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

MandiE, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What’s one of the most important lessons you learned in school?

The most important lesson I learned in school happened in COLLEGE! I was competing for a talent show and I really NEEDED to win because I was a single mom and I needed money for diapers. I decided I was going to pull out all the stops! I did every riff and run I could fit in that song and I played the piano for myself. The judges weren’t impressed. I was beat by someone who sang with no music and no technique but the feeling was there. I learned that night, ppl will ALWAYS connect with what they can feel. When it’s from your heart, that’s when you’re winning!

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

Well, hey Best Frens! My name is MandiE! I’m a National, Dallas based singer/songwriter. I’ve been singing professionally since I was 19 years old. I perform weekly, currently headlining shows at my Dallas residencies and accepting wedding, birthday, corporate and private event bookings all over the country and abroad! I think my confidence, creativity and ability to relate to a wide demographic is what sets me apart from other artists. A MandiE experience is one you’ll never stop talking about and will always want to come back for! I’m most proud of being able to balance mommying with being an artist! My kids are my biggest supporters and they definitely hold me accountable and push me to always strive for a level of excellence. I want everyone who comes in contact with the MandiE brand to feel empowered! I’ve always been one of the “underdogs” but I used that as motivation to propel me to levels only God could get me to! No matter the genre of music, God the Creator will ALWAYS get the glory for giving me the gift!

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

My most effective strategy for growing my audience has been AUTHENTICITY and CONSISTENCY. That’s legit IT! Lol When I learned what works for me, what feels good to me, what fits me…it became easier to just BE myself all the time. On stage or off stage, I’m just MandiE. I’ve tried to remain transparent via social media, on stage and personally. Some days are amazing, some days are mess, everyday I keep going! In a society where painting the perfect perception is the norm, I choose to just be. No person is without flaw and it’s really ok to admit that! I sing, write and perform the music that naturally flows from me and my audience connects with that and they spread the word to others who connect with me in that same way!

Can you open up about a time when you had a really close call with the business?

Everyone thinks being an entrepreneur means being instantly RICH but that’s not the case at all. We spend more time and money investing into our businesses. For me, booking shows means hiring band members, other singers, hair, makeup, wardrobe etc. Deposits are the BEST way to ensure everyone is paid, even if sometimes I don’t get paid or I take a pay cut. I can remember a time when I first started, I wasn’t being managed by anyone and I didn’t ask for deposits. Huge mistake. I had a show that costs me thousands because they cancelled the day of and I still had to pay my band for their time. I’m thankful for growth and better business practices…AND MANAGEMENT! Lol

Contact Info:

• Instagram: theerealmandi
• Other: #Mandi on all streaming platforms such as itunes, Spotify, tidal, and YouTube.
• Booking: abjmgmt111@gmail.com

Image Credits
Kianna “Pippy” Pierce Tavia Whitlowe @dewestthemaster Yo Yo Photography @kauwuane