Kala Farnham Talks New Music, Pouring Her Heart into ‘Ancient Vessel’

21 Mar Kala Farnham Talks New Music, Pouring Her Heart into ‘Ancient Vessel’

As a musician and creative coach, Kala Farnham spends much of her energy helping others channel their own stories and feelings into songs.

So it’s no surprise that the Connecticut State Troubadour’s latest single “Ancient Vessel” is not only deeply personal but highlights her superpower: storytelling. While Farnham is many things — a proficient multi-instrumentalist, an emotive vocalist, and a songwriter — her ability to convey universal truths in a way that resonates with listeners is remarkable. As Farnham sings, “my body is an ancient vessel traveled by for centuries,” the weight of her words lingers. I can almost hear creaks and moans of my ancestors in every verse.

But don’t let the song’s slow unfolding or acoustic instrumentation fool you. At its core, “Ancient Vessel” is as much of an empowerment anthem as your favorite feminist punk-rock song.

“The lyrics were scrawled down in one sitting after a meditation experience where I envisioned a conversation with my inner wisdom, divine feminine,” Farnham tells Rockmommy. “The song embodies that experience, serving as a reminder to treat ourselves with compassion and honor the wisdom that lives within us, passed down through generations.”

We recently caught up with Farnham to talk about her upbringing in the Nutmeg State, maternal lineage, the record label she runs with partner Frank Viele — Bigger Beast Records — and her hopes for 2025.

Rockmommy: Hi Kala! How did you get started on your path as a vocalist, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist? 

Kala Farnham: I was born and raised in Connecticut to a husband-and-wife folk duo who surrounded me with musical instruments and the records and songbooks of artists like Bob Dylan and Joni Mitchell. My mother, in particular, had a powerful influence on my musical roots: she collected musical instruments of all kinds that lined the walls of our living room — from organ and harpsichord to mountain dulcimer and Celtic harp.

I started taking classical piano lessons at age 3, and over time songwriting became a deeply personal practice for me. It wasn’t until high school that I stepped out of my shell and performed an original song publicly, at the request of my choral teacher. After the concert, a woman came up to me and told me how much the song had impacted her. It was the first time I truly understood the power of music — not just as something personal, but as something that could connect us in meaningful ways. That’s when I knew I wanted to pursue a career in the performing arts.

Rockmommy: Who were your influences? Was there a particular style or artistic approach that resonated with you?

Kala Farnham: My musical influences began with the piano compositions of classical composers — Chopin, Mendelssohn, Debussy — combined with the folk and rock music my parents would put on the record player, and the pop music I would listen to as a kid. Later on, I became deeply involved with musical theater — as an actress, pianist, composer, and music director. The theater had this incredible ability to transport me into different worlds and characters, and hooked me on the concept of storytelling through song. At the same time, I spent a good chunk of my 20s playing and singing in various groups — jazz, blues, big band — which definitely left a mark on my writing.

In more recent years, I found my way back to the folk music so central to my family roots, and I fell back in love with the intimate simplicity of a single voice paired with a lone guitar or piano as a foundation for storytelling. So in my newer music, the theatrics have softened — I’m working with subtler, more intentional instrumentation that serves as a frame, allowing the intimacy of the voice and the story to take center stage.

Rockmommy: Your new song “Ancient Vessel” is beautifully crafted, lyrically and musically. It truly is a song about strength. Can you tell us about how it was written?

Kala Farnham: “Ancient Vessel” was inspired by a transformative weekend retreat I attended, along with my study of India’s ancient tradition of Nada Yoga (“union through sound”). The lyrics were scrawled down in one sitting after a meditation experience where I envisioned a conversation with my inner wisdom, divine feminine. The song embodies that experience, serving as a reminder to treat ourselves with compassion and honor the wisdom that lives within us, passed down through generations. The song’s chant-like refrains and drone-like instrumentation draws inspiration from sound-based mantra practices.

I recorded almost all the vocals and instrumentation in the quiet of my home studio, but there were also some beautiful contributions from other musicians: Stephen Peter Rodgers added his haunting pedal steel and strings at Tiny Bunker Studio in Hamden, Connecticut, and Jimmy Nutt brought in some primal drum rhythms from NuttHouse Recording Studio in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. At its core, “Ancient Vessel” is an invitation for us all to step into the wisdom of our own body, mind, and voice — so we might create a legacy that shapes a better future for generations to come.

Rockmommy: I love the line, “my body is an ancient vessel travelled by for centuries” because it really speaks to the strength of maternal lines, and the women who came before us. What inspired this thought process? Do people underestimate the strength of the maternal line?

Kala Farnham: This song absolutely touches on the generational wisdom that is passed down through the centuries. Over recent years I’ve done a deep dive into my Irish ancestry and the Celtic pagan spirituality of my ancestors, which speaks to the sacredness of both the natural and spirit worlds.

I remember reading a book by Sandra Ingerman at the time which talked about impact of our ancestors — how their stories, survival mechanisms, gifts, and courage have been passed down through generations. The idea that we are a living embodiment of our ancestors stuck with me, and writing this song was a way to honor the wisdom that we’ve inherited from our mothers, grandmothers, and those that came before them.

When I think about both the biological and spiritual ways maternal ancestry is carried forward, I have no doubt that the significance of the maternal line is underestimated. Women have historically played a primary role of raising children, passing on knowledge, resilience, story, and healing traditions across generations — often in ways that don’t make it into history books. “Ancient Vessel” is a tribute to the women from throughout history who have shaped who we are today — it acknowledges the ever-present strength of those who came before us and continue to live within us.

Rockmommy: As a woman, I sometimes forget to say “thank you” to my body for what it’s been able to accomplish and the weight that it’s carried. Is that something you can relate to?

