Clara Lars grew up in Brooklyn, New York. At age 9, after experimenting with a number of instruments, Clara fell in love with the piano. The first song that she learned to play by ear was The Beatles’ classic Let It Be. Soon afterwards, she began writing her own songs on the piano, while keeping a journal of her lyrics.

In 2016, at age ten, Clara’s family made a cross-country move to Los Angeles. Struggling to find her footing in a new city and at a new school, Clara sat at the piano and escaped into music, pouring her heart into writing songs.

Clara devoted herself to songwriting, strengthening her voice, developing her sound and honing her craft. Once a year, she went into the studio for several days to record her latest songs. In 2020, unable to record in studios due to the pandemic, Clara set up a studio in the basement of her home. She learned how to use Ableton software in order to produce her own music. It was during this time that she wrote the songs on her first EP, Illusions. In 2021, she began collaborating with producer Chris Coady (Beach House, Grizzly Bear) to enhance the dreamy soundscape of these songs.

Clara’s deeply personal and relatable lyrics draw inspiration from her journals and her life experiences. Her moody and haunting songs are a way for her to transform her anxiety and her thoughts into lyrical stories. For Clara, the process of writing is both confessional and observational, with lyrics that resonate well beyond her 17 years. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.