We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Thea Lissi a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Thea, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. If you could go back in time do you wish you had started your creative career sooner or later?

Sometimes I think about how cool it would’ve been to kick off my music career earlier. I was 29 when I first decided to try singing & creating music. At that time I was going through a pretty rough patch with my divorce and trying to rediscover who I was again, on top of being a single mom and running my dance studio business that I opened in 2015. Music has always been a big part of my life, but being on the creating end? That was new territory for me – and I never imagined I’d be doing it professionally. But God had other plans:) I would have loved to start learning these skills at a younger age just to have a bit more experience under my belt now. The music world can be intimidating because you are always surrounded by insanely talented artists. But that also pushes me to up my game and I have learned so much from being surrounded by people who are better than me, which is pretty awesome!

Thea, 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 grew up in a large family (1 of 11 kids to be exact) in South Louisiana and I currently split my time between Nashville and Louisiana as a full-time singer/songwriter/dancer! Which allows me to pursue my music career while also continuing my career with dance studio biz. It’s the perfect mix for me! I write music in pretty much all genres, but as a Recording Artist, I am mostly known now for my Country Pop/Soul songs. I like to think of my sound as a musical jambalaya—gotta represent my Louisiana roots with that soulful touch that sneaks into every song I make.
I’m super proud of the work that I am creating right now and can’t wait to see where this journey takes me. I’m just a southern gal with big dreams, grateful for every chance to share my passions with the world!

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

I don’t think most people understand the amount of courage it takes to pursue your creative passion, especially in the music industry. Where you’re constantly criticized, rejected, disappointed, undervalued and always having to prove yourself over and over again! All in hopes that one day it will pay off and you will be able to actually make a living off of that passion! Every artist I know, including myself, work full-time jobs and then in any spare time we have we put that into our music. On top of that, friends and family are oftentimes the last ones to really support your music. Which is a hard pill to swallow. It takes so much grit, perseverance, resilience, & strength to keep your head up & not give up!

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

I think this question piggybacks well off of the previous one because I’m sure there are so many people would love to support their friends music/art but just don’t know how to help. Personally, I think the best ways to support artists include sharing their music on social media or with friends who might enjoy it. Pre-save their songs when possible and stream them once they’re released. Be a listening ear for that friend in need, and offer encouragement whenever you can. A little support goes a long way.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://thealissi.com/
• Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/thealissi
• Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/thealissimusic
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thea-lissi-455309a5
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheaLissiMusic
• Soundcloud: http://soundcloud.com/thea-lissi
• Other: I also have music out on all streaming platforms under Thea Lissi :)

Image Credits

Scott Claus, Colin Burnam