Molly Durand: The Female Howlin' Wolf! Episode #2240

The Fierce Female Network

Molly Durand is a Los Angeles-based recording artist, singer-songwriter, session vocalist, actor, improviser, and vocal coach. Her career spans a wide range of creative pursuits — from performing classical works at the Vatican to touring with Chicago’s famed Second City, where she performed sketch comedy and improv. Whether making music, creating films, or sketching artwork, Molly’s artistic journey is ever-evolving, with no signs of slowing down. And each art-form enhances the other. “I had a classical background,” Durand explains. “I was trained to master works that had already been created, read sheet music, learn discipline, dynamics, diction and how to sing various styles to best suit works by other composers. But I had never even considered writing music myself. I had been trained since 9 to be a hired gun.” It wasn’t until she toured as an actor with The Second City, performing improv comedy, that something clicked. “Improv taught me to play — to trust my instincts. That ability to let go and create in the moment opened a new world for me. I started improvising with music the way I did with scenes, and suddenly, songwriting became FUN and more natural.” Since then, Durand has made songwriting a core part of her artistic life. She’s performed with various bands, including her current project, LYRA & THE LIGHT, while her focus remains on her solo work as well, where she explores fully embracing her creative independence. “I’m producing my own solo album for the first time in my career,” she says. “It’s deeply personal. I’m not thinking about industry standards or trends — it’s about expressing myself authentically. It’s about creating music that feels true to me, and definitely scary.”