Meet Anastasia Garcia | Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Anastasia Garcia and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Anastasia, what habits do you feel helped you succeed?
What has helped me more than discipline or consistency even, has been perspective. It’s easy to be affected by the opinions of others especially with social media being as prevalent as it is. I’ve come to realize that if you’re constantly changing what you do to be more palatable and appealing to others, you completely lose yourself. You become someone who is consumed by what’s around you as opposed to embodying your essence and making a formidable impact. You really have to know yourself and believe in what you have to offer even if it isn’t understood or received well. That mindset has allowed me stability which has taken me further than anything else.

Alright, so let’s move on. How did you get to where you are today professionally?

I have a musical background in percussion. I was a part of Drumlines, Jazz Bands, Symphonic Bands and Percussion Ensembles for many years. I think having those experiences early on not only allowed me to adapt to as an artist fairly quickly, but instilled in me a great deal of persistence and patience.

Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges? What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way? 

Most of the challenges I’ve faced have been internal. I’ve always struggled with self-doubt; battling limiting beliefs, the fear of judgement or just doubting my competence or ability to succeed. To experiment as an artist is a huge risk. Creativity often comes at the cost of criticism and when music means so much to you, it’s an incredibly vulnerable state to put yourself in. It encapsulates your imagination, your emotions, your beliefs. For those reasons, I’ve always found it hard to step out of my comfort zone and share.

I still struggle with these thoughts, but what changed is the confidence that I have in my taste and my ability to express what I feel. There are simply not enough people who are passionate and connected to their spirit who are also willing to share with the world. There is such a power in channeling that through a creative outlet, it allows us to have a deeper connection to ourselves and others. I truly believe that if that’s your intention there is no way you can fail. There is being technically perfect as a musician yes, but there is still another aspect of it all that cannot be taught. Skill will come, articulating emotion is a state of being that goes further than skill ever could.

What sets you apart from others?
Capturing the intangible through music. How many opportunities do we get to engage with people in a real or honest way? I prioritize creating a space that allows for people to not only escape from the present moment but see that there is the potential for beauty, synchronicity and connectivity through music.

What are you most proud of or excited about?
I’m excited to build a platform that can be used as an exchange for intergenerational music and its culture. There’s so much abundance in music, I’d like to open a dialogue to discuss its history and culture and allow for song exchange, a source to draw inspiration, to learn, to encourage others and build community.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I’d check out M-Theory records! It’s a family owned record shop in Mission Hills with an eclectic range of music to include selections from local artists. If you’re looking to expand your music taste and hang out this is the place to go!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Veluda, ObsidianSD, NewLifeSounds and Sisiety. Having started there, I’d like to contribute to helping these music collectives grow. They each have provided a platform for not only myself but other underrepresented artists to showcase their music. Their influence has amplified emerging artists and allowed for them to gain visibility all while building a wonderful community in the process.

Website: https://linktr.ee/anastasia.giovani

Instagram: https://instagram.com/ana.osj?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ana.osj?mibextid=LQQJ4d

Other: Resident Advisor: https://ra.co/dj/anastasiagiovani SoundCloud: https://on.soundcloud.com/Hj9qyVUgkg52HeU3A

Image Credits
Bemm (IG: bemm_not_ben) Sam (IG: Highaboveproductions) Fernando Espino (IG: esfereee) Alfredo Lopez (IG: skateheadz_photography) Alec Williams (IG: marloweeeeeeeeeeeeee) Dakotah Puccio (IG: cody__p)