'm joined by Lovisa and Derek Lightning of Dare to Love Music, a powerhouse married duo who create unforgettable event soundtracks with Lovisa's stunning vocals and Derek's soulful saxophone.
00:00:46
Speaker
My favorite part of this conversation, hands down, when they share their love story. It honestly felt like something straight out of a movie. but We also dive into our hot topic, telling your love story through your playlist.
00:00:58
Speaker
From wedding to celebrations, they spent over a decade curating music that brings energy, emotion, and connection to every moment. You are going to love this episode. A little plug for me, but really all for you.
Carissa's Passive Income Journey
00:01:12
Speaker
If you've been thinking about starting your own journey into passive income through digital marketing, products, getting your first digital product up and running um is total game changer. And once you make your first sale on autopilot, it really changes your mindset about not trading time for money.
00:01:30
Speaker
So reach out to me at my Instagram at Carissa Wu. Let's talk about how you can create freedom in your business and life. But enjoy this episode.
Carissa's Background and Podcast Focus
00:01:43
Speaker
Welcome to Get a Heck Yes with Carissa Wu. I'm your host Carissa and I've been a Los Angeles wedding photographer for over a decade. I've traveled the world, built my team, and seen it all.
00:01:54
Speaker
I now coach wedding photographers hit 10K a month and build a thriving business. In this podcast, we are going to deep dive into how top wedding creatives get that heck yes from their dream clients. We are not holding back on the struggles of the business and how to push through the noise. Some healthy hustle, mindset shifts, up-leveling your money story,
00:02:12
Speaker
Time hacks because I'm a mom of two, a little bit of woo-woo, and most importantly, self-love and confidence are just a few of the many things we will talk about. I want to give you a genuine thank you for following along my journey.
00:02:25
Speaker
I hope to inspire you every Woo Wednesday so that you say heck yes to listening to this podcast. See you guys soon.
Lovisa and Derek's Music Backgrounds
00:02:35
Speaker
Hey everyone, welcome back to Get a Heck Yes with your girl, Carissa Wu. I'm here with Dare to Love Music with Lovisah and Derek. I met you guys at a Wippo party and I love your energy. They are a merry couple bringing true love to your events.
00:02:52
Speaker
Collads with Abba Bjoran and Foo Fighters, my favorite, and vocals, saxophone, DJ, flute, piano, and guitar. Welcome, welcome guys.
00:03:03
Speaker
Thank you much for having us. Thank you so much. It's been so awesome me listening. I was um so happy to meet you at the last WIPA gala and you guys had such great energy and you guys are full of life. So it's really cool to meet cool people. And I'm happy to learn about you guys today.
00:03:21
Speaker
Oh, you're a very cool person yourself. Yeah. We're very honored to be here. Thank you. and submit Well, we have a lot of wedding pros listening and some may know you, some may not, but just tell everyone who you guys are.
00:03:35
Speaker
Cool. Yeah. Do you want to start should I start? Okay, cool. Hi, I'm Derek Lightning and Yeah, I've performed at Carnegie Hall, performed for many weddings as well, had my music played in the Chinese theater.
00:03:53
Speaker
And yeah, it's ah I've had a lot of experience scoring music for films as well as doing live performance. And it's all kind of tied itself together through meeting LaVisa and doing wedding music. And you'll hear a little bit more about that, but I'm going to pass it over to Lovisa to tell everyone herself.
00:04:13
Speaker
I'm in Lovisa, Lightning, and I am, I'm from Sweden originally, and I moved here seven years ago, which was like ah the best thing, it was such an amazing thing to come here for many reasons, and yeah, I've been, you know, I've studied music in Sweden at the Royal College of Music, and studied music design, and then been doing weddings in Sweden, performing a lot, got into voice acting and dubbing actually is how I came to us.
00:04:43
Speaker
um And then yes, met Derek and since then. Yeah. um Tell me a little bit about your like both you guys, like your childhood, what you were like as a kid, anything about your families or anything that kind of like shaped the person you are today.
Derek's Musical Journey
00:04:59
Speaker
All right. Well, as a kid, I remember i had a ah friend's dad and he played the piano all the time and I begged my mom, I was like, please let me have piano lessons. I want this so badly.
00:05:11
Speaker
and then I got piano lessons and I thought that I would just be amazing and that i didn't have to practice. So then I asked my mom, please don't let me have piano lessons anymore. And it wasn't until I started playing like the saxophone around middle school that I got serious. And that, yeah, then around that time, i really decided that I wanted to do music and pursue the career. now you play really good piano.
00:05:36
Speaker
Oh, thank you. Classical and jazz. I think it's pretty. Oh, OK. So you play um saxophone, piano, guitar. Yeah, I play a lot of instruments. You play oboe, bass, drums. You're always so shy about this. you play like Yeah, he plays pretty much everything but violin.
00:05:56
Speaker
Wow, and then your parents play... Well, you play violin too, actually, been no but not for wedding. No, but not good enough for a wedding at this point. Did your parents play? it Like, are you a musical family? Yeah, my dad plays the bass.
