We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Iesha Sturdivant a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Iesha , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. If you had a defining moment that you feel really changed the trajectory of your career, we’d love to hear the story and details.
The defining moment in my professional journey wasn’t one specific event. I would say, it was the realization that I didn’t have to live a fragmented life. That I could integrate every part of who I am: The artist, mother, coach, advocate, and healer. belonged in the work I was called to do.
I grew up singing. Nothing else mattered. Music was my lifeline. It was my first language, comfort, a source of strength, my only dream. I always knew I was born to sing and share that part of myself with the world. Then life shifted. I became a single mom, and my focus turned to survival to get through college, working full-time, and raising my son. That dream I had of touring and recording full-time had to be placed on the shelf. Not discarded like a broken record, but paused to allow time to process this moment.
Navigating motherhood, college, and full-time work left me exhausted and often directionless. I felt like I was constantly trying to survive with no blueprint. But I knew I couldn’t stay in that place. Somehow, with faith and determination as fuel, I figured it out. Every job I took, every skill I learned was building something in me. I didn’t know it then, but I knew I was being prepared for something greater.
After having my daughter, I auditioned for American Idol the following year. I never stopped believing. I kept singing, kept creating, and eventually began to travel, release my first EP and tour, sharing stages with nationally and internationally known artists. For a while, it felt like I was living the dream I’d once laid down. But success on the outside doesn’t always reflect what’s going on within. After years of pushing forward, I had a mental and spiritual breakdown. I had to step away from everything to focus on my well-being, my faith, and being present for my children. This 2nd pause was just as necessary as the first one. It gave me room to breathe, heal, rediscover my voice, and explore new opportunities within entrepreneurship.
I began performing again after several years, but with new purpose. From singing at galas to contracting with non profit organizations to design and build out curriculum, coach youth, and develop workforce and wellness programs, I found a deeper calling: using my creativity to support community initiatives. That’s when “Love Is The Rhythm” was born. I created it with moms in mind, especially those navigating stress, trauma, and life transitions. Through mindful music meditation, I facilitate healing-centered spaces using breathing exercises, lyric analysis, journaling, and conversation. These sessions help women reconnect with their inner voice and restore their sense of peace and purpose.
Today, I also serve as a workforce career coach, working with individuals reentering society after incarceration and those who are underemployed. I bring trauma-informed and restorative practices to this work, helping people not only find jobs but regain dignity and direction. I’ve partnered with organizations across sectors: women’s health, maternal mental health, violence prevention to advocate for moms, especially young women of color, and bring healing into professional spaces. During Black Maternal Health Week, I’ve led workshops and sessions centered around the question: Are we using music to edify us or add to the chaos? That reflection alone has opened pathways for moms to take a breath, release shame, and reclaim their voice.
A friend once asked, “What exactly do you do?” I told her: I help people heal, grow, and move forward. Whether through song, meditation, or strategy, I create space for people to breathe, be seen, and believe again.
The moment that changed everything for me was the one where I embraced every version of myself. When I stopped trying to fit into one box and started allowing my music, my motherhood, my faith, and my professional skills to exist in harmony.
Iesha , 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?
My name is Iesha Sturdivant. I’m a Chicago-born singer-songwriter, trauma-informed coach, and the founder of Love Is The Rhythm. A creative wellness brand rooted in healing, faith, and purpose.
My journey has never followed a straight line. I’ve spent years learning how to embrace the layers of who I am: artist, mother, coach, Christian creative, and advocate for women’s mental health. Each part of my life has informed the work I do today. I got into this work through lived experience. I grew up singing, music was everything to me. I knew I was meant to use my voice to inspire, to move people, to heal. But when I became a single mom, I had to shift my focus. I worked full-time, raised my son, and learned how to survive with little support. Music remained the goal, but life demanded more from me and ultimately, life gave me more in return.
After years of balancing motherhood, work, and creative pursuits, I auditioned for American Idol, continued to record, and began touring. I shared stages with national and international artists and felt myself returning to that dream I once put on pause. But somewhere along the way, I hit a wall. I had a breakdown. My spirit was tired. So I stepped away intentionally. I prioritized my mental health, deepened my faith, became more present for my children, and leaned into entrepreneurship as a tool for healing.
