Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Elia Esparza. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Elia, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Are you happy as a creative professional? Do you sometimes wonder what it would be like to work for someone else?
I’ve always known I wanted to be a performer, an artist, creative of some sort and performing. Throughout my life, I have attempted the ‘regular job’ route and found that it truly just wasn’t for me. I worked at a magazine company, as a waitress, assistant, ect and found the restrictions of the 9 to 5 dont feed into my productivity. I was living in NYC in 2012 and working as a waitress at the time, when I suddenly got let go for pay cuts and thats the last time I had a ‘real job’. I realized I could work on my craft and create my own businesses on my own time without having to sacrifice my creativity and sanity.
As a creative, that freedom has allowed me to work on my music, art and performance while also growing my social media platforms and working with brands as a content creator. Now in 2022 there’s so many ways to make an income, work smarter and not be stuck in a place you dont want to be. You just have to put yourself out there.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I am a singer/songwriter and a digital content creator. I write my own music, perform for events all of over the country and I also create content for brands, companies, ads, ect. I’ve been featured on The Voice and La Voz Mexico, American Idol and now based in Nashville, TN. I’m most proud of the music I’ve created and released on my own so far. And all of it was possible because I started singing covers on youtube. A lot of my opportunities have come from putting myself out there and making the most out of each one.
I’m also proud of the content and following I’ve built through the years. Its such a creative outlet for me, from fashion, to concepts to music videos.
How did you build your audience on social media?
Back in 2011, I was so nervous to put out any videos of me singing or performing. I had lost my confidence when I moved to NYC to attend a performing arts college and was struggling a lot. One day i gained the courage to film a quick cover of me singing and simply upload it. It wasn’t good at all but it sparked something in me to try again, and thats how I began gaining my confidence back, slowly. I started vocalizing everyday to improve my voice, taking lessons, writing with people and making more videos. After a few years I started gaining traction and was releasing my original music and thats how I got the casting call for The Voice. I always kept up with my audience and made it a priority to be consistent even when I wasnt feeling myself.
My advice would be to just show up on social media, even when youre not 100%, because that is your authentic self. I’ve posted everyday on social media for the past 10 years and Its been a big part of my discovery and opportunity.
Have you ever had to pivot?
I’m sure everyone had to pivot during the Covid lockdown in 20/20. I went from performing 3-4x a week to not at all. It was scary and really sparked me to pivot and change up what I was doing. I started live streaming, making tiktoks, having online writing sessions and doing anything I could to stay productive and creative. I even got my personal training certification and doing online training as a side hustle. I didnt allow the restrictions to hold back limits but It was difficult for artists all over.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.tiktok.com/@eliaesparza_?lang=en
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eliaesparzamusic/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OfficialEliaEsparza/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elia-esparza-9a47a458/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/eliaesparza_
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/eliaesparzamusic