We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Anya Labella a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Anya , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.

It took many years to get where I am today as an artist. I was always around music my whole life. A few of my friends are established artist. So I spent a lot of time watching them perfect their craft. The one thing I learned was consistency is key as long as you stay consistent no hard work will go unnoticed. I’ve always had the confidence but never had the courage. There was always something in my way either life or self doubt. It wasn’t until 2023 that I made the decision to put in the work that I had seen before me and be consistent

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

In 2020 I started my label/ brand Barz Express. At the time I was making music full time and had the goal to release an Ep that year. I wasn’t 100% I. So from 2020 to 2023, Barz express laid dormant. 2023 me and my now appointed President Khem king, decided to do the one thing we weren’t before and that was be consistent. July we started pushing our music and the label Barz Express, performing at various shows across NYC. To now curating our own events and showcase for artist. I’m very proud of all the hard work that has been put in by myself and my president. Just goes to show hard work pays off

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

Last year, before I started my musical journey. I was actually going to give up on my music. I was dealing with losing my only living elder in my family and I had recently left my job and lost my apartment. Even through all that I still wanted to make music because it was always in me to do. I could never fully give it up. I released a few singles and I came to the conclusion that was all I was going to do. It had been a rough 4/5 years. I would do records and then my self doubt would set in or I would be working with people who just weren’t meant to help me get to the next level. It was until May 23’. I went to a showcase for a friend of mine. I met a guy who from day 1 believed in me, and he didn’t hear a word of my music. Everyday he would encourage me to keep going because he saw it in me. I knew I wanted to give up because my personal life was filled with so much. I didn’t have time for anything else. With the support of Woody and Khem, I found the courage to keep going and do things I never thought of doing

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

The biggest lesson I had to unlearn was to stop waiting on other people to move on your behalf. No matter how much they may say they have your back and support you. Sometimes they can’t do the things you need because you need to do them for yourself. So many times I expect people to reciprocate things I would have done for them or just waiting on people to do what they said they would. I learn that everyone can not be with you may be to them.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: Anya_Labella87

Image Credits
Director Blizzard