That’s when I created Love Is The Rhythm. Through Love Is The Rhythm, I offer mindful music meditation sessions designed to help women and especially moms. slow down, reconnect with themselves, and find peace in the middle of life’s chaos. These sessions blend music, breathwork, lyric analysis, journaling, and group conversation. They are healing-centered, spiritually grounded, and trauma-informed. My approach is rooted in empathy, storytelling, and restoration not performance.
I also work as a workforce development coach, primarily supporting individuals who have been impacted by incarceration or who are reentering the workforce. I use restorative practices, trauma-informed care, and career development tools to help people not just find jobs, but reclaim their confidence and dignity. In every space I enter whether I’m performing, facilitating, or mentoring. I bring authenticity, creativity, and deep respect for the journey people are on.
What sets me apart is that I don’t lead from a place of theory. I lead from lived experience. I know what it means to rise from burnout, to raise children while chasing dreams, to live through grief, and to start over. I understand how to hold space for others because I’ve needed that same space myself. My work is holistic and it’s about wholeness. It’s where faith meets wellness. Where creativity meets healing. I’m proud of the community I’ve built. especially among Black women, young moms, and those who are often left out of mainstream wellness spaces. I’m proud of the way I’ve turned my pain into purpose and my voice into a vehicle for restoration.
For potential clients, followers, or supporters, I want you to know that my brand isn’t just about a product or performance. It’s about experience. Whether you’re attending a session, booking me to speak, collaborating on a program, or just listening to my music, what you’re receiving is real. I’m not in the business of quick fixes. I’m here to help people breathe deeper, dream again, and remember who they are.
Putting training and knowledge aside, what else do you think really matters in terms of succeeding in your field?
Beyond training and knowledge, I believe the most helpful qualities for succeeding in my field are emotional resilience, authenticity, and a deep sense of purpose.
This work, whether it’s coaching, performing, or creating healing spaces requires you to show up with your whole self. That means being grounded in who you are, even when the path isn’t clear. There will be seasons when the external rewards aren’t obvious, when you’re pouring into others while still figuring out how to refill your own cup. That’s where emotional resilience comes in. You need to know how to keep going. not in hustle mode, but in truth, integrity, and sustainability.
Authenticity is also non-negotiable. People can feel when you’re real. In my work, especially with moms, returning citizens, and individuals navigating trauma, authenticity builds trust. You don’t have to have all the answers, but you do have to be honest. That’s what creates the safe space for transformation.
Lastly, you need to stay connected to your purpose. Not trends. Not what everyone else is doing. But the unique calling on your life. Your “why” is what will carry you through the setbacks, the quiet seasons, the rejections, and the pivots. For me, my faith is the foundation. I can’t separate that from the work I do because it’s what keeps me aligned and deeply rooted.
If you could go back, would you choose the same profession, specialty, etc.?
If I could go back, I would absolutely choose the same profession and path, without a doubt. Although it was extremely challenging at times, and often felt like I was figuring it all out on my own, every experience shaped the woman and professional I am today. The work I do now with supporting women, coaching individuals through major life transitions, integrating music and wellness, advocating for moms and mental health, it all came from the path I walked.
That said, I would do a few things differently. I would have gotten a career coach, a financial coach, and a therapist much earlier in the process. As a single mom, I didn’t know what support was available to me or where to even begin looking for it. There were times when I was just surviving, and navigating systems that weren’t built with me in mind. Had I known how vital those resources would be, not just professionally but personally I would’ve sought them out without hesitation. I also would’ve given myself more grace. I spent years trying to piece everything together, feeling like I had to be strong all the time. What I know now is that strength doesn’t mean doing it all alone. It means being willing to ask for help, to rest, to grow, and to receive support.
Still, I wouldn’t trade the heart of my work for anything. It’s my calling. It’s where my gifts meet purpose. And even with all the hard moments, the breakthroughs, the pivots, and the pain, I’m still standing, still singing, still creating healing spaces for others. That, to me, is worth every step.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.ieshasturdivant.com
- Instagram: SingerEsh
- Facebook: Iesha Sturdivant
Image Credits
K’Leyon Hampton: Owner of Princepovs Photography