Performing at Naked Songs requires a certain amount of nerve.

Not because clothing is optional, because it’s not. But Naked Songs, the new quarterly listening room series curated by Kirsten Hazler, half of the indie-folk duo Haze and Dacey, is a listening room experience. Musicians accustomed to performing at breweries, wineries and coffee shops may feel unusually exposed when performing before a quiet and attentive audience.

Inspired by Rickie Lee Jones’ 1995 album, “Naked Songs,” which featured her original songs accompanied solely by a guitar or a piano, Hazler will be bringing the new series to Sound of Music Studio starting this month. She organized a similar series from 2012 through 2013, although it was done in noisy venues where the din of espresso-making regularly interrupted songs. “When I decided to bring the series back, I wanted to level up,” she says. “It never achieved its full potential without the seated listening room environment I envisioned.”

Those new to a listening room environment might find a show without ongoing conversations a new experience. But the shows allow plenty of time for talking, and attendees can socialize before and after, as well as during intermission. Hazler believes there’s an unmet demand for this kind of performance. “It’s unique because the audience can really hear the lyrics and the stories behind the songs,” she says. “For the musicians, it’s a chance to play songs they otherwise don’t because they’re too quiet or intimate.”

The kickoff show will feature Susan Paulette DePhillip, Ray Woodruff, Steve Fisher and Hazler, although she does not plan to perform at every event. The musicians will present their original material in the round, accompanied only by guitar or piano. All four performers will be onstage at the same time, and they’ll take turns doing one song at a time before moving on to the next musician. “It’s just you and your instrument. That can be scary and out of many people’s comfort zone because the audience is completely focused on you,” Hazler says, adding with a laugh, “It begs the question, why would a musician want to do that?”

Maybe because musicians are able to share stories about songwriting or inspiration. As an added benefit, lyrics can be heard clearly. “It’s an outlet for songwriters to talk about what they do and share [it] on an intimate level,” Hazler says. “The audience gets a window into the songwriter’s mind and creative process.”

A side benefit is that Naked Songs is a networking event for musicians. For the first installment, Hazler pulled from alumni from the previous series and had no problem getting musicians to agree. Back in 2012, she solicited songwriters with a Craigslist post, but this time around, she’s using her website, hazyshadeproductions.com, to solicit the talent. Interested songwriters need only fill out a form and provide links to live performances of their original music; a minimum of five original songs is required for the performance to be considered.

In addition to studio costs, Hazler feels it’s important for performers to be paid, so Naked Songs is a ticketed event, and getting tickets in advance is recommended. At each showcase, the studio will not only run sound but record the performances so that each musician gets quality video material to share on their sites. To ensure that the event is accessible to all, Hazler provides discount codes on the ticket purchase page so that those who need a discounted price will be able to attend.

Performers and audience alike will get something different at this event.

“The audience will get more variety all at once with the in-the-round staging and more intimacy with hearing backstories and lyrics,” she says. “For the musicians, it’s harder because they can’t get into a flow when it’s one song at a time, but they do have the comradery of the other musicians supporting you. It’s all part of being uncomfortable naked.”

All hail Rickie Lee Jones.

Naked Songs will be held on Tuesday, April 18 at 7:30 p.m. at the Sound of Music Studio, 1511 Brook Rd. Tickets are available at https://hazyshadeproductions.com/naked-songs