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

Mina, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

I first knew I wanted to pursue a creative path professionally when I was in high school. I was involved in almost every artistic program offered; choir, theatre, dance, marching band, drumline, symphonic band, jazz band, ceramics- you name it. At a young age, I started taking dance and piano lessons. I grew up in a very artistically encouraging household where everyone played instruments and sang. In middle school, I started learning the flute and playing piano the jazz band. I also took up playing the piccolo and mallet instruments in marching band and later played the tenors as the drumline captain. As a part of my local dance troop was doing community performances and recitals as I started dipping my toe into school musicals. I just loved to create and that became the obvious path for me when it was time to decide what I wanted to do in my life. Art and creative expression comes so naturally to me. It is apart of my identity as a human. I was lucky to be surrounded by friends and adults to saw that in me at a young age and encouraged me to go forth and share my gifts and talents.

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

Growing up with the exposure I had to the arts, I knew it was something I wanted to pursue on a professional level. I attended Stephens College to get a BFA in Musical Theatre. At the time, I played many instruments, danced, and sang and thought it would be the best way to harness all of my skills. It was such a rigorous program that taught me so much more than just how to be a captivating performer. It taught me how to interact with the industry and what kind of coworker, colleague, and peer I wanted to be when “in the real world”. I went on to perform professionally at regional theaters around Kansas city, MO and Portland, OR. When the pandemic hit, I had the realization that I wasn’t reaching my full potential creatively. With everything being shut down I had to find a way to feed the hunger that performing and creating filled. I started learning how to use a DAW for the first time and producing my own music. I would gather with close friends weekly to make music in what we called the “tone zone”, affectionately. I soon realized that through collaboration I was able to hone my new craft of production, sing more than I ever have, and dig deeply into my originality to make something even I didn’t know I was capable of. This led to the birth of my first single and music video “Nail Salon”. With gratitude, I was able to pull together a group of three exceptional women (Johanna Brooks, Elise Poehling, & Emily Shackelford) with skills in cinematography, video editing, set design, and direction to help me bring my vision to life; shot in the very nail salon I went to with my mother growing up. This led me to fulfill my bigger purpose of creating and releasing my debut, self-produced album titled “Nail Salon”. With the help of my close collaborator and friend Areti (featured on multiple tracks), I was able to create a collection of 10 songs and build out my own sonic world. In the years I have spent in collaborative art forms, I have learned that no one does anything alone. (shoutout to some more of my collaborators macy, Eoneasel, Aaron Alexander, & Relyae) Life is more beautiful when we share it with those close to us and protect the preciousness of vulnerability. I have been intentional about watering the garden that is my support structure and allowing myself to learn and by enriched those around me.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

Being an artist requires a level of vulnerability that is inspiring to me. I know the saying “the universe favors the brave” to be true. As a performer, I have overcome so many emotionally extreme, exciting, thrilling, and sometimes scary, moments in live formats and every time I have come out the other side feeling alive and more in touch with what it means to be living presently. Getting to share that with other artists and audiences is to me, the soul of collective being. I can’t think of many ways that can be experienced with out making the active choice to put yourself out there and take a risk. The exhilarating high I receive from sharing my art is priceless. I feel I am only rewarded with more opportunities to do so. In art, I believe we must make firm and bold decisions that represent a unique perspective and experience in hopes others can find understanding or even see themselves in it. Every time I share new music, I love to see the way people receive it and how it makes them feel. To see a shared love and admiration over it or conversation helps the art live many lives past it’s conception.

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

I think in a lot of ways supporting artists has become more accessible than ever. We know the obvious monetary ways of buying merch and tickets to see shows, but honestly I think the most meaningful way is to reach out. Send them a message to let them know you loved it, interact and share their music on social media. It really does so much for free! It can be difficult to stay inspired, we inevitable fall into moments of doubt or feeling like we don’t measure up, but to know there is someone out there vibing to a song or album we made is a gift in itself. It personally brings me back to why I love to do it. Cheering on those who you love and are inspired by creates community and that is one of the coolest things to see art do!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/minastone/nail-salon-2
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/minastonemusic/?hl=en
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@MinaStoneMusic
• Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/39QCMHeB5H9MQBQOduMguU?si=3avzAlfJQBOZXEnu5ozQWg

  https://music.apple.com/us/artist/mina-stone/1704569590

Image Credits

Elise Poehling, Johnny Nelson, Gaby Deimeke