00:06:08
Speaker
He actually taught me like how to play the bass and the guitar. And then my mom played piano ah like growing up. she She still plays a little, but not so much anymore. Oh, nice. how about you How about you? My family are very into music. They're not musicians in the sense that they're working and with music, but my siblings and my family all sing, and we what we were talking about once with the choir and singing harmonies, like there's that, oh my God, it brings me to tears so often to sing with my siblings.
00:06:40
Speaker
And I miss that. So yeah. That's awesome. Okay. I have a question. Louisa, talk about like your your school, the music school that you went to and what were your experience was like.
Lovisa's Career Shift and Move to LA
00:06:53
Speaker
Oh my God. ah That's a big question. i It was great. I was really extremely happy to get in. I was actually one, i was i was the only girl who got in. It was kind of like, it's not very technical, but I think at the time, not a lot of women would apply to that kind of music production and design. But I was super happy to get in. It was definitely tough with the competition.
00:07:19
Speaker
And that's something that actually had me kind of step aside a little bit. I was singing a lot of performing in bands, but I kind of sucked the joy for music out of it. And also just not seeing maybe my true potential or like how good I was and yeah, fear driven bit.
00:07:38
Speaker
So um wonderful experience and teachers and all that, but definitely learned a lot about myself that I had to work on a little later. Was it school in Sweden? Yeah, it was. It was the College of Music in Stockholm.
00:07:51
Speaker
Okay, let's, um sorry to skip over. yeah you know but ah More about LaVisa. Tell me ah about like your time coming here seven years ago. Like you said, it was voice acting.
00:08:03
Speaker
and Yeah, yeah. so that's So that's kind of what happened. When I was stepped away a little bit, I started doing that. I was a casting director. And I was got into dubbing and I did commercials for Swedish television, and which was a lot of fun. And then i ended up directing to and producing shows and theatricals in Sweden.
00:08:23
Speaker
And then they wanted me transferred. So this is also crazy because it's my dream to be a musician in LA. And I'm like, that's next life. But so I was transferred to LA because they were starting up a studio to dub into English, right? Because that's pretty kind of new.
00:08:43
Speaker
So i came here, like the universe literally kicked my butt, I feel like. Wow, that's amazing. Okay, let's have a question for Derek.
00:08:55
Speaker
I know you briefly mentioned about your family and like you know playing these instruments. um Tell me about like the college years of your life. What were you up to then?
Derek's Band and Move to LA
00:09:06
Speaker
Oh yeah, so I studied jazz saxophone at the University of Miami. And I actually ended up taking a semester abroad and living in Germany for about six months.
00:09:18
Speaker
And yeah, it was really cool to travel, do music. One thing I did notice, music is a very like male dominated industry, especially.
00:09:30
Speaker
And so i yeah, I think it's really cool. Like what Lovisa was saying about like, that she, she really persisted. And yeah, I don't know that she's just like ah like a woman in the industry that like is typically like men.
00:09:46
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, my question, because I'm not a music person, i told you i was just trying to learn like songs for a worship team. But what does it mean when you say like, do music? Like what is like the lifestyle of a musician like at that time?
00:10:00
Speaker
Like it's like hanging out with bands. Is it playing on the street? is it busing? Is it starting a YouTube channel? What was that like for you? In college or like at which? Yeah, like maybe college years or early Wow.
00:10:15
Speaker
wow For me, it was not the typical being in a band experience. Like I had some bands and stuff I was in in high school, but college, it was a lot about studying and playing with a lot of different musicians and playing jazz. It's very much about like coming together with different people and playing with them and playing in a whole bunch of different situations.
00:10:39
Speaker
And it was towards the last year, it was actually, i felt inspired when I went to Germany. I met a ah female bass player and she started her own group and had me play saxophone.
00:10:52
Speaker
And I was really inspired by her. I was like, I want to start my own group of music. So I made this band. It was called the World Peace Ensemble, you know, because we were traveling, you know, i don't know, I was traveling and I really liked different world cultures coming together.
00:11:06
Speaker
so I did that for, like the last year of my college. And I even got to have like a credit, a class credit to do like your own ensemble.
00:11:17
Speaker
So um then did that after like college too, like right after college, we did a tour in Germany and then we eventually did like another tour up the East coast and back down.
00:11:31
Speaker
But then, yeah, then in my twenties, like, Part of the way through, I moved to l LA. my mom had moved here and then soon my brother moved here. He's a saxophone player as well.
00:11:43
Speaker
And yeah. I felt like, um, the next big band that I was a part of or then helped found was dare to love, which is the project I have. oh Okay. Okay. Okay.
00:11:56
Speaker
Um, this is a good part. So, um, okay. One more question before we jump into like how you guys met and how you guys, um, kind of curated dare to love, but this is kind of like from a business minded perspective and also a parent. I'm a parent. Um,
00:12:14
Speaker
Is the word like starving artist like still a thing when you go to like music school or do they like teach you how to make money, how to run a business and make a living off of it? Or do you have to have some sort of like side income?
