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

Bianca, appreciate you joining us today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

I was always a singer, since I was a baby. As soon as I learned how to speak, I was singing at school and for my family. By the 5th grade, I was invested in choir class more than anything else – I learned Motown, Blues, and Soul through school and I saw myself as a professional singer in the future. I subsequently entered a number of talent competitions, often losing. I kept practicing, learning about music, and learning from my teachers and peers in New Orleans.
By age 16, I was doing my first professional gigs with my own band.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My name is Bianca Love – I’m a New Orleans born singer, trumpeter, guitarist, producer and bandleader – I am also a vocal coach and music educator. I have played numerous venues, festivals and halls throughout my career, spanning the US, India, and Jamaica. I specialize in Black American Music – including blues, soul, and the music of Charlie Parker. Currently, I am based in New York City and Los Angeles.
I think what sets me apart is my journey and perseverance. I’m probably most proud of my growth on the trumpet over the years and how it motivates me to work harder every day.
I use music to spread a message of social justice, love, and self-introspection. I have 10+ years of experience playing music and traveling the world solo and with my band, and I enjoy teaching children as well as adults how to use music to achieve their dreams.

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

I often hear from non-creatives that the most successful creatives have achieved celebrity status, are making bank, and are household names. They struggle to understand when I tell them that money can be hard to come by, especially if you are a dedicated musician in this industry. There is an understanding amongst the most revered cats in music that large amounts of money is not the end goal. The number of hours required to mastering a craft often leaves limited amounts of time left to develop a business plan, manage marketing and booking, and to experience life outside of music – including running a family. For some great musicians, just enough money to thrive allows the most time to learn and get better at music – it may not be as much money as someone in a different industry would prefer to have to consider themselves successful.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

I enjoy having experience and knowledge that I can pass down to the younger generation. I was often alone in my journey when I started playing music, with no familial support. I knew that perseverance would bring me far, and I enjoy seeing a similar drive in children – I believe it should be cherished, and nurtured. I think being an educator is not only rewarding, but helps passes the legacy and language that comes from this music.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.biancalovemusic.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebiancalove/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/llamalicious/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/biancaloveofficial
• Other: https://jammcard.com/biancalove

Image Credits
Trevan Meador, Adam King