About Me

Karen Lyu is an award-winning queer Korean-American Author, Holistic Voice Coach, jazz singer/songwriter, and actor. For nearly three decades, she has been helping sensitive, creative people transform their voices so they can speak and sing with confidence, clarity, and joy.

Since 1997, she has coached over 1,000 students in 17 countries — from absolute beginners to pro singers, SAG-AFTRA actors, contest competitors, and scholarship winners. Students call her “Karey Poppins” because she combines proven vocal science with compassion, mindset training, and just the right touch of magic to unlock breakthroughs that last.

Karen's background includes a BSS in Jazz Studies (Cornell College), certifications in IMIA, CCHI, TNAOC, TESOL, LMA, and The New Science of Singing. She is also the author of Singing in Tune: Solutions for 25 Pitch Problems and the recipient of more than 20 honors and awards.

Along the way, she has worn many creative hats — Executive Director of the West Bank School of Music, facilitator of the Female Musician Academy Songwriters Group, judge for Hmong Idol USA, Steppingstone Theatre teaching artist, and ESL teacher. Each role has deepened her passion for helping voices rise and be heard.

As a performer, Karen is known for her playful, powerful, and unforgettable jazz performances — blending swing, scat, soul, and stories that touch the heart. My music draws from jazz, folk, Motown, funk, Broadway, Latin, and world influences, inspired by greats like Ella Fitzgerald, Janis Siegel, Sarah Vaughan, and Eva Cassidy. My voice has been featured on NPR, film, TV, and all kinds of stages, including the Dakota and Fitzgerald Theatre.

Also, as a neurodivergent mental health advocate, Karen creates a safe, encouraging space for voices to heal, grow, and shine. Today, she works with students globally online — guiding them to discover the strongest, most free version of themselves.

If you’re ready to unlock the full power of your voice and step into the spotlight, contact Karen today.

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