A Conversation with Storm Large
Originally published on The JOLT News on December 31, 2025
The world says to never meet your heroes or to separate actors from characters in order to avoid disappointment. What a shame it would have been if I listened to them and chose not to chat with Storm Large.
In chatting with Large, I discovered just what an extraordinary person she is and how beautiful she is both inside and out. Her voice and talent are larger than life, and so is her kindness, genuineness, intelligence and strength.
In sharing this conversation with you, I hope to inspire you to get tickets to Pink Martini’s upcoming concert on Jan. 31 at the Washington Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Olympia. Maybe this piece can be like an extraordinary advent gift in the midst of the exciting countdown to their concert.
Our conversation
In our technology oriented world, it is so easy to forget the human behind the creation, the artist behind the song, the heart behind it all, and what I found refreshing about Large is just how open and honest she was, and down to earth.
Anyone who follows Large and Pink Martini on social media would see how much travel the band does and how far reaching their popularity is quite literally across the world. Imagining Large has many stamps in her passport, I asked her what her favorite travel tradition is.
“Every time the plane lands, I say ‘Thank god, thank god, thank god,’” Large shared. “So many things can go wrong when you travel, and that is why it is so important to be kind to the people who work hard and make your experience possible, and to be grateful for every success and good thing that happened during a flight, and that nothing worse happened.” That is an attitude we can all use!
On 'White Christmas'
Large shared a story that made me respect Pink Martini even more than I already do.
We are all familiar with Irving Berlin’s classic “White Christmas,” which was originally composed in the 1940s. The context of that time period is important considering World War II and all the biases and racist theories that existed back then.
Berlin wrote a clause into the song’s copyright stating no Japanese people were allowed to perform the song. The time period does not justify the clause, or make a “wrong” into a “right,” but it is just further evidence of historical trends and the many ways hate can sneak up in unexpected places.
Fast forward to the creation of Pink Martini’s “Joy to the World” album: bandleader and songwriter Thomas Lauderdale had a vision, knew about the clause, and found a really admirable way to make it come to life.
He envisioned Japanese pop star Saori Yuki for this song, and went to the Berlin family and trustees to request specific permission to override the clause. History was redeemed, and now we have this incredible song that just glows.
“She is like the Barbra Streisand of Japan,” Large said. “I really admire Thomas for making this happen.” The song is stunning, listen here.
At the heart
The message that echoes throughout everything Pink Martini does is inclusivity. Terms like “inclusivity” can trigger certain stereotypes and blind judgements. I invite you to take your mind away from current sociopolitical dynamics and listen.
During our conversation, Large brought up how Pink Martini is for everyone: liberals and conservatives, Democrats and Republicans, Independents, and literally everyone else on the planet. The values Pink Martini stands for are not (or rather should not be considered) political: kindness, human rights, hope, joy and compassion. I think these core values live in most of us, only we have different ideas of how these should be actualized.
What makes Pink Martini so special is that you do not have to find the perfect answers to all these complex questions. You can enjoy dancing with your seat neighbor and the audience who may or may not have opposing values, and get back to the core part of humanity that unites us all. I think we find the best part of ourselves in the arts, and I think our respect for one another can be enhanced in the type of song and dance you find at a Pink Martini concert.
I could rewrite this piece over and over again and not feel like I adequately did Large or our conversation due diligence. It’s not an insecurity thing — she is just too marvelous to limit to a page or word count.
I invite you to take a moment to explore her website and music to learn more about her. Oh, and while you are at it, get your tickets to the Pink Martini concert.
https://www.thejoltnews.com/stories/a-conversation-with-storm-large,27580?