00:12:28
Speaker
but I think that you should answer this because you well, I mean, I am. No, you go ahead and take this one. I'm curious of your opinion as well. But yeah. Yeah, yeah you can both answer for sure. I think, that yeah, you're a good announcement.
00:12:44
Speaker
I think that one thing, like going to music school was very focused for me, but what I studied, which was like studio music and jazz.
00:12:57
Speaker
But that was very much focused music. being a good musician, like having the the craft and the craftsmanship. And I did have to take a music business class to graduate from college.
00:13:12
Speaker
But the it was like almost like it it was stuff like when you have your hit record, you need to do this stuff to get like royalties. And it was like when you're already at the top
The 'Starving Artist' Concept and Business Education
00:13:23
Speaker
in the industry. Yeah, yeah. so But it didn't tell you like how to break into the industry or stuff like that. And I remember, yeah, when i when I first graduated college, I was really just chasing like any performance I could get.
00:13:39
Speaker
And I don't, I think that it is a, it's a, like a mindset, the starving artist mindset and people can buy into it. You know, I bought into it, but I realized over the years that it just was but because I didn't have business knowledge.
00:13:58
Speaker
And when I learned, when I started learning about how to run a business, That is when really things started to change in my music career.
00:14:09
Speaker
Wow. I mean, we could go on and on about the business side, but I'll let you speak little bit. No, I think that's sort that's how I felt too. There was not a lot of education when it came to that.
00:14:21
Speaker
and I also think but the mindset is kind of what I would speak around too, though, because it's has a lot to do with also being eager, finding the ways to learn, just getting out there. And that's more mental and more like kind of coaching or or you know life coaching, which is something that I also got into more. And I think that was also a turning point um for me. But so more of that too, like mental health and and so on and in schools too. I love that.
00:14:52
Speaker
That could be another podcast too. Life coaching. We'll get it. What were you going to say? I just have to say I think most of like my business knowledge has been from coaching programs or private coaching.
00:15:07
Speaker
And yeah, I remember I had this, uh, like when I was way starting out, I did this program and I ended up realizing that I was like in love with Luvisa.
00:15:18
Speaker
And i remember one of the things, though, is someone was telling me that from when I was teaching music lessons that I should charge a higher rate. So they're like, when are you going to raise your rate? And i just, yeah, I just, i I remember I felt so, like, scared to...
00:15:35
Speaker
charge more. Yeah. come along I know the feeling.
00:15:43
Speaker
All right. Let's get to the juicy stuff. Let's talk about like when you met, when you said you fell in love with her and then take it into how you started dare to love.
00:15:55
Speaker
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00:16:11
Speaker
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00:17:01
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Speaker
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Back to the show.
Lovisa's Transformative Experience at Burning Man
00:18:21
Speaker
so well one of the things that And when I came to LA, what I said, touched on before, is that it's spiritual here, right? In a way that Sweden is not really.
00:18:32
Speaker
So when I was started by going to Burning Man. I was like, yeah I was forced to go to Burning Man. I was scared and stuff. And it was one of best things ever in terms of just finding...
00:18:46
Speaker
um Yeah, being connected with spirituality and also spirituality as in in mindfulness and self-work.
00:18:57
Speaker
Right. So I was forced to Burning Man to your friends. What did you do? Because she woke up. She could clearly see it was a resistant person. And she, and yeah, and i really, I'm so grateful to her for many things. She also, um yeah, she inspired me to go to do more self work and um that just a lot of things came up and one of them being just all these things with music and being like, I put that on like a little bit to the side.
00:19:23
Speaker
and ah But then I realized that what really needs to happen here is I need to see my own greatness. I hear it and people will tell me, but I was just so in my shit and too scared, sorry, and to face that, you know, or to, and then I'm like, what am I doing? Like, why am I not listening to people? Why am I? And so that that was a lot of blocks and stuff that I to,
00:19:46
Speaker
to work with and with that I ended up writing because I saw Derek playing stages of Hollywood and oh my god I like he was in all the clubs and he would I get chills on my head and my and my head do say that anyway in my yeah yeah And he hey would go out to the audience with his saxophone or whatever, oboe, whatever instrument he played.
Creative Collaboration and Overcoming Blocks
00:20:12
Speaker
And he would like put the saxophone to your heart, like the tenor, not the tenor, the soprano, anyway, to your heart and be like really connecting. And I i teared up when I saw him. And then he would also like throw candles into the saxophone belt and just like be crazy. And I was just like, this this musicianship is just so inspiring to me. And I can't, feel I could never even like dare to do that.
00:20:37
Speaker
But so i I wrote a song and I didn't know him. I had like, I followed him on Instagram and I would see him and and he, but I ended up writing a song, ah full song after a creative writer's block, right? So that was a pretty big deal for me. And then I recorded a memo, voice memo, and I sent to him.
00:20:54
Speaker
And I was like, what did I just do? you know, so scary. And I was so, so scared until the next day. and yeah, it was. Yeah. Oh my gosh. I got so emotional. I mean, cried hearing it. Um, yeah, it was so beautiful and I, it was a really powerful and.