Kala Farnham: Absolutely. As a woman, there’s a lot of external pressure to carry so much, and to carry it gracefully without complaint or acknowledgement. We face the pressure of media portrayal telling us what beauty should look like, the constant scrutiny of our bodies. For many of us, that weight includes surviving trauma, carrying burdens that often go unspoken yet linger in the body.

Beyond that, there’s the extraordinary resilience our bodies show through the joys and labors of motherhood and caregiving. For so many years, I forgot to say “thank you” to my body — in fact, I carried a lot of resentment, blaming my body for all the painful experiences I’d been through. Over time that mindset has started to shift. Now, when I think about how resilient my body has been, how it’s absorbed both joy and pain and lived through it all, it really feels like an act of self-love and even defiance to reclaim my sense of gratitude.

When we can honor our bodies for all they’ve survived, for the strength they continue to carry, and for how they allow us to move forward through life despite it all — that’s a powerful thing. And that’s really what “Ancient Vessel” is rooted in: it acknowledges the resilience that’s woven into every cell, every breath of our being as women.

Rockmommy: What does it mean to you to have this song come out during Women’s History Month? Was that intentional?

Kala Farnham: Over the past few years, I’ve taken a deep-dive into women’s stories through my songwriting — celebrating the beauty, strength, and wisdom of our ancestors, sisters, and children, whether by blood or by choice. I’ve explored the stories of historical figures, reinvented fairytales through an empowering lens, and written deeply personal songs for the women in my life. Through all that, I’ve been reflecting on the full experience of what it means to be a woman.

At the heart of every story is this deep appreciation for the intelligence, resilience, and beauty that women carry — in our minds, bodies, hearts, and spirits. So “Ancient Vessel” felt like the perfect song to release for Women’s History Month as a way to acknowledge all of that. Women ‘s strength and wisdom are woven into the fabric of our human family, and with this song, I hope to honor that.

Rockmommy: You are the Connecticut State Troubadour! Can you tell us about that experience? What has this role meant to you?

Kala Farnham: Serving as State Troubadour over the past few years has been an incredible experience. It’s amazing that the Connecticut Office of the Arts has created an opportunity for songwriters to take on a leadership role in the arts community. Before becoming Troubadour, I was working in music education to help young artists find their voice — bringing music to schools, healthcare centers, and recovery homes, and working to build inclusive spaces for the community to engage with the arts in my local region.

The State Troubadour role offered a supportive platform for me to take each of those initiatives to a state-wide scale, as well as allowing me to invest more deeply in my mission to bridge mental health with music through launching a sound meditation workshop presented across the state. I also credit the State Troubadour program for connecting me with a group of like-minded artists, with whom my partner Frank Viele and I have worked with to lay the brickwork for our record label, Bigger Beast Records.

Rockmommy: I understand this is one of your first songs with your new record label, Bigger Beast, which you helped co-found. Can you tell us about that?

Kala Farnham: Bigger Beast Records is what happens when a community-minded folkie like myself meets a brilliant music industry entrepreneur, my partner Frank Viele. From the very beginning, my work in music has always been built on a philosophy of serving others, making music accessible in the community, pay it forward, helping young artists find their voice. I had the passion to serve, but my entrepreneurial know-how was limited.

Frank, on the other hand, had spent his life fully immersed in music industry — learning from the pros, mastering the ins-and-outs of the business that most artists struggle with. So when the two of us joined forces, everything just seemed to click. What I love about our work together is that it’s truly rooted in a community mindset: our label isn’t structured like a traditional label. What we’ve done is create an accessible network of resources for our artists, a team working behind the scenes to support them, and, most importantly, a community space where artists can support one another. It’s that community element that I think makes Bigger Beast so special.

In an industry that can be so competitive, it’s easy for artists to feel like they’re pitted against each other — but the reality is, when we work together to support one another and build something greater than ourselves, that’s when the magic happens.

Rockmommy: You are also a teacher and a healer. What lessons do you hope to impart on your students?

Kala Farnham: Over the years, I’ve worked with students of all backgrounds and ages in a variety of settings, including summer camps, school programs for high schoolers with diverse learning profiles, collegiate music theater programs, and senior choirs. More recently, I launched my own teaching studio where we explore a blend of voice, instruments, songwriting, sound meditation, performance art, and play-based learning for children. What it comes down to is this: I truly believe that we all have a unique gift to share with the world.

My greatest passion is helping artists build their confidence and unleash their creative voice. As a shy, introverted kid, I never envisioned myself becoming a performing artist. Like many young artists, I had a nagging voice in my head telling me I wasn’t good enough, that I wasn’t worthy of being heard.

I was lucky to meet some incredible mentors along the way that helped me to see my own worth, and that made all the difference for me. I want my students to know this: you have a unique artistic vision that only you can bring to the world. Your voice matters, and you are worthy of being heard. The artist’s path isn’t always easy, but with dedication and hard work, you have the power to make a real difference through your art.

Rockmommy: What’s next for you in 2025?

Kala Farnham: 2025 is a big year for me — I’m releasing new music for the first time in five years! It’s been a long time coming, but the timing feels just right. I’ve dedicated the last few years my role as State Troubadour, pouring my energy into community music initiatives and helping others amplify their voices. My tenure wraps up in June, and I’m emerging from the experience feeling like a completely new person and artist. I’ve learned so much, and I’m excited to dive back into my own music with fresh perspective.

Much of the music I’ll be releasing over the coming year was composed during my time as Troubadour — songs celebrating women’s stories, highlighting historical trailblazers, reimagining fairytales, and offering personal reflections on healing and empowerment through times of adversity. The release of “Ancient Vessel” is just the first of several singles leading up to my next album project. I’m so excited to share it with everyone, and there’s so much more to come — I can’t wait to share this journey with you all!