We were lucky to catch up with Vicky Pasion recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Vicky, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to hear about the things you feel your parents did right and how those things have impacted your career and life.

My mum’s ambition and love has greatly impacted my life and career.

My mum immigrated to the UK with no family around, and brought me up single handedly. She worked several domestic jobs to keep us afloat, and despite a tough upbringing, she’s taught me the importance of hard work and humility.

To settle into life in London, my mum found Filipino communities that gathered on a weekly basis, and encouraged me to join the performing arts sessions led by the youth. I was quite shy growing up, but she noticed that I loved to sing and express myself creatively. She nurtured my talents and even supported me when I was invited to audition for a stage school. I got a scholarship, yet the uniforms and extra-curricular fees were a lot to take on. She taught me the importance of grounding myself with an education, as well as balancing auditions and opportunities performing on the West End in shows like ‘The Lion King’. My mum would always be there to pick me up late at night, and was an example of dedication.

I’m grateful for my mum and her belief in me. She saw that singing and performing brought me to life, and her support has impacted my values and how I choose to pay things forward in my career.

Vicky, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I’m a singer, songwriter and performer. I started songwriting after being on Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller Live’ UK Tour as I was so inspired by his music and the energy of performing live. I was going through so many changes that year that I leapt into songwriting and gigging around London – I found it challenging yet so healing to be authentically me. I felt so connected to music and people in a way that I hadn’t experienced before. I knew that exploring my artistry was the only path that I could take moving forward.

After releasing my first project independently, I found that there was a lack of women and people of colour across all aspects of the industry. I felt like greater transparency around safety in studios, live spaces, and during production was needed – especially for people who looked like me.

So, with my partner, I co-founded ‘Gifted, by Nature’ – we are a media house rooted in consciousness, creativity and compassion. We increase representation and aspiration in the media through creative direction, production, marketing, management and publishing. From concept to execution, we pride ourselves on nurturing mission driven partnerships, building community, and offering opportunities to people who are often underrepresented.

When I started, I found a gap in the media – stories like mine were lacking, so we built The GIFTED Journal – a platform that spotlights influential change makers and stories that often get overlooked. I’m proud that this work has been recognised by Hilary Clinton’s Vital Voices Organisation, and Estee Lauder’s Emerging Leaders Fund. This year, I’ve also partnered with Sony Music’s AWAL and Spotify for Artists for my next project! I’m excited for this next chapter, and bringing more representation to an ever evolving world reflected in the media.

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

Rest is resistance. In a world that glorifies hustle culture – post-pandemic, we are all beginning to feel the aftershocks of trauma. After experiencing extended periods of time in reflection, prioritising rest and realising the things in life that truly matter – like connection, health and the freedom to enjoy time is key. I feel like our perspectives have shifted away from materialism for the sake of it and towards enjoying the simple things.

For me, I’m first generation: being driven and having a sense of survival is in my bones. I grew up assimilating to what other people needed and wanted from me. Now, I’m learning to listen to my own needs, and realising that a more diverse and inclusive world starts closer to home. Change starts with self.

In this season, my music holds space for more challenging emotions like grief, heartbreak and letting go of the past. It’s light and playful, whilst also tackling heavier feelings – both sides of life. I’m letting go of the trap of perfection – in a rapidly changing world, it hurts more to try to control everything. It’s actually impossible. The greatest gift that we can give ourselves right now is the gift of patience.

Meditation has helped me to slow down. Moving my body has reconnected me to my feelings. Music continues to connect and heal. I’m learning to accept the ups and downs of life and everything in between.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

I believe that a thriving creative ecosystem starts with representation. We need to see more people who look, live and love like us, to aspire to be more.

Who is in charge of distributing investment into the creative industry? Who are on the boards of major organisations making decisions? Who gets to decide what stories and values are being represented in art, culture and the media? Who is writing these stories into the fabric of history?

We can all play our parts by supporting small businesses and artists, particularly those that are serving their community. We can be more mindful of our social media feeds – are we open to engaging with perspectives that are not our own? We can take note of the rooms that we are in – how can we pay things forward? Can we recommend someone for an opportunity? Can we use some of our time and resources to mentor someone? It’s all about small, purposeful steps forward.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://vickypasion.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thepasion/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pasionvicky
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vicky-pasion
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/PasionVicky
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/VickyPasion
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1S5uaz89PEDZK4nfRpPNM2?si=5HQBUM1ART-GOz8xyeGS3g

Image Credits
Alexa Jade