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

Hi Ulka Simone, thanks for joining us today. Are you happier as a creative? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job? Can you talk to us about how you think through these emotions?

My immediate answer is a resounding YES, I am definitely happier as a practicing artist. I used to have a “regular job” before I took the full-time creative plunge, and I do not miss it. I will periodically ask myself if I would prefer to maybe go back to the charmed life of a regular salary, regular hours, planned vacations, and a life devoid of the heart stopping chasms of uncertainty that is the artist’s “feast or famine” gig-life, but my answer still remains “oh, heck no.” So until that answer changes, I stay the course.

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.

I am an actor, voice actor, dancer, and choreographer, but I would say, my highest passion lies in acting. Performing has always been a part of me—whether I was seeking opportunities, honing my craft, or simply working on my skills—long before I could pursue it full-time. Now, as a full-time artist and creative, I’ve embraced various creative avenues, from teaching and coaching voice-over and dance, to performing in occasional dance shows, choreographing works, and even assisting friends and colleagues with their writing projects. I used to fear that branching into other disciplines might dilute my abilities or focus, but I’ve since realized that each of these experiences have only served to strengthen my acting.

What sets me apart most is my versatility as a multi-disciplinarian. I have the ability to pivot between different creative fields with relative ease. For instance, having a background in tech has proven invaluable in my voice work, particularly when it comes to things like troubleshooting sound engineering challenges that inevitably crop up.

One of the things I’m most proud of is reaching a point where I have amassed enough knowledge, experience, and “tricks of the trade” in certain areas that I am able to now help or teach others. It’s a nice feeling to realize I can give back to the creative communities that have supported and taught me, in kind. I am still learning in all areas – this will never end, of course – but it has evolved into a more symbiotic exchange, where I can both receive and share.

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

People often think performance is about craving celebrity, wanting to be the centre of attention, to hog the limelight for popularity’s sake. “Oh, what a fun job!” is a phrase that I have heard often. It can be fun at times, sure, but that is certainly not the standard. Being an artist is about channeling empathy, holding up a mirror to an audience so they can safely witness the human experience and know they are seen in return, Whether it be the performing arts, fine arts or the written word, art lets us know that we are seen, that we are understood. I consider this to be the noblest form of communication and the artist’s fulfillment, apart from being paid for one’s hard work, comes from being witnessed/heard.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

In a creative pursuit, how it’s “always been done” is not necessarily how things will actually unfold or ought to get done. This notion is both fraught with uncertainty and freedom. There is no tried and true “sure way” to “make it” as an artist. Anyone else’s story of “how they made it” was probably mocked at the time and they may likely have been told it would “never happen.” Yet, one day they somehow succeeded and then their story became an accepted standard to emulate. So, the lesson here is: lean into your uniqueness, there is no one else who is just like you.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://ulkamohanty.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ulkam

Image Credits

Kourosh Keshiri, Andrea Hausmann, Teren Oddo