We recently connected with Michaela Paladio and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Michaela thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

I was seven years old, training in the basement with my dad to be a boxer. I loved boxing at the time, along with several other avenues of self defense and creative routes (singing, piano, performing). He went upstairs after we finished sparring, and it was just me, the mat, and the basement. I was always the type to get lost daydreaming, especially as a child, so I remember looking up to the ceiling and confirming with myself that I wanted to be a singer. My dad came back downstairs & asked what was on my mind. “Dad, what if I want to be a singer AND a boxer?” He looked at me a bit puzzled then responded “Well Mikey, if you want to box, you risk getting injured. You can’t risk that if you want to sing.”

That was it. At seven years old, I made it my life mission to become a singer.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I knew music was my calling when I learned that it impacted me at a young age in ways I could not put into words. It brought me back to life, revived my motivation, and gave me purpose. I began singing lessons with classical music, opera, learning to sing in different languages (latin, french, etc)., and a brief teaching in piano. When I was around nine years old, my life path brought me to Florida, where I began my songwriting journey. Lyrical and melodic composing came almost natural to me, especially because I was always in my head thinking and creating. As the years of my teen years passed, I was introduced to the big leagues of the entertainment industry and offered opportunities to be signed to major labels, however, the grotesque nature of those who were gatekeeping wanted more than I was willing to offer. It was from then that I decided to go indie. I’m most proud of my determination to keep moving forward, while carrying what I’ve learned and those who matter most with me.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

To best support artists, people outside of the creative realm need to remember we are just humans too. When people begin or remember to look at each other as such, it becomes easier to dissipate the blinders and perceive with love and balance.

However, in more literal terms, every constructive critique, share, comment, & just being willing to receive art as an observer is incredibly important. Artists want their art to be & feel seen beneath it all.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being a creative artist is that inspiration is funneled through all sources; through myself, my friends, family, scenery- all aspects of existence is able to be pulled from as something to create with. This ability to view everything as art makes it easier to appreciate all that surrounds us.

Contact Info:

• Website: whoismichaela.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/whoismichaela
• Twitter: twitter.com/whoismichaelaa
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/MichaelaPaladio/videos

Image Credits
KELLTOODOPE Othrwrld Andrew Adaire Jimmy Fermin Lu Diaz Jamie Bullock