LOS ANGELES, CA- There’s something about Vanessa Wheeler’s music that hypnotizes me. Performing as VAVÁ, I’ve seen her perform with a backing band and as a one-woman show, and in either form, I’m enchanted by the melodies that she sings and plays.

There’s something discerningly mature and beautiful about VAVÁ’s music. Notwithstanding her intricately dextrous playing on the guitar (which I only noted somewhat recently when I saw her perform a solo set), I’ve been paying more and more attention to the lyricism of her music. Self effacing lyrics like those in the last verse of “Heavy” reveal the humanity within the singer.

“It begs repeating, we have all lived and died once or twice
And in-between I always confuse the meaning of life
Never get it right, fuck it up at every turn and all despite, everything I’ve learned
I keep coming back to life”

I note paradox in VAVÁ’s performance and her natural self. When she’s not singing, she seems like a reserved and modest person. But as soon as she starts playing her music, she busts out of that perceived shell and fearlessly projects her being, and I love watching that metamorphosis happen with each song.

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Proceeds from the evening’s performance (and event raffle) were donated to The Trevor Project, and raised just enough to fund two crisis counselors’ training through the money from the door. Raffle sponsors include Wanderlust HollywoodThe Spare RoomBehmor and Venice-based artists Bo Spencer and Gubby Beck.

Follow VAVÁ’s on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

VAVÁ @ Moroccan Lounge 7/29/18. Photo by Derrick K. Lee, Esq. (@Methodman13) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
VAVÁ @ Moroccan Lounge 7/29/18. Photo by Derrick K. Lee, Esq. (@Methodman13) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
VAVÁ @ Moroccan Lounge 7/29/18. Photo by Derrick K. Lee, Esq. (@Methodman13) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
VAVÁ @ Moroccan Lounge 7/29/18. Photo by Derrick K. Lee, Esq. (@Methodman13) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
VAVÁ @ Moroccan Lounge 7/29/18. Photo by Derrick K. Lee, Esq. (@Methodman13) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
VAVÁ @ Moroccan Lounge 7/29/18. Photo by Derrick K. Lee, Esq. (@Methodman13) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
VAVÁ @ Moroccan Lounge 7/29/18. Photo by Derrick K. Lee, Esq. (@Methodman13) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
VAVÁ @ Moroccan Lounge 7/29/18. Photo by Derrick K. Lee, Esq. (@Methodman13) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
VAVÁ @ Moroccan Lounge 7/29/18. Photo by Derrick K. Lee, Esq. (@Methodman13) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
VAVÁ @ Moroccan Lounge 7/29/18. Photo by Derrick K. Lee, Esq. (@Methodman13) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
VAVÁ @ Moroccan Lounge 7/29/18. Photo by Derrick K. Lee, Esq. (@Methodman13) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
VAVÁ @ Moroccan Lounge 7/29/18. Photo by Derrick K. Lee, Esq. (@Methodman13) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
VAVÁ @ Moroccan Lounge 7/29/18. Photo by Derrick K. Lee, Esq. (@Methodman13) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
VAVÁ @ Moroccan Lounge 7/29/18. Photo by Derrick K. Lee, Esq. (@Methodman13) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
VAVÁ @ Moroccan Lounge 7/29/18. Photo by Derrick K. Lee, Esq. (@Methodman13) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
VAVÁ @ Moroccan Lounge 7/29/18. Photo by Derrick K. Lee, Esq. (@Methodman13) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
VAVÁ @ Moroccan Lounge 7/29/18. Photo by Derrick K. Lee, Esq. (@Methodman13) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
VAVÁ @ Moroccan Lounge 7/29/18. Photo by Derrick K. Lee, Esq. (@Methodman13) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
VAVÁ @ Moroccan Lounge 7/29/18. Photo by Derrick K. Lee, Esq. (@Methodman13) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
VAVÁ @ Moroccan Lounge 7/29/18. Photo by Derrick K. Lee, Esq. (@Methodman13) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
VAVÁ @ Moroccan Lounge 7/29/18. Photo by Derrick K. Lee, Esq. (@Methodman13) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
VAVÁ @ Moroccan Lounge 7/29/18. Photo by Derrick K. Lee, Esq. (@Methodman13) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
VAVÁ @ Moroccan Lounge 7/29/18. Photo by Derrick K. Lee, Esq. (@Methodman13) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
VAVÁ @ Moroccan Lounge 7/29/18. Photo by Derrick K. Lee, Esq. (@Methodman13) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
VAVÁ @ Moroccan Lounge 7/29/18. Photo by Derrick K. Lee, Esq. (@Methodman13) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
VAVÁ @ Moroccan Lounge 7/29/18. Photo by Derrick K. Lee, Esq. (@Methodman13) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
VAVÁ @ Moroccan Lounge 7/29/18. Photo by Derrick K. Lee, Esq. (@Methodman13) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
VAVÁ @ Moroccan Lounge 7/29/18. Photo by Derrick K. Lee, Esq. (@Methodman13) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
VAVÁ @ Moroccan Lounge 7/29/18. Photo by Derrick K. Lee, Esq. (@Methodman13) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
VAVÁ @ Moroccan Lounge 7/29/18. Photo by Derrick K. Lee, Esq. (@Methodman13) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
VAVÁ @ Moroccan Lounge 7/29/18. Photo by Derrick K. Lee, Esq. (@Methodman13) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
VAVÁ @ Moroccan Lounge 7/29/18. Photo by Derrick K. Lee, Esq. (@Methodman13) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
VAVÁ @ Moroccan Lounge 7/29/18. Photo by Derrick K. Lee, Esq. (@Methodman13) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
VAVÁ @ Moroccan Lounge 7/29/18. Photo by Derrick K. Lee, Esq. (@Methodman13) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
VAVÁ @ Moroccan Lounge 7/29/18. Photo by Derrick K. Lee, Esq. (@Methodman13) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
VAVÁ @ Moroccan Lounge 7/29/18. Photo by Derrick K. Lee, Esq. (@Methodman13) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
VAVÁ @ Moroccan Lounge 7/29/18. Photo by Derrick K. Lee, Esq. (@Methodman13) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
VAVÁ @ Moroccan Lounge 7/29/18. Photo by Derrick K. Lee, Esq. (@Methodman13) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
VAVÁ @ Moroccan Lounge 7/29/18. Photo by Derrick K. Lee, Esq. (@Methodman13) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
VAVÁ @ Moroccan Lounge 7/29/18. Photo by Derrick K. Lee, Esq. (@Methodman13) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
VAVÁ @ Moroccan Lounge 7/29/18. Photo by Derrick K. Lee, Esq. (@Methodman13) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
VAVÁ @ Moroccan Lounge 7/29/18. Photo by Derrick K. Lee, Esq. (@Methodman13) for www.BlurredCulture.com.

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