We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Stephanie Lombardo. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Stephanie below.

Hi Stephanie , thanks for joining us today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

One of the biggest risks I’ve taken was the first time I performed as a solo musician at the age of 14. This was a defining moment of the start of a long journey of a pursuit of a music career.

But first … let’s rewind: Before this performance, the only time I ever performed on stage was in my dance class recitals, where I shared the stage with other girls all doing the same choreography. The spotlight was never on me, and I didn’t think I could ever perform on stage alone.

Fast forward to May of 2003: Eisenhower Park near where I live was producing a talent show called “Reach for the Stars” for the end of the Summer, and looking for people of all ages to audition. The park is home to the outdoor Harry Chapin Lakeside Theater venue that holds shows to hundreds of people.
Their talent show was produced during the time when TV shows like American Idol started to gain popularity, so theater venues were hopping on the bandwagon and producing similar events.

My mom brought home a flyer about the auditions, showed it to me and said that I should try out for it. My initial reaction was a big “No, that’s not for me.” As a naturally shy kid at the time, the thought of me performing alone on a huge stage was daunting to me… a big risk that was wildly outside of my comfort zone. So, I was hesitant… at first. She encouraged me to think about it, and placed the flyer aside on our kitchen counter.

I distinctly remember walking past the bright, yellow paper every day as it sat there in the same spot, beaming to me. Sometimes, I took a peak at it, then placed it down. Eventually, after days of mulling it over, I warmed up to the idea and finally said… “Okay, I’ll try.”

But what was I to perform?

I could play the piano and dance – my two big talents at the time. The show wanted auditioners to submit video recordings of their performance. So I filmed two performances: one playing the piano, and another dancing to a pop song (in my room nonetheless).

After submitting my two tapes, I waited on the edge of my seat to see if I’d move to the next round. To my surprise, this experience started as something I said ‘no’ to at first, then evolved to anticipating a call back so much that I would be totally crushed if I didn’t make it into the show.

Eventually, I got the call for the next round of auditions!

My Britney Spears “Slave 4 U” dance audition was cut, but my piano solo moved to the second round. I curated a medley of different songs ranging from Scott Joplin’s “The Entertainer” to Billy Joel’s “New York State of Mind,” transitioning between each tune with hand-over-hand maneuvers and technical flourishes, arranging each melody as its original piano piece.

Several weeks and another round of auditions later… Still no call. My Mother, being a supportive influence, called the park to try to get an early read on whether I was accepted into the show prior to the final cast announcement. The woman she spoke to remembered me and my performance, and told my Mom that the chances were looking good. Whew, a sigh of relief! Then, finally, I got the call… I was in the show! I couldn’t believe it! Little did I know that this would spark the start of a long musical journey.

Show night finally arrives. With hours of practice under my wings, I was as ready as I could be. I was nervous at first, then quickly decided to live in the moment and have fun – a piece of advice from my Godfather, which I still try to live by daily.

With hundreds of people in the audience beneath a diamond starlit Summer sky… Show night was magic! The energy was high at the Harry Chapin Lakeside Theater that night. To stand out on a big stage, I channeled my Liberace influence, and I donned a red two-piece sequin outfit.
My name was announced, I walked out to the grand piano, and after the first few notes of the introduction, the crowd began clapping along to “The Entertainer,” my first song. Their energy felt as if they were all sitting right next to me on the piano bench. My nerves disappeared, and I was hooked on the adrenaline rush!

That was a night that changed my life. The experience was too fun not to pursue it as a legitimate career. High risk, big reward. I surprised myself that night. I learned how much of a freeing experience performing is as a way to uniquely express myself and show the world who I am.

Whenever you perform, especially solo, you put yourself in an incredibly vulnerable position where all eyes are on you, and all you have is your self-confidence to rely on. It’s imperative to keep in focus that you’re there to enjoy yourself, too, and the audience will be right up there with you!

Stephanie , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

A little about me…
I am a musician, a songwriter, a vocalist, a performer, broadcaster, a filmmaker, and all around artist who’s driven to pursue an abundant life filled with all of these passons.

Music-wise, I started piano lessons at age 3. Years later, I discovered my passion for songwrited and began composing original songs, which inspired the original self-titled genre “Glam Pop” – a blend of upbeat dance pop with a kiss of rock n’ roll.
My music career has led me to great opportunities as both a solo artist to band member, including working in the house band for the NYC Velvet Underground Experience to releasing multiple singles as a solo artist and collaborating with producers such as EDM artist Korvez.

I’m currently a resident artist as a pianist and singer at the Roslyn Hotel performing a mix of original songs and arrangements of contemporary tunes on their grand piano. In addition, I’m the keyboardist in the New York based rock band “Boardwalk Nights.”

I’m also as passionate about education as I am about rock n’ roll, as we are all lifelong learners. After acquiring an undergraduate film degree, and an MBA immediately afterward, I have been fortunate enough to curate a fulfilling career in addition to music that spans different media disciplines.

With each new life chapter, I visualize my future as carefully as a painter carefully choosing the colors for their portraits… life is a blank canvas open to all possibilities.
I’m open to collaborating on a fresh creative project, whether it’s scoring an original soundtrack for a film, or writing a commercial jingle.

As I continue to immerse myself in many creative passions, I look forward to building the next creative chapter!

Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

Your network is your net worth. It’s never too soon to start building your network. In any professional field, but especially a creative one, it’s important to surround yourself with supportive people who believe in your talents. Practicing the art of building relationships is a lifelong skill that you will carry throughout your career. A supportive network will lift you up, help your confidence grow and lead you to new opportunities that you might not have otherwise known about. Part of relationship building is being open to feedback and suggestions, even if it’s not what you initially have in mind at the time. Keeping an open mind is critical to your success.

Building these bonds plants seeds of success through your journey. A supportive community brings a sense of fulfillment and joy to both your career and personal life. Be open to creating new friendships and never burn your bridges… you never know where they can lead.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

Some of the most rewarding aspects of being an artist is connecting with your audience as a performer. There’s no greater feeling like reaching people through your music. Having the opportunity to express myself through art is a way to share who I am. And, of course, the supportive community of fellow musicians who motivate and inspire each other is another reason I keep going!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.stephanielombardo.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/StephanieLombardoOfficial
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StephanieLombardoOfficial
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCm4NN7gOY_ytKqSB5hWAdgw
• Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/stephanielombardo

Image Credits

Notes for where photos should be placed in article: Three photos of red outfit – Eisenhower Park – for first Story of Risk taken