We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Monica Larrea. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Monica below.
Monica, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. I’m sure there have been days where the challenges of being an artist or creative force you to think about what it would be like to just have a regular job. When’s the last time you felt that way? Did you have any insights from the experience?
Most creatives, including myself, ask themselves this question at least once in their careers. The last time I had that thought was when I felt overwhelmed by one of my music-related part-time jobs. In addition to working 5 days a week as a music teacher, I was also gigging, going to open mics, releasing music, and more. After continuous late nights and early mornings teaching and performing, I noticed I had little time to work on myself as a musician and artist. Practicing, Writing music and Branding were my top priorities – yet, they were pushed to the bottom of my list. My financial stresses also increased, as I noticed I was not getting as many gigs as I would like to. I wanted a “way out”, so I started fantasizing about (and applying to) office jobs and remote work opportunities. “Would it be easier?” “Would it support my music financially without burning me out?” I considered this option for a while until I noticed that this option was only a temporary escape route from my current feelings and not a sustainable option for me. “Think about it, Monica. You’re going to work 40 hours a week at something completely unrelated to your goals… to get yourself closer to your goals?” This would only give me a temporary sense of stability, and delay me further from my dreams. I knew that I needed to make changes NOW – and I did. I made a small, yet significant change. With finances and budget in mind, I reduced hours from my teaching job and reserved those 2 extra days of the week for my music. I focused on landing more gigs, practicing, improving myself as an artist, and fast-forwarding a few months, I am now successfully performing often, working on my branding, releasing more music, and writing more than ever. I knew I needed to take this tiny, yet important leap of faith!
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
My name is Monica Larrea and I am a musician and singer-songwriter. I’ve been singing since I was 5 years-old. Born with a melody in my veins, I’d burst out into song whenever my grandma watched her telenovelas. As a little girl, I would even stand on top of tables and sing loudly and boisterously, while dancing and being goofy. Performing has always been my passion.
There are several facets to me as a musician and arist. Having studied music therapy in college, one of my passions as a musician is creating healing, fun, and dynamic performances for my audience, making sure to cater to their specific needs. From singing for families, to older adults in nursing facilities, to patrons at breweries, I curate my setlists (drawing inspiration from over 300 songs) to ensure that audience members leave with a smile. I also make my performances dynamic and interactive, making sure to gather guests’ attention and create memorable experiences. This includes taking requests, playing games such as “guess the song”, frestyling and encouraging sing-alongs. My commitment to engaging my audience, as well as my massive setlist and freestyling/games sets me apart from other musicians. I’m proud of the ways I’m able to make my audiences feel at home!
As an artist and songwriter, there are more layers to me and my brand that I am, quite frankly, still figuring out. My music varies heavily in genre. I have latin songs, R&B songs, Neo-soul songs, pop songs, alternative/indie songs and more. Some of my songs are upbeat and dynamic, others are soft and soulful, and others are deep and intimate. My goal with songwriting is to… write! I write in the hopes that the music I enjoy writing will also be enjoyable to listeners in different ways. Some songs will inspire listeners to dance, others will incite relaxation and pleasure, and some will touch listeners in a personal way. And some, may have multiple impacts. For example, one of my unreleased songs called “Isla de Amor” is upbeat and always brings people together. However, there is a deep message about missing the past, and a specific message for immigrants of foreign countries who have had to migrate away from their homeland. Another song, “Unscathed”, can be seen as a relaxing folk song, while also having a deep, raw message for survivors of abuse.
My most recent single, “Brilliant Sun” addresses topics of love, spirituality, introspection, and has been described as both “intense” and “relaxing” due to the various elements in the song. No matter what the impact of my music, I’ll be grateful if it has ANY effect on others. Music has healed me, and I hope I can provide others with the same.
In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?
Our society doesn’t value musicians, artists, or creatives at this time, as evidenced by the abysmal wages artists are given. Most artists need to scramble their way “up”, working tirelessly for little pay in hopes of their hard work paying off. While this may determine those fittest to succeed and create resilience, it does not give others the right to dismiss “small”, new artists. As a society, we only value artists once they’ve reached a large platform. No artist is “legitimate” until they’ve reached a certain point of success. For example, we spend thousands of dollars to see Taylor Swift but hesitate to spend $20 at a local show. Instead of buying from our local (AND affordable) clothing boutique, we buy from unethical, large companies such as Shein or Temu. It is difficult to make these changes if we continue to hold our same beliefs and habits, but we can shift our mindset and actions daily. To create a thriving ecosystem, we must begin to use our time, energy and dollars to support each other.
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
Despite only being 30 years old, I’ve had to pivot many times throughout my life and career. As a young woman, I’ve aspired to become a therapist, a music therapist, a music teacher, a yoga teacher, a spiritual teacher, an intuitive healer, and MORE before choosing my current path of being a musician/singer-songwriter. One of the biggest pivots came after college. I had just earned my credentials as a Board-Certified Music Therapist and was applying for jobs. I intended to find a job as a music therapist and play music “on the side” while enjoying my yoga hobby. However, during my job search, I found a job that disappointed me and broke me to tears. I noticed that working in large companies, I had little autonomy to be the music therapist I wanted to be. As an employee, I was not able to make changes in favor of clients’ and employees’ well-being. After this, I committed to being an entrepreneur, contracting with different companies as a music therapist, getting my yoga teaching certification and implementing it into my practice, writing music, and beginning my journey as an entrepreneur. I’ve pivoted since then into becoming a musician, but that’s a story for another day!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.monicalarrea.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musical.monica/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJBQi6IsvuoYgJOuIEyx9QA
- Other: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6XW14B5qDnXQSOrXwl7X6F?si=Wh353Q_DQyGtY87MmLDMAg
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/album/brilliant-sun-single/1733595062
Image Credits
Michael Currier, Tristan Faulkner,