Born in Port Elizabeth, South Africa on March 5, Lisa Schouw and family moved to Auckland, New Zealand when she was three. Lisa attended Edgewater College in Pakuranga. As a student of classical ballet, she reached intermediate level of the Royal Academy of Dance syllabus. Piano, horse riding, athletics and playing basketball were all part of her teen years.

After leaving high school she spent two years training at the New Zealand Dance Centre and performed in a number of ballets including "The Nutcracker Suite" and "La Boutique Fantastique". The school's principal was Russell Kerr and fellow company members included Jon Trimmer who was also a principal dancer with the Nederland's Ballet Company.

During a dress rehearsal for a season of "The Tales of Beatrix Potter", Lisa fell and injured her ankle. Unable to dance anymore she spent a brief couple of months at university, then worked as a lab assistant, hotel receptionist, clerical worker and completed a journalism course at Auckland Technical Institute.

Lisa began her singing career by doing gigs with a cabaret band and tackling the local talent quest circuit. Her desire to reach a broader audience led to