What happens when you stop trying to fit your artistry into one box? Lizzy Parks has spent her career finding out.

Lizzy Parks is a British-born jazz singer, musician and educator who discovered her love of jazz as a child and went on to study at Birmingham Conservatoire, sign her first record deal at 22, record multiple albums and tour across Europe. In 2009, she came to Cannes to perform — and never left.

In this episode, we jazz things up with Lizzie as she shares the twists and turns of a career that has never followed just one path. From record labels and international touring to teaching, running choirs, performing at events and creating new opportunities in the South of France, Lizzy talks about why artists don’t have to choose just one way of making a living from their craft.

In this episode, finding freedom means giving yourself permission to evolve…

* How a childhood encounter with Billie Holiday and jazz sparked a lifelong love of music

* Lizzy’s journey from Birmingham Conservatoire to her first record deal, multiple albums and European touring

* Why improvisation became a form of freedom — both in music and in life

* Moving to France, starting over and building a new career in the South of France

* Why artists need to understand the business side of their craft, from music management to negotiating fees and creating multiple income streams

* Lizzy’s experiences as a woman in a male-dominated music industry and why standing your ground matters

* The importance of saying “I can”, taking opportunities and learning as you go

* Why an artist’s voice and musicality can become a toolkit for an entire career — not just one job or one stage

Lizzie and Cindy explore what it really means to build a sustainable artistic life: staying curious, adapting when circumstances change, learning the business, and giving yourself permission to take a path that may look completely different from the one you originally imagined.

Connect with Lizzy:

* Lizzy and The Gentlemen

* The Big Blaze Chorus

* Instagram

* Instagram II

Applause-Worthy Moments

“It felt good and it felt easy and I loved learning.”

“The improvisation, the expression just was, it just blew my mind.”

“I have a degree in improvisation and that applies not just in music but in life.”

“I wanted to kind of like throw it away and just get on the mic sometimes.”

“I just felt that that was my craft. My voice and my musicality was my craft and I was going to use it in every way I could.”

“You just have to jump in.”

“If you just put yourself out there and say, I can, and I will, then you do.”

“Nothing is a failure. It’s just, okay, so what did I learn from this?”

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With love, sparkles and gratitude,Cindy and my amazing team (Ieva, Marj, and Ann)

P.S. For Artists, Creatives & Speakers

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P.P.S. For Business Leaders

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