00:21:16
Speaker
Was a voice memo like a song or just like. but was Yeah. singing Yeah. It was a song that I wrote, um, inspired by him. Yeah. Yeah. you I'm just trying to like imagine this night with like candles and the saxophone. I was like, Oh my God. Oh, I have so many videos of that. we should actually tell you some stories for those crazy stuff. Cause it was, it was a lot of fun.
00:21:39
Speaker
Um, but yeah. So I remember we connected and I learned LaVisa was an awesome singer as well. We like jammed. And then one night she saw me at a club and,
00:21:50
Speaker
She said, i'm i was always playing as the supporting person. You know, I wasn't like the main musician. And so she was saying, well, you're so good. You should play a show here as the leader.
00:22:02
Speaker
I said, oh, I don't know if I can do that. And then she's like, I'm not leaving until you ask the person to get a booking here. So I asked the booking person and I got it. And i I wanted to have an amazing vocalist. So I asked Louisa to sing. Oh, crazy. I'm getting buzzed. I feel buzzy. Yeah.
00:22:21
Speaker
Okay, keep going. too when i think about this and yeah that's and yeah so we started we started playing music together and i started falling for la visa and i remember i told you i was like falling for you ah you were so great i was like i remember i felt i had this whole thing it was like i'm falling for la visa i was like but i can't because we're in a band together so it's not going to work out i remember i i told you like I was really vulnerable about
From Bandmates to Couple
00:22:49
Speaker
it. And Lovisa was like, well, let's just see what happens. Like in my mind, was like, okay, well, she wants to be with me, but she was, she didn't want to be with me. And that she saw me as like a friend that moment. Oh man. You almost got friend zoned.
00:23:07
Speaker
Yeah. I got friend zoned. So how did you get out of that and get married and have a kid? So tell me another little bit. Well, I mean, I think still like just a lot of we did the same, like a lot of work stuff work together. And it was just so clear in the end to me, like um that it's, I mean, this is obviously the person i should be with, but I had a different picture in my head of what that would look like. And and so on.
00:23:31
Speaker
Something I really want to say. Yeah. So like LaVisa had done this coaching program. And she's like, this is amazing. I remember after we played the first concert together that I like, it was awesome. It was a really amazing concert, but I didn't feel happy afterwards.
00:23:49
Speaker
And so it's like, Oh, I need to like fix something inside of myself. So we, I did this coaching program that Louisa did. And then from doing it, I realized I was like, I love Louisa and I'm going to get married to you. And I like,
00:24:02
Speaker
recorded this, it was like I love you so much and I'm going to marry you. and and itda I don't know. I was feeling very bold and like, you know, excited after doing the program. And Lovisa was like, oh, I don't know. Like, I hope that's true, but I don't know. Like, I still feel like I don't.
00:24:21
Speaker
It was a beautiful way. We wrote a lot of music too, where we kind of expressed how we felt. And that's also the music that, um, that like brought us together just by being vulnerable and open and writing music was therapy for us.
00:24:34
Speaker
How long um were you dating before you got married? Um, it well, not the whole thing. well when you say on started dating, I think we both have a definition of like, yeah yeah youre dating from day one like when we were playing music together and in the band that that was like, we started dating, but Lovisa, was like, I remember I asked Lovisa out and she said, no.
00:25:00
Speaker
the first time and I did it through like a song and like a whole nother story. It's like nine month. It's more less nine. Yeah, dang. was thinking that's fast. That's very daring.
00:25:15
Speaker
yeah It was quick. He proposed pretty much after four months and he proposed at the venue that we very first but we had at it when we had the show together. Dang, I love you guys together.
00:25:27
Speaker
talk to a lot of couples, but your story is like by far the best. But we're going to jump into it. Yeah, high five on that one. Three five on that one. We're going to get into hot topic. What is your hot topic and why is it so near and dear to your heart? Because you told me a bit, but I don't know what it means. So I'm curious too.
00:25:46
Speaker
So the hot topic yes music this is i music Normally you talk about music design when it comes to films or video games, and it's choosing songs that help tell the story of the film.
00:26:07
Speaker
So like, if it's like an intense scene, sometimes, you know, you can find, sometimes people write an original music score. I mean, that often happens, but a lot of times too, in movies, you just choose songs that are already made and get the rights to do so.
00:26:22
Speaker
it's like designing the music so that it helps tell the story of like a movie, video game, or in this case, it'd be like a wedding or a private event. yeah And what made it so near and dear to us is that we ended up getting in, yeah, got engaged.
00:26:41
Speaker
And then we ended up doing the music to our own wedding.
Designing Their Wedding Music
00:26:44
Speaker
And we really wanted it to tell the story, you know, from the, the voice memo that LaVisa said to like the music that we were playing together to like when I asked her out with a song.
00:26:57
Speaker
So we made sure that we had all these like songs and elements and did our wedding as like an extravagant musical. And so I'm not saying everyone needs to have an extravagant musical wedding, but that was our our story.
