Stacy Clark uses her voice for much more than just her music.
She’s raised money for countless charities such as The Nature Conservancy Habitat for Humanity and PETA. Clark has even gone so far as to donate her own personal funds to support causes she believes in.
Clark has also lent her voice to charity concerts for The American Cancer Foundation The American Red Cross The Cystic Fibrosis walk and various others. She even used the music video from her song “Hold On” off her sophomore album “Connect the Dots to bring awareness to the To Write Love on Her Arms (TWLOHA) non-profit campaign, which reaches out to people struggling with self-injury, depression and addiction. The song, with TWLOHA, creates an even more powerful message because Hold On” is Clark’s own personal account of the struggles she has faced throughout her life.
A New York native Clark was exposed to the world of entertainment at the young age of four when she took part in a dance performance. From then on the stage has been a constant part of her life. A self-taught guitarist she honed her skills by playing open mics at venues all over Buffalo N.Y. acquiring a lot of attention from the indie music scene early in her career.
Even as a young girl Clark was quietly ambitious. She enrolled in an internship program as a high-school student and was able to work at a recording studio gaining experience and knowledge that helped her produce her first studio material.
Her music career however hit an unexpected bump in 1998 when she was diagnosed with Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP) a condition in which patients have abnormally low platelet counts making minor injuries serious because severe bleeding can occur. Her condition forced her to stay close to New York but a year later an ever-resilient Clark jumped straight back into the music scene and went on her first solo tour across the U.S.
A few years later Clark made a strategic career move across the country to Orange County and in 2006 released her EP “Unusual.” Many songs from this EP made appearances on MTV and CBS shows. In 2007 with no record label backing she funded the making of her first full-length album “Apples and Oranges which was released in November of that year. Just like her EP, many songs off Apples and Oranges” were used on MTV and the CW and some were even picked up as store soundtracks for places such as Forever 21 Sephora and Nordstrom.
Clark recorded her sophomore record in 2009 with the help and direction of seasoned producer Matt Appleton who has worked with Panic! at the Disco and The Used. She has also worked with A&R executive David Field who has worked with Radiohead and Band of Skulls. This year she released her sophomore effort.
Clark brings a fresh-faced sincerity to the music industry’s new philanthropic trend of using music and its power players to garner attention for a cause. Her own life-changing experiences have helped make her devotion to philanthropies that much more personal.
“Connect the Dots” is an indie-pop album reminiscent of Sara Bareilles and Michelle Branch who are singer-songwriters who hit major success with their eclectic blends of music. The 12-track record is full of catchy lyrics and upbeat songs that showcase Clark’s unique indie-pop with a dash of folk sound. “Fireworks one song off Connect the Dots highlights her bubbly pop sound with quick-lipped lyrics and an up-tempo beat. Touch & Go” is very much in the likeness of Bareilles. Again it’s more of an upbeat sing-a-long track. The piano infused throughout the whole song makes the song bubbly but keeps with her quirky style.
“Connect the Dots” is a surprisingly refreshing record when given the chance. Clark has a distinct style and knows how to work it to her advantage. Her songs and voice are honest and charming making listeners want to listen to what she has to say.