Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Mikaela Mcekron. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Mikaela, appreciate you joining us today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

From a young age, I felt destined to pursue a creative path. At just five years old, I declared to my parents my dream of being a “paparazzi,” unknowingly expressing my desire to be a photographer. I loved the idea of capturing the beautiful things I saw in my day-to-day life. A few years later, I wanted to be a chef, often waking up early on Saturdays to whip up omelets and pancakes, inspired by chefs like Emeril and religiously watching the Food Network. My love for art blossomed from a habit of doodling on any and every piece of paper that crossed my path. My journey did not end there though in my sophomore year of high school, my art teacher really pushed me to create and explore my talents through drawing and painting. With that nudge of encouragement I later discovered my creations resonated with others and that truly inspired me to create more. The earliest memory of my creative expression comes from my dear mother. As a baby, she had the most adorable bedtime routine for me—she would tuck me in and sing her adaptation of a lullaby. She would sing, “Sweet Jesus, what a wonder You are / You are brighter than the morning star / You are fairer, much fairer / Than the lily that grows by the way / You are precious, more precious than gold.” She always laughs when she recounts this story because one night, while singing the song to me, I unexpectedly sang along at the end, “than gold.” She didn’t even know I could talk, much less sing! It’s clear that creativity has been my calling from the start.

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

Well, hello there, reader! My name is Mikaela McEkron. I’m a Florida native living in the wonderful state of Texas, which I now call home. I’m a creative in every sense of the word—a Reformer who podcasts, creates content, and has a love for fashion and styling. I’m also an artist, singer, and most importantly a devoted follower of Christ Jesus. The world of arts and entertainment has always intersected with my own little stratosphere; I was involved in choir, drama, and dance throughout my childhood and into my teens. I believe the better question is, why have I returned to my craft at this point in my life? I would quote an excerpt from my favorite text: “For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for SUCH A TIME AS THIS?” (Esther 4:14). I feel commissioned to my craft, and everything else I’ve tried outside of what I am called to do has left me unfulfilled. I truly believe that being fully persuaded of who I am and what I have to offer isn’t contingent upon notoriety, accolades, or compensation. The truth is, I am content and pleased to create music, content, and art because it pleases the One who created me. This creative process produces creative works labored in love, birthed with passion, and offered up as worship. I am most proud of this revelation and understanding of who I truly create for, as it has helped me overcome imposter syndrome and the need for acceptance from others. I pose a question to every creative and anyone hesitant to pursue their passion because of fear: Why please all people when you can please One?

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

As a creative—especially one who uses media to convey my work—I quickly fell prey to the entrapment of the comments section, feeling trapped by the possibility of negative feedback. The anxiety and fear of this experience paralyzed me from creating entirely. I was extremely afraid of what people might say or think of me. So, I kept everything I created to myself, refusing to post, and I soon became petrified to dream. Eventually, I completely lost the desire to create.
From this place, I learned the importance of honoring my following and stewarding their hearts and time without putting them on a pedestal. This approach keeps me aware of my audience, but they are not my goal nor my target. While it may be considered taboo for an influencer to say this—especially in a field where having a “target audience” is emphasized—I’ve realized that targets can shift, and audiences can take intermissions.
Through this realization, one constant has always remained: Christ Jesus. As stated in Acts 17:28, “For in Him we live and move and exist… for we also are His children.” All He desires for me is to create and express myself in the way He made me. Approaching my creative process from this perspective has been incredibly liberating, restoring joy in my work and, dare I say, a newfound confidence.

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

In my view, society can best support artists by liberating them from the constraints of what “has been” done in the past or an artist’s previous works. Creative expression is limitless, and society should approach each body of work or project with an open heart and mind. Unknowingly, society often traps and constrains creatives to a specific lane, despite our constant evolution and growth. I, for instance, am a very different person and creator in 2024 than I was in 2018. I’m grateful that my community has extended grace and patience, allowing me to develop and grow in my craft and expression as I learn more about who I was created to be.I believe that adopting “living expectations” creates a creative ecosystem that is open to change without fear of judgment, enabling optimal exploration and the potential for new ideas to flourish. Imagine a world where art, music, and content are experienced with a potency like never before. What would happen if this world saw an army of creatives fully aware of their value and anchored in their God-given identity?

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/mikaelawiththespecs?utm_source=linktree_profile_share&ltsid=b8e48d80-f9f3-41d1-a5a1-c3035eb8e808
• Instagram: https://tr.ee/-c3kvOEJse
• Youtube: https://tr.ee/YMxuuBnFDh

Image Credits

tooflawlessphotos. Whitney Nicole (Sofa picture)
Mikaelawiththespecs Photography&Film (All other photos)