00:27:09
Speaker
And the music design behind that was like the, like our soundtrack. And so basically what we do is we figure out the couple's story, their love story, and translate it into a soundtrack so that it's on the day of their wedding. It's there.
00:27:27
Speaker
This is all so new to me. i never heard this ever. Yeah, I love it. We figured that... And there's a lot of things that I feel... Also, actually, like from Sweden, there's different traditions to your own weddings and how you do things.
00:27:41
Speaker
So we're trying to... also come up with ideas, you know, for how you can make some things different. For example, some people would want to celebrate the people who can't be there, but who are the reasons for them to be there. And that's done with, I think, like pictures or stuff different sometimes.
00:27:58
Speaker
But you could also do that through music. um I did Circle of Life was performed for one of the weddings that were, that was, you know, and they had a little ceremony kind of around that. So there's many things that you can do that I feel like people don't think about.
00:28:12
Speaker
and so And we were just talking about it this morning, but LaVisa was saying for in in Sweden for the weddings, when you have, people give speeches, you have like a specific song that they choose to walk up for the speeches. and It doesn't have to be that way, but that there's a lot of that I'm seeing. It's pretty big deal in Sweden. So there's very a lot of curing and and customizing around giving the speech holders place or people to...
00:28:43
Speaker
play their song or to, to, uh, yeah. Yeah. I mean, just around my head around, um your guys's business. I didn't read all your, uh, website, but I did go on the YouTube. guys are phenomenal, but it's like your, your package service, like the main one, like you perform for the wedding, but you also like curate this kind of like a playlist for them. And then are you guys like, like singing and doing the music for that? Or do you, is it also like,
00:29:12
Speaker
through the speakers. Yeah. Oh yeah. So ah we can give you like an example. So like a lot of times, like what is popular is people who like, um, we would do with the both yeah just to be clear. So it's one thing is the music design that we i yeah want to do. Sorry, Mel, for the whole wedding, right. From end to start. And that's how we like to do it because then we get the whole storytelling for it.
00:29:33
Speaker
But then we also do, um, we will perform, uh, for cocktail hour for ceremony and, and, um, DJ live music. anyway for the end. um And so, yeah, but what you were going to say, yeah to clarify, sorry. Oh yeah, yeah, no, that was great. i appreciate you chiming in.
00:29:52
Speaker
What I was going to say is a lot of the time for the ceremony, yeah, people will want either like string instruments or a saxophone or they want guitar and vocals. So we figure out like the instrumentation that they like.
00:30:05
Speaker
And then, you know, ah a lot of the time for the cocktail hour, you'll have like saxophone or a jazz band. And then, yeah, the reception often and a DJ, like we'll do DJ with either like live instruments to get that live feel.
00:30:19
Speaker
We can like put together a live band. like put together a live band if needed. um But yeah, it's really figuring out, yeah? No, I just want to do it.
00:30:30
Speaker
Yeah, tell me, tell me. i yeah know but What our kind of signature thing, how it started to, though, is that we are roaming artists, and we do that thanks to looping, too.
00:30:41
Speaker
So um recording on keys, and then looping, like Ed Sheeran style, yeah yeah so that we can record more instruments, and that way we can also like take off and go...
00:30:52
Speaker
mingle now go go i'm learning so much about music i just was finished watching building the band um yesterday that's so cool i actually haven't seen that no i gotta watch that uh so there's like 50 squares and they're all in like their same their studios kind of like love is blind like they can't see each other and then they all get to perform one song and then from then like everyone could pick like five artists that they like or 10 And then um then they start talking on the intercom and like building their band.
00:31:24
Speaker
That's so cool. So every week like one gets eliminated. And so they chose their winner like last week. Wow. Okay, that's definitely something. Yeah, so I learned so much. like I didn't know even know what that would at like a run was. um like It's helping me try to get into worship team because people don't know, like me not being into music, it's like to, to perfect one song, it takes like a lot, a lot, a lot of days and hours and put, put into it. So when I was thinking, Oh, I don't know harmony, you know, like, it's not like you just get harmony, like in a second, like you have to like really work for it.
00:32:04
Speaker
So I'm like learning like these songs, it's like almost like running a marathon. Like it's, Like, I'm sure natural to you, but it's just to know how much work is to put into one song. Like, I don't think people know that.
00:32:17
Speaker
I think, no, that might be true, actually. And I think what you're saying, too, with harmonies, it is special but because you're, like, rehearsing for yourself, and then you're all of sudden, like, but the big picture is a different picture with more people in it. So it's definitely a cool challenge, and I think it's very honorable that you do that because it's...
00:32:38
Speaker
It's I know people can be scared of singing and especially with others. Oh, thank you. I mean, back to um music design, like I know you guys both have like this musical background and you fell in love and you decided to do weddings. But what was like your aha moment where you're like, I need to take charge and like design these people's experience at their wedding day and, you know, stand out from the the crowd.
Personalizing Wedding Music
00:33:07
Speaker
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00:33:20
Speaker
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Speaker
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00:33:49
Speaker
I would say our big aha moment. i think it was a wedding, honestly. yeah Yeah, doing our own wedding. And then and they was having the experience from before and noticing what a big difference it makes.
