We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Gaby Montiel (Klaudia Dai) a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Gaby Montiel, appreciate you joining us today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

I was twelve years old when I was offered two music projects for social advocacy. One project was for AwareNow Music titled “We Don’t Talk About the Afghan Women.” I collaborated with a poet and military service veteran, Lori Butierries, who felt compelled to bring awareness of the horrible treatment and abandonment of Afghan women in August 2021. I had the opportunity to arrange her poem into a song that appealed to the general public at the time. In my process, I was thoughtful about how my vocals and piano would represent an honest perspective of Afghan women.

When I was thirteen, the non-profit group Fear of Return asked me to write song lyrics to a cover song by Finneas’ “The Kids Are All Dying” highlighting the story of Afghan scholars stranded in the United States without permanent legal status, yet could not return home when the United States military withdrew from Afghanistan.

At the time, I felt honored by the invitation to be involved in both projects, however, I didn’t truly understand the responsibility of being an artist with social responsibility. Looking back, these experiences started a commitment that today remains a powerful purpose to how I would like to share my music.

Now at sixteen years old, I have explored film editing with music and continued my song writing to invite others, especially teens, to be aware of current challenges. I have learned how to capture interest with short video clips and song phrases that ignite thought and conversation about topics young people want to talk about, but need a starting point to enter difficult conversations.

Just recently, I shared an original poem “Sincerely, the Young” highlighting how the young generation has been underestimated in what we care about, think about, know, and talk about. Through my art, I am always looking to advocate for ideas, thoughts, and ideas, especially for those whose voices are minimized.

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

I am a singer songwriter, creative writer, and film editor. I am an advocate for social issues and young artists, and I write for AwareNow Media Magazine as their ambassador for arts and music. I am also the founder and emcee of Conejo Valley Youth Mic Night, a sponsored event by TOArts and local business owners hosted 6-8 times a year.

It’s an honor to be a writer for AwareNow, which has a monthly readership of 8 million worldwide. In addition, I am grateful to host Conejo Valley Youth Mic Night where I can pay 10-12 youth performers who are 6th through 12th graders and represent over a dozen schools in 6 cities. Finally, last November, I was proud to release my second album, Mind Games, under my new stage name, Klaudia Dai.

When I reflect on how I got here at such a young age, I think about the time I became curious on how to play a guitar. I was in sixth grade, it was during the pandemic, and my curiosity turned into begging my parents to find a used acoustic guitar, taking free lessons on YouTube, and discovering people who would propel me into being an artist.

My first mentor, Victor Lawrence, is an A list cellist, who helped me craft my songwriting skills and introduced me to professional artists to expand my skills and knowledge. My guitar teacher, Rogerio Peixoto, was my guitar instructor who taught me about music theory and musicality. There were quite a bit more people whom I am grateful for, but it was these two, Victor and Rogerio, that honored me as an artist.

In the last five years, I have performed solo shows, taught peers songwriting and composition, and nurtured a space where other young artists could practice their craft. I have interviewed and featured amazing musicians and actors, focusing on upcoming talent.

A big change that I decided to make was creating a stage name and rebranding myself as Klaudia Dai. It was a time that I left my childhood self who was trying to learn how to be an artist through someone else’s eyes. I was still learning about myself as an artist and took in several different recommendations and ideas from others. While I remain grateful for the learning and exploration, Klaudia Dai represents what my art means to me, without permission or approval.

Overall, being an artist means experimenting with different methods, tools, and instruments. It is integrating content through multiple channels of writing, music, and film. While I learned the importance of building community as an artist, I learned that being my authentic self as an artist, sharing my most personal life experiences, is the self expression that can connect with others, and give access to help and heal many people.

Have you ever had to pivot?

My original branding as an artist was narrow but successful. I was a young musician who played acoustic guitar and composing songs beyond my years. Needing support and guidance from adults, they helped me show up on social media platforms that exposed me to more opportunities to showcase my art. Three years in the making, my socials under Gaby Montiel, was growing. I was offered to perform solo acts and teach peers about my process of songwriting. Being treated as a professional artist meant a lot to building my confidence, being invited on stages, and ultimately learning more about myself.

Last year, I decided to pivot. I changed since that young musician, and I grew into knowing exactly what my art is to me. Producing my second album, Mind Games, was the first time that I had absolute creative freedom. I wasn’t following any genre but instead trusting my own process. Instead, I worked collaboratively with music producer, Kentucky Clawson, who honored my independence and creative work while finding opportunities to stretch in what is possible. This experience gave me the confidence to change my branding from Gaby Montiel to Klaudia Dai (my stage name).

Owning Klaudia Dai meant to let go of the momentum that Gaby Montiel branding was building. I had to start over on my socials. As I continue developing content and welcoming followers, I do it at a pace that is right for me. I control every aspect of the content and my brand, and have not regretted taking the pivot so that I can represent the artist I am today.

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

Being seen as a professional artist at the age of sixteen has been so rewarding. Having others invest in me continues to inspire how I can push my art to reach more people. I learned early on that being a successful artist isn’t done alone. Instead, the more people that I have met, the more resources and support I receive to continue doing what I love. Being clear and courageous to ask for support, and knowing who honors my way of being as an artist created a quick momentum for me.
Here are some examples of communities who lifted me up as a young artist:

– TOArts has sponsored each Conejo Valley Youth Mic Night since 2022 so that I and fellow youth performers are paid (and fed) when they share their art.

– Oxnard Performing Arts Corporation paid me to perform a solo show to 300 high school music students and teach them my process of songwriting.

– Ventura County Arts & Culture Investment Fund granted me $1500 to produce my second album.

– Victor Lawrence gifted me his incredible talent as a professional cellist for my first album, and one of my top played originals titled “Reality”

– AwareNow Media invited me to be the youngest contributor of their global magazine as their ambassador of art and music.

Truly, it is the people around me who have lifted me up, even when I felt like I hit a ceiling of creating and sharing. Building community has been everything.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.gabymontielmusic.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/klaudia_dai/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100079903097476
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gaby-montiel-klaudia-dai-44422b31b/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@gabymontiel8811
• Other: https://open.spotify.com/album/73v9IoYP5ok27CcB66fJ9X?si=NIfQc76JTnSWK79Ye4im_Q
  https://www.tiktok.com/@klaudia_dai

Image Credits

Justin Herrera (photographs: me playing keyboard outdoors)
Isabella Montiel (photographs: album covers up close with blue tint)