We recently connected with Joanna Barbera and have shared our conversation below.

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

My journey has been a bit of a wild one!

I was raised in the Hudson Valley area of New York with a strict Italian Roman Catholic upbringing (lots of rules and guilt), which eventually led me on a journey of asking bigger questions and seeking of deeper meaning and purpose in spirituality.

At 19, I left New York and headed West, where my journey back to my True Self began.

I lived and studied various healing modalities and music, in places like San Francisco, Maui, London, Arizona, Austin, and Nashville.

My first deep dive into Eastern spirituality happened in Sedona, Arizona, learning from old-school Korean energy and Tai Chi masters. I was so fortunate to be immersed in that mystical world where it was an everyday norm rather than some hokey new age fad – it was their ancient way of life.

Don’t get me wrong, I definitely dig crystals and astrology with the highest reverence. But some of those new age trends have become so sensationalized and hype-y, you know? Anyway, I was super blessed to have such an authentic introduction to it all, before things got so commercialized.

In 2007, I found Kundalini yoga and took the teacher training and for a while I tried to balance two completely different worlds – yogi by day and wanna be rockstar by night. This eventually became unsustainable.

I couldn’t keep up with this split personality lifestyle, burned out, and stopped writing music altogether.

So I fully immersed myself in the spiritual realm and created my business, Music City Mindfulness, sharing and teaching all of the transformative mindfulness methods and techniques I’ve gathered over my decade-long journey.

Then the mantras dropped into my Universe and reawakened the musical muse within.

I started blending ancient mantras into my modern songwriting – woosh! – it all clicked.
I found my voice agin.

Now I get to share these musical and mindfulness offerings to uplift others on their journey.

I offer a mix of sacred songs, Kriya yoga, meditation, guided journeying and methods for awakening the inner-guidance system. I help people get back in touch with who they really are deep down and reclaim their passion.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

My deepest intention is to help people reconnect to their true essence and inner wisdom. After my own winding path of seeking, I’ve found that creativity, especially music, can be such a powerful conduit for self-realization and awakening.

When I infuse ancient mantras with modern melodies, it creates an uplifting experience that helps open people’s hearts and minds.

My mission is to continue crafting these musical offerings as a pathway to greater truth and purpose.

I aim to hold clear, clean space where people can release old patterns, tap into their inner vibrancy, and align with their soul’s purpose.

If I can spark that sense of “homecoming” in someone, where they feel profoundly seen and connected to something greater, then I feel I’ve done my job.

My creative process is fueled by the desire to empower others on their journey toward inner freedom and spiritual growth.

Music is my vehicle for inspiring people to transcend their limitations and step into the fullness of who they really are.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

One big lesson I’ve had to unlearn is seeking external validation through my creative work, especially music. Early on, my approach was very oriented toward performing for an audience and wanting approval.
But after burning out trying to make it in the mainstream industry, I realized I needed to let go of looking outside myself and instead create from an authentic inner place.

I took a break from music altogether to dive deep into spiritual practices like yoga and meditation.
This helped me get grounded in my true essence beyond ego.

When I came back to music, I had a new approach – focusing on mantras and devotional songs meant to stir something in the listener rather than showcasing my skills.

I had to undo the mindset of seeking fame and reception. Now, I aim to channel universal truth and healing frequencies through my voice and instruments. It’s no longer about perfectionism or how many likes I get. The fulfillment comes from the experience of being fully present and expressing truth in each song.

My creativity flows from an unlimited source. By unlearning the need for validation, I rediscovered the sacredness innate to music. It’s a continuous process of getting my ego out of the way to let inspiration come through me unfiltered.

Contact Info:

• Website: joannabarbera.com
• Instagram: @musiccitymindfulness
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/musiccitymindfulness/
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@musiccitymindfulness?si=F3mkQkFq9l3yMhxu