00:33:59
Speaker
And yes, it was our wedding, but then doing it for others or trying it out, trying things out. It's actually really cool Yeah, okay. I think what it was, there's been like multiple... moments for me, but I remember playing a whole bunch of times in like top 40 wedding bands and kind of like, yeah, doing the same thing again and again, like the same songs.
00:34:21
Speaker
And then when we did our wedding and the music for our wedding, we really like personalized it and made it our own. We had like a full orchestra for the ceremony and then like we, for the reception, we wanted a band. But I felt like we really got to like control and personalize it in a way that like made us feel a part of it.
00:34:45
Speaker
And I felt like, yeah, that was like, Oh, we can make, we can do this for other couples. We also do. We also do. you in ah here orweden sorry What was that? Did you get married here or Sweden?
00:34:57
Speaker
We got married in Los Angeles. yeah Okay. In the Hollywood Hills and the Bronson caves. Oh, beautiful. I feel like I'm a little ahead of my time because i kind of did that for my own wedding.
00:35:08
Speaker
Like I heard this girl, Jessica Louise, she was my, she's my friend, but I had her sing like, can't take my eyes off of you. yeah And then like, I did a song with like, uh, to Christina Aguilera. Um, which one?
00:35:23
Speaker
I think was like, not what a man, but like something man, like be a man or you're my man or something. um but it was like so fitting for like the bridesmaids.
00:35:34
Speaker
Yeah. Wow. That's so perfect. And then it was like Rockin' Robin with me and my dad because we were like, that was like my song growing up. yeah that's Yeah. That's what we're talking about. was like your song growing up, you get like someone in your life who's like close to you to play these meaningful songs for you.
00:35:51
Speaker
It's so much better than just having like a generic like music experience for your wedding, but you really personalized it and like designed it to be your own. Yeah, like my last wedding I went to it was... i didn't get that many great weddings this year. For some reason, was so slow. But my last wedding was just like totally ideal clients. But all the whole day, it was like early 2000s music.
00:36:18
Speaker
Wow. And was like Ashanti. And I was... could not stop moving the whole day. i just like I just get couldn't get over like how amazing I felt with the music because that's like my my time.
00:36:32
Speaker
and their time. And I was like, okay, I love early 2000s. And I was like, that is my jam. Cause you know, before I'd be like, I like everything. I like top 40. like John Mayer. I like Snooze Fest. Like, but I'm like, it's like, when you know, like your music, it makes you come alive.
00:36:50
Speaker
a and i know. Sorry. you something Yeah. computer five We're vibing. We're vibing. No, but I think that, and and also that's another thing that some couples don't, some pop,
00:37:01
Speaker
couples get a little scared of like and they don't have a song and that can't be triggering. It's like to, to not come up with or have this story, but that's also something we love to support with. Cause there typically is absolutely, there's something there there. Well, there's definitely things you can find, but it's just asking yourself the right questions or asking them.
00:37:19
Speaker
Having someone to ask their, yeah, you either you ask the right questions or someone asks you the right questions. And if not, we also, suppose we do personalized songs too. So that's, um Oh yeah, I saw that. What are like maybe two top questions you ask your clients to kind of pick their head about music?
00:37:34
Speaker
I mean, i I would say like, there's like a whole list of questions that I make sure that I ask. But the first thing I ask is like, what is your ideal like musical experience for the day?
00:37:47
Speaker
and try and get them to like paint a picture. If they don't have like a clear picture, then I would probably ask something like, do you have any like special songs?
00:38:00
Speaker
One thing too that came up when you were saying, oh, well this this was really music I like, this 2000 music. And you said, I normally say that I like everything.
00:38:11
Speaker
And I think it's very typical when you ask people, what music do you like? Everyone's like, oh, I like everything. i mean, that's what people people ask me. They'll say, oh, what do you like? Oh, I like everything. But the thing is, there are songs that I really like and some songs that I really dislike.
00:38:27
Speaker
So it's like important to yeah figure out those songs. and It can also be, sorry, Mila, but I'm thinking too with the lyrics and what we're saying, that it doesn't have to be a song. but it can be that they love the lyrics. So we can go down and talk about the lyrics and a song that might be uptempo and that's not a good fit for something. we could take down in tempo and we can rearrange it, you know?
00:38:50
Speaker
So it's, it's more about talking about loosely, Or what what but but songs did you like when you were a kid? And you can make something out of that that goes together with what he liked as a kid. So it's pretty deep on those things.
00:39:03
Speaker
You have to watch, you have to watch building the band. Cause they're not, they don't see each other. So they're asking these types of questions. And it's crazy because like the oddballs found each other. And when I say oddballs, I don't mean like in a negative way, but, um and then like the total like poppy, like,
00:39:20
Speaker
yeah people found each other and the RVs like found each other is so crazy that like they meshed like so well the people that found each other because all these like really powerful questions Yeah.
