We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Catalina Prado a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Catalina thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.
The biggest risk I’ve ever taken? Leaving everything I knew behind.
A few years ago, I packed my entire life into two suitcases and moved from Chile to the United States — accompanied by my partner, Carlos Iturrieta — along with my voice, my experience, and a dream I refused to let go of.
I left behind a steady calendar of performances, loyal students, active contracts with theaters and production companies, and most painfully, my entire support network, almost all of my family and every single one of my friends. I had spent years building a name and a career in my country. I was choosing to erase the certainty of my present to fight for a bigger future.
It wasn’t glamorous. I arrived in a country where no one knew my name and no stage was waiting for me. I had to learn how to survive not only as an artist, but also as an immigrant — navigating legal processes, cultural differences, and the vulnerability of being unknown.
I sang in restaurants. I taught vocal technique over Zoom. I knocked on doors. I sent dozens of emails into the void, each one a tiny act of faith and I kept going. Because even on the days when I felt invisible, I knew exactly why I was here: I was expanding my voice into a new world.
Today, I work as a vocal coach and performer in South Florida. I co-founded Vocal Menu, a band that blends classical vocal technique with live, captivating performances — bridging the gap between operatic roots and the joy of contemporary music. We’ve performed at events ranging from intimate jazz lounges to large-scale cultural festivals, and I continue to carve my path in a country where I was once a stranger.
This risk didn’t just change my career, it redefined my courage. I discovered that starting over is terrifying, but not daring to try would’ve been the real mistake. I learned that when things are done with love, passion, and perseverance, you can fall a thousand times, but success lies in your ability to rise again.
I didn’t just move to another country, I moved into a version of myself I hadn’t met yet. And she was worth the risk.
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.
About Me & My Work
Hi, I’m Catalina Prado — a Chilean singer, vocal coach, and co-founder of Vocal Menu. My journey in music started with a moment I’ll never forget: performing O Mio Babbino Caro by Puccini during a school event. After I sang, something unexplainable happened. There was this wave of emotion — students, teachers, and parents lined up to hug me, cry with me, and tell me not to let go of this dream. It was overwhelming and humbling, and even today, I get goosebumps remembering it. That moment made it clear: this is what I’m meant to do.
I studied Superior Musical Performance with a specialization in Operatic and Musical Theater, at the Conservatory of Music at Universidad Mayor under the guidance of soprano Claudia Pereira, and was honored to receive the prestigious Amigos del Teatro Municipal de Santiago scholarship during my training. From there, I built a career performing opera, musicals, crossover concerts and live events, and now I’m continuing that path in South Florida.
As a vocal coach, my mission is twofold: first, I help students build a healthy, sustainable vocal technique — reducing harmful tension and guiding them toward vocal freedom. Then, we go deeper: into emotional connection, interpretation, and presence. I work with singers of all levels and ages, from aspiring performers to professionals preparing for auditions. Most of the time, they come to me either pushing too hard vocally or too afraid to be emotionally vulnerable. Watching them open up — physically and artistically — is my favorite part of the process.
I co-founded Vocal Menu with a group of handpicked musicians who are as versatile as they are passionate. We seamlessly blend operatic duets, jazz standards, Latin ballads and rock classics — adapting each show to fit the event and its energy. We’ve found a beautiful audience especially within the 55+ community, who value the timeless music we bring to life. Their warmth and gratitude make every show a celebration.
Some of the milestones I’m most proud of include singing the national anthem at the Wellington International Equestrian Festival, sponsored by Rolex, and winning First Prize in the Charleston International Music Competition. But beyond accolades, what truly fills me with pride is the life I’ve built from scratch in a new country — staying true to my voice and vision while helping others find their own.
If someone is discovering my work for the first time, what I’d want them to know is this: it’s never too late to sing. It’s never too late to try something that’s been calling to you. Whether you’ve always wanted to perform or just want to reconnect with your voice, the time will pass anyway — so you might as well go for it. What’s worse than failing? Never knowing what could have happened if you’d tried.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
For me, the most rewarding part of being an artist is the invisible thread that forms between the stage and the audience.
There’s something deeply powerful about singing a song and watching people soften, smile, close their eyes… because for a moment, even if we don’t share the exact same memories, we’re all tuned into the same frequency.
Music has that unique ability to bring us back to treasured moments, a first love, a lost loved one, a simpler time. And when I’m on stage, I can feel that happening. I’m holding space for someone else’s story to come back to life. That shared emotional territory, where my voice meets their memory, is sacred to me.
Those are the moments that remind me why I do what I do. Not for the applause, not for the spotlight, but for that silent “I felt that too.” That is the real standing ovation.
In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?
I believe the best way society can support artists is by understanding that art is not a luxury, it’s essential.
We need to stop treating creative work as something secondary and start recognizing that music, theater, painting, writing… are vital to our health and development as a society. People heal, connect, and evolve through art. We saw this clearly during the pandemic: when everything came to a halt, it was art that kept people going. It was music, films, books, and creativity that we all turned to for meaning and comfort.
And this impact doesn’t begin in adulthood, it starts in childhood. Music activates both hemispheres of the brain simultaneously, the left, responsible for logic and language, and the right, which processes emotion, creativity, and intuition. This integration strengthens neural connections and enhances skills like memory, concentration, empathy, coordination, and language. Few activities stimulate as many areas of cognitive and emotional development at once as music does.
That’s why it should hold a central place in educational systems, on the same level as math or history. The goal isn’t for every child to become a professional musician, but to give them the chance to discover themselves through art. With so many instruments to choose from, each child has the chance to discover the one that best aligns with their unique personality, temperament, and energy.
Supporting artists also means ensuring that future generations grow up with art in their hands, in their ears, and in their hearts. That is what truly cultivates a creative, empathetic, and deeply human society.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://vocalmenu.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vocalmenu/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/catalina.pradoaracena/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/catalina-prado-aracena/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@vocalmenumusic
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/vocal-menu-boca-raton-2?uid=QhxrJvsXWmkoOy7WKRppTQ&utm_campaign=www_business_share_popup&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=(direct)
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@vocalmenu
Image Credits
Andres Abad
Marco Cruz