We were lucky to catch up with Ria Githuku-Muraglia recently and have shared our conversation below.

Ria, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.

As an actress, singer, and writer, much of my journey has been driven by a natural talent that I’ve always been eager to nurture and refine. In high school, I realized my love for the arts through creative writing and theater classes, which further fueled my passion for storytelling. I was in plays throughout high school and college, and recorded my first original songs at 15 years old. I studied theater arts in college where I explored screenwriting, sketch comedy, and even wrote and performed an original one-woman show.

For me, the key to growth has been hands-on experience— putting myself out there, experimenting, and listening to feedback, direction, and coaching.

I’ve always made it a point to keep learning and evolving. I’m currently in acting classes, and I believe that even at an advanced level, it’s essential to continually hone your craft, because as artists, we can never stop growing and learning. The more we experience life and ourselves, the more we learn the instrument of our souls, which is ever-evolving.

Looking back, staying consistent would have helped me accelerate my growth. There were periods where I doubted myself, took breaks from pursuing my creative career, and struggled with imposter syndrome and fear.

In the past two years, I’ve made up for a lot of lost time, and I truly believe everything happens for a good reason, in perfect timing. I have learned invaluable lessons along the way which have deeply enriched my creative process and career.

I believe that courage is one of the most essential skills in any creative journey. Courage is something you have to actively practice—stepping up, being bold, and pushing past fear. It’s not just about taking risks, but about continuing to show up and persevere, even when the path gets tough.

My greatest obstacle has always been my own self. People pleasing, fear, self-doubt, and not always knowing how to cope with personal challenges have made it hard to keep going at times, but the most beautiful part of the process is what I’ve learned along the way. What may feel like an obstacle in one phase of life becomes the wisdom you carry in the next phase. Eventually, the obstacles you overcome become the reassurance that you can make it through the next one, and a survival guide for the people coming after you.

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 got into my craft at a very young age. I began singing in church and at school, and from that moment on, I knew I wanted to pursue it for the rest of my life. Honestly, I was pretty much thrown into it when people realized I could sing and act, and from there, the passion just grew. I’ve always believed that this was my path.

I’m proud to say I am involved in multiple creative avenues: I perform live gigs, singing everything from top 40 hits to ambient music at restaurants. I also work in recording studios, where I sing both lead and background vocals, sometimes writing songs for others, or even creating my own music.

I just wrapped a short film in which I played the lead which will hopefully be featured in some film festivals this year, and I am a performing understudy in a play called “The Effect” which will open in April at Yard Dogs Theatre Company. I’m also excited to be starring in a feature film in May!

Along with singing and acting, I also do improv comedy, performance poetry, and screenwriting. I pride myself on being incredibly versatile and highly skilled in a wide range of areas. For example, if a project requires someone who can both sing and act for a film or commercial, I’m your person. If they need a performer who can switch between comedy and drama, or someone who can master accents, I can do that too. I also bring additional skills to the table, like playing guitar, dancing, and yoga.

What sets me apart is not only my versatility but also my professionalism. I’m hardworking, punctual, focused, and fully committed to whatever project I’m working on at any given moment. In a world where multitasking can sometimes compromise quality, I make sure to bring my best to every job, which I believe is unique in today’s industry.

I believe in my own uniqueness, and I want others to recognize that they’re special too. What I truly want people to understand is that if they have a dream or a goal, they are fully capable of achieving it. I am proud that my work carries an inspirational quality and I hope that when people see what I do, they think, “If she can do it, maybe I can too.” That kind of energy is what I aim to share through my craft—empowering others to pursue their passions and believe in their own potential.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

During my last semester of college, I was in a Meisner Acting intensive, while also taking the most challenging and time-consuming classes of my degree. The pressure to graduate was immense, mainly due to expectations from my parents. I thought that once I graduated, the pressure would finally ease. (it didn’t, until much later, ha!)

After my university classes in Azusa, California, I would drive an hour into L.A. for my Meisner studio classes, which were incredibly demanding. Despite the heavy workload, I pushed through, graduated from both programs, and continued to pursue a career in acting and music.

Since then, my journey has been filled with moments of being knocked down and having to pick myself back up. One of the hardest times came during the production of my first album, Dreamgiver, when I faced serious mental health challenges and experienced a mental breakdown. However, a few months later, the album was released, and had an album release show on my birthday!

My journey is defined by resilience. I believe that the love and passion I have for my craft is stronger than any obstacle I could ever face. No matter what comes my way, I WILL NOT QUIT. I am fully dedicated to my art and to my calling to bless the world with it.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

BUY OUR ART! Please do not ask us to work for free and please do not ask for discounts. There is so much work, so much energy, so much heart that goes into what we do. Hours and hours, tears and sweat, so much overcoming of obstacles, facing ourselves, sacrificing money and security at times to pursue a calling that literally influences the culture and can change the world. Our work deserves to be valued just as a doctor’s or a teacher’s work is valued. Even if you can’t afford to buy concert or movie tickets, share our posts, our songs, etc. Spread the word about what your creative friends are doing! And give encouragement wherever possible because even if it may not look like we need it, it goes a really long way.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.resumes.actorsaccess.com/riagithukumuraglia
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/riamuraglia
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAabNvX2vr124vKwkD3KZ5GixX9KKdALEWkY71iEK2j-H4okYYA9pjgBSPhs_aem_h3O-nk6g4OTnYWyb36t8eg&v=BnF0Teiegg4&feature=youtu.be
• Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/13KOVqi8aW1u14aDfATyxY?si=lq4cH3MmS9Smlvi7KiIDyg