00:39:31
Speaker
Yeah. And they might not seem like they can make sense, but there's you can mix together, too. And as long as you have people can arrange, which is we love doing that. So what was like your favorite wedding that stood out, like not talking about atmosphere wise, but maybe like curation of music? I mean, you mentioned like Circle of Life, but like what was like the full picture of one wedding that stood out to you?
00:39:56
Speaker
I feel like we might have different answers for this. We have time for both people to talk. I think this, I don't know. I mean, this is like a very
00:40:06
Speaker
personal, I mean, but I ended up, I remember playing, um, this one wedding and it was so cool. And then it was with like a ah top 40 band, we were just doing the reception.
00:40:19
Speaker
But I remember at the end, it went like really intense and I went out into the crowd and which I do i do that like if if it feels right. And I remember someone kicked me my saxophone bell and it like hit me and the face.
00:40:35
Speaker
ah che i started bleeding and it was like the very final song. It felt really epic. But then what was so cool is the bride and the groom had it like arranged for everyone to leave the reception space.
00:40:49
Speaker
And then it was just the two of them. And we had this special like love song that was just for like the two of them to play. So everyone left and then it was just like the two of them. And even though it was like bleeding,
00:41:01
Speaker
I was like, I have to like play for them. And like, I don't know, I felt like just like giving it my all. And it was like so romantic to see you like the band just c serenading the two of them playing their special song. this So I don't know, that was like this a moment that I'll always remember.
00:41:19
Speaker
Did they know you were bleeding? no, no. That's so crazy.
Memorable Weddings and Traditions
00:41:24
Speaker
I just tried to like, you know, to keep it casual, you know, not like... No, that's a true professional. You're like, your like tooth is gone. like just like I mean, no, my teeth, I just got like a bruise on my lip.
00:41:38
Speaker
yeah Oh my God. That's so wild. Yeah. yeah What do you say? Any favorites? Well, I think jazz, well, jazz, because it really is something I like. It's a jazz theme, but it was so fun to come up with like ideas for them and what to do for the different parts and songs and arrange.
00:41:59
Speaker
We had five quintets, a cappella group. Yeah. Performing for the ceremony and then Oh my God. And they were so fun because they did not want to walk out to, the it was they wanted to pump up, you know, the energy at the end of the ceremony. So we had a brass band doing that.
00:42:20
Speaker
All you need is love. And just, and had everyone. So i I was kind of starting to MC from that too, where we had everyone sing along to that. And it was such a, it was beautiful.
00:42:31
Speaker
So that was, yeah. Yeah. And then the whole long story. I love that. That was a beautiful moment. You mentioned something like about Sweden, why do you tell they like come out to or the people that speech speak, they come out to their favorite song.
00:42:46
Speaker
Are there any other like things in Sweden that they do that we never heard of? Yes. Yes. like I think there's a lot more speeches, right?
00:42:57
Speaker
oh my god, there's this all all these speeches. And games too. Games, and a lot of different games. And also, I would do this where I get to know the couple and I will read a letter that... God, how was it again? Actually, going to skip that one. But there' there's a lot of time put into that like personalized for the couple. So...
00:43:22
Speaker
I really love that. on, Dirk. A lot of the time too, ah correct me if I'm wrong, the MC is like someone in the, it's like not a hired MC. did They usually, you ask someone like in the family or a friend, which I found interesting because in the US, I feel like it's almost always like a like you hire the MC.
00:43:44
Speaker
Yeah. yeah Yeah, it's both. I feel like sad when people are like, I mean, I totally get why they do it, but here they're like, you better say like a, you better not go over three minutes for the speech. And, you know, there's like, like it's a time limit. so they're saying, oh, like congratulations, but it doesn't like get deep and you don't really like feel the emotion when it's so short.
00:44:09
Speaker
So I feel like long speeches, if they're done right, like it's its so game changer to make the wedding amazing. Yeah. That's like one of my favorite parts I think is like when I'm, yeah, just like hanging out listening to the speeches. Cause I think it's, you learn so much stuff about like the bride the groom you really hear it's very cool.
00:44:32
Speaker
Yeah. Oh my God. Okay. I could talk to you guys forever, but maybe one last question before the like shorter answer questions. Um, I and would say like both of you guys can answer, but like speak to the hearts of wedding pros listening and they're feeling like a little discouraged in the industry.
00:44:52
Speaker
Maybe they need a kick in the butt. Maybe they feel like everyone else is doing good and not them. What advice would you tell them to get them out of the funk and just like make it happen for them?
Encouragement for Wedding Professionals
00:45:07
Speaker
I would say this is for wedding professionals, you're saying? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, I would just say like everything comes in waves. And I feel like that sometimes I feel like I'm like on top of the world and I figured everything out. And then you know you like fast forward a couple of years and then you realize, oh, okay, maybe I didn't know everything. And I think, yeah, that sometimes when you're feeling low, you're actually making the most progress.
00:45:38
Speaker
Oh, wow. Yeah. Like if you think about going to the gym and working out, like that hurts, you know, but you're getting stronger when you do that. You're getting sore, but then you get stronger. So if you're if you're struggling right now, just realize like, you know, you're you're doing your repetitions. You're you're getting stronger from this.
