We recently connected with Paola Gladys and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Paola thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you take us back in time to the first dollar you earned as a creative – how did it happen? What’s the story?

Wow, I’m so into this question! There’s actually never a time to chat about this, and I’m all about this memory! Back when I was 16, I kicked off my live music journey by singing in tiny clubs, bars, and restaurants in my hometown, Bari, down in Southern Italy. One of the very first significant and big shows I had was at a festival called “Bari in Jazz,” even though our band was more on the blues side! An older musician reached out to me – through my vocal teacher at the time, also named Paola, initially not disclosing the grand opportunity awaiting me. All I knew was that we were rehearsing for some upcoming gigs. Turns out, they were testing if I could handle a stage like that one. I remember really pushing myself because I truly wanted it to happen. When the moment finally arrived, it felt like a dream come true.

Paola, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I am Paola Gladys, aka Paola Arcieri, a singer, DJ, music producer, visual artist and actress based in Los Angeles, from Puglia, Southern Italy. I’m a creative 24/7! At this stage of my career, I do everything by myself, meaning I take care of the creative content side, practice my craft, and think about how to promote it and when. Speaking of, I am so thrilled to announce that I’m gonna be releasing my next single ‘Steps’ on March 11 on all digital platforms. It’s a dedication to all artists. ‘Steps’ encourages listeners to acknowledge their growth and stay committed to individual unique paths. Despite the inevitable doubts and passing shadows of negativity, the song emphasizes the resilience to persist until reaching one’s dreams or, at least, a state of truthful acceptance of the creative process. I wrote this song almost 5 years ago, and after many different versions, I can’t wait to share it with you all. The track is produced by Reuben Cainer, an incredible producer and bass player based in NYC from London, and it features the amazing Craig Hill is on sax. My partner QWALE and my best friends Fernweher and Lindsay Lucas helped me shape the lyrics. The art cover is a wonderful painting called “Solitudine” by my dad Vito Arcieri, from 70s.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

What I truly believe in is the power of the step-by-step. We often want everything and we want it soon. Patience and acceptance are two key words I have to remember every day. As an artist, my mind is constantly flooded with half-baked, abstract ideas popping up every two seconds, along with hints for new pieces. I feel like I need to do 100 things at a time, otherwise, I’m not serving my purpose as a creative. I had to unlearn that and honor the theory of doing and thinking about one step at a time. I always say this when people ask me how I survive in a long-distance relationship. Every time my partner and I say goodbye, I try to focus on the next day instead of the fact that I won’t see him for three months. I don’t dwell on how long three months can be; instead, I let them pass, as time really flies. The same goes for ideas. I start bringing one of them to action at a time, instead of feeling exhausted by the multitude and not doing anything at all. It’s a challenge to balance the desire to bring every project to life with the overwhelming reality of making them tangible.

How did you build your audience on social media?

Well, I’m still learning the tricks as I post every reel. An important thing I’d love to say to people who are about to start this: don’t get into your head! Please don’t waste hours of your precious time ruminating on the content you’re about to post or whether you should post it, etc. Lately, I’ve been asking myself, ‘Would I watch this? And why?’ or ‘What would I love to see on IG?’ ‘Why am I really engaging with this content?’ Based on that, I try to rewatch my own videos and see if I can make some changes for the better. Also, I try to be as honest as I can. I don’t want to promote an image that doesn’t exist! I want to promote what’s real in this world and how every human struggles or feels good about the same things! I want to resonate with things/people/experiences/thoughts and possibly being inspired by those content. That’s what I try to bring in my posts too.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paolagladys_/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7w-94Hrha80
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5EAvaLMWNBz8UZnmiVp0zk?si=MTeJMDOlRxmawINVbF__jQ