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

Gabriela, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you take us back in time to the first dollar you earned as a creative – how did it happen? What’s the story?

My first proper paid project as an animated music video director happened during the pandemic, and my road into the intersection of animation and music started just a few months before that. Let me start at the beginning: I was a grad student at Pratt Institute at the time – I did not actually major in animation, my thesis was written in the department of Media Studies, but I took electives in the Digital Arts Department every chance I got. One of the classes I took was called Experimental Animation, where I started playing with some really cool stuff like microscope animation, stratacut or liquid light shows.
I felt like live shows would be a great outlet for these sort of visuals and thanks to my dear friends Misia and Dante, I got to perform my first visual set for their rock n roll show at Our Wicked Lady. This was not a paid gig, and neither were the subsequent few that I got to do just by meeting more musicians or reaching out on Instagram asking if they’d like to let me play some psychedelic stuff on a projector while they play.
That’s how I met Andre Salvador and the von Kings. When the pandemic hit and live shows stopped, I was holed up in my Brooklyn apartment working on my thesis when Andre reached out with a great opportunity: creating a hand-drawn animated music video. This was a whole new challenge compared to stage visuals. I developed original characters and a story, meticulously drawing each frame by hand. The relaxed deadline allowed me to pour myself into the project, and “I Love You (Don’t Laugh)” became one of my proudest works – raw, playful, and authentically me. I’m incredibly grateful they trusted me with their vision. That project helped launch my career in animated music videos, which had always been my dream.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’m a 2D animation director, animator, and illustrator, mainly working in the music industry. I am a bit of a latecomer into the animation arts as I have not started until my last year of Undergraduate studies at Goldsmiths, University of London, where I made a drastic (and very good) decision to switch my focus from filmmaking to animation. Seven years later and four years into freelancing full time now, and I couldn’t imagine doing anything else.

Most of my work involves creating visual content for musicians – music videos, visualizers, album covers, Spotify canvases – you name it. I love finding ways to translate an artist’s personality and music into visuals. Though music projects are my sweet spot, I’ve also had the chance to work on some really cool team projects, from ads to short films and even graphic novels.

If you look at my work, you’ll probably notice it has a pretty distinct handmade, gritty feel to it. I’m all about embracing imperfections and playing with interesting textures – often mixing different media to get something unique. I really dig in deep with each project, treating it as a chance to try new techniques while keeping that signature style.
I take my time to really understand what each client needs and want them to know they’re getting someone who’ll put their whole heart into the project. Whether it’s a frame-by-frame animation or an album cover, I’m there to bring something special to the table while staying true to their vision.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

I think what’s most rewarding is actually kind of a double-edged sword: my sense of self is very strongly tied up in my creative practice which is also my job. On one hand, it’s amazing because I get to do what I love, but it can be hard to separate the personal from the professional. I just care a lot about what I do on a very deep level.

And that brings me to another point which can also be a pro and a con – the freedom. I love being able to create my own schedule but keeping a work/life balance during busy times is something I still haven’t figured out.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

There have been many pivots in my life, especially recently. And this connects to what I love most about my work – the freedom it gives me. My artistic practice has been my constant through all the ups and downs.
A couple of years ago, I had to suddenly leave my life in New York and return to my home city of Warsaw, Poland. The amazing thing was – my whole career came with me! I have found that my changing location has not had an impact on my treasured long-standing relationships with clients in the States, as well as some additional ones in places like Paris and London, which I am incredibly grateful for. We really do live in an age where so much work can be done remotely, and I’ve definitely used that to my advantage in my career.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://gabrielasibilska.com
• Instagram: http://instagram.com/blagabalanga
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabrielasibilska/
• Twitter: https://x.com/blagabalanga
• Other: https://giphy.com/blagabalanga