00:45:58
Speaker
I love that. Great answer. Do have anything to say? I think, I mean, and I i do that. i just go back in time five years or 10 years and be like, what would I think about myself? I think that's a really good one.
00:46:08
Speaker
Um, how, how would I find myself? You know, I, I'd be proud, maybe not in this exact situation am in right now, but like as in if I'm not feeling, very good, but it's, uh,
00:46:23
Speaker
Look at all the accomplishments and how the bravery to go to even like go into something like wedding planning or starting your own business. It's huge. I think too, like when you go to the next level, like right before you get to the next level, it's like when everything is hardest.
00:46:40
Speaker
Wow. Cause like you've got to shed off the old stuff, you know, allow the new stuff to come in and, Usually like when you make a change that will grow, it's not immediate.
00:46:51
Speaker
The benefits come. so Yeah. Yeah. I love that. Okay. Rapid fire questions. These are more like shorter answers. You could both answer or whatever you want, but um maybe we can take turns answering. We'll see.
00:47:08
Speaker
like by ear um I guess favorite parenting hack. You said parenting hack. Yeah.
00:47:19
Speaker
I would say, like, this is very specific for us, but there's it's we have music, like Swedish baby music that we play.
00:47:30
Speaker
But I would just say baby, meet like, you know, if they're upset, play music, baby music. That's an easy one. I can't come up with any one. I like that one. um Okay, we're doing that. like the Next one.
00:47:45
Speaker
Favorite social media hack or getting leads hack or anything? Business hack. That's help thiss working now for you. Oh my God. I would say literally being authentic. It's not a hack though, maybe.
00:47:58
Speaker
Yeah, I would say like... now But it's super scary too, I feel like. That's the most scariest thing. I'd say like finding people in your industry, either through social media or in-person events and then like connecting with them.
00:48:12
Speaker
And yeah, like Lavisa said, authentically connecting. But yeah, I mean, if you're like less, if you're more afraid of talking with people, then do it on the phone. If you're like less, if you want, if you're not a phone person you want to make like in-person connections, go to the networking events.
00:48:28
Speaker
Yeah, that's how met you guys. I know, right? I love it. Working together with your spouse hat? What would you say?
00:48:40
Speaker
breaks. Yeah. to Because it's definitely easier to get. a little frustrated or like, you know, um show your two colors.
00:48:52
Speaker
And I think it's just important to give each other like but like just a break and step out and and do stuff. Cause we're really little together all the time, which I'm very impressed with.
00:49:05
Speaker
Yeah. I like that answer actually. I thought that was a really good answer. Yeah. And also you guys really are good at like listening to each other. yeah. that's Yeah. Well, self-work. Okay. not and There we go. That's yeah chewing doing self-work together. That's cute. Oh, I love that.
00:49:21
Speaker
um We're going to leave it
Closing Performance and Gratitude
00:49:23
Speaker
off. I'm putting it on the spot, but um if you guys could like maybe sing little click of a song.
00:49:34
Speaker
I didn't ask you before, so just telling the audience. We're totally unprepared. We're not ready. We'll leave it like that. and then you could tell We'll first tell everyone where to find you and then and then you can leave it with the the song. so Where can everyone find you and book you?
00:49:50
Speaker
and we well where we we and You can find us if you search Dare to Love Music. Yes, that's easy. On social media, on Spotify.
00:50:00
Speaker
yeah Apple Music, the spelling is different, but we're on Apple Music too.
00:50:07
Speaker
But yeah, Dare to Love Music. Yeah, I mean, I can't believe you found that handle on Instagram. yeah Yeah, pretty crazy. Yeah, I mean, that one is definitely a memorable one. Thank you like so much. Cool, cool. Okay, take it away.
00:50:24
Speaker
Should we do thank you or what do you think we should do? Yeah. and then it Do you have a request then? and We have, oh yeah, you wanna to sit here? we No, we could do that. the The song that I wrote today, we we actually released that song on our wedding day.
00:50:40
Speaker
We made our wedding video like the music video for it. Yeah. I just want to say hi. And thank you all that you gave unto me.
00:50:57
Speaker
I just want to say that I am grateful for you. And the way you inspire me, you shine so bright.
00:51:10
Speaker
With your love and your cares so pure and true. There's a world that needs life. He needs me to take in love with little people just like you, Curtis.
00:51:22
Speaker
So we want to say thank you. Thank you for sharing all of our hearts. So we want to say thank you. Thank you for being who you are.
00:51:36
Speaker
shining star. shining star.
00:51:49
Speaker
So,
00:51:56
Speaker
oh my God. wow
00:52:03
Speaker
Thanks for joining me this week on Get a Heck Yes with Carissa Wu. Make sure to follow, subscribe, leave a review, or tell a friend about the show. Take a screenshot and post to IG. Tag me. Also, don't forget to download my free guide on how to become a lead generating machine.
00:52:19
Speaker
See you next time, wedding pros.