Check Out Joanna Ceja’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Joanna Ceja.

Joanna, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I began my musical journey in LA when I started my master’s degree in Vocal Arts at the University of Southern California. I was not a star student and seldom got cast in school shows, but when I started working at Los Angeles Opera as a teaching artist, everything changed for me. I had to meet the right people to get my career outside of school on the right track. I began touring with a traveling children’s show through Los Angeles Opera called The Marriage of Figueroa, which is a very cute story loosely based on the opera, The Marriage of Figaro. My career really started getting more serious when I took on a role as the manager of the education department at Long Beach Opera. When I was cast as Woman 2 in the opera “Frida” by Robert Xavier Rodriguez, at first I was a little disappointed. “Woman 2” seemed like a minor role at first glance, but when I opened my score I realized I would be on stage just as much as the main characters, Frida and Diego, singing many cool solos and changing costumes several times. The reason why “Woman 2” was named such was because she plays many women throughout the course of Frida’s life. I thoroughly enjoyed how active the role was, and I was lucky to play Woman 2 in Andreas Mitisek’s production of Frida several times. At Anchorage Opera, the Mitisek Production of “Frida” went on the road – in the dead of Alaskan winter. Driving to and from rehearsals in sub-zero, icy weather was an adventure for me because I am from Texas, which is hot, and California doesn’t exactly have winter either! I learned so much from my experiences in Alaska, and I learned to be grateful for not only good weather, but the way opera companies in California treat artists is so much better than anywhere else. The quality of work we have in Los Angeles County is second to none.

I was involved with the workshop process of the opera “Sweet Land” by Du Yun and Raven Chacon from its nascent phases with The Industry, Los Angeles. I enjoyed seeing how my character and parts developed as time passed by. When we finally opened in 2020, I could feel that “Sweet Land” was truly unique and special. I felt like I was a part of something very important.

The pandemic cut our month-long, completely sold-out run of shows short. We gathered to quickly shoot the documentary on “Sweet Land” that exists now, on March 17th. The album of “Sweet Land” recordings was recently released on September 24th, 2021.

After losing all of my work to the pandemic, I moved home to Denton, Texas to start over. I started teaching choir at a high school here in rural Texas, close to where I am from.

I can’t believe how different my life is now compared to where I was in Los Angeles. I used to sing in concerts catered by Wolfgang Puck, entertaining some of the wealthiest people in Los Angeles. I used to be a part of an incredible modern art scene in one of the most innovative and trendy cities in the world.

After the pandemic: the school where I work is nestled in a field of cows and goats, surrounded by endless rolling fields of farmland. I drive 40 miles from my small hometown of Denton, Texas to work in an even smaller township on the border of Oklahoma, and am constantly facing the reality of what true poverty looks like in rural America.

For the students in my choir, my class is a safe space. Many of my students are gay, trans, queer, and poor. Sometimes, I have to hold students accountable for their mistakes, which is always hard. The last time I had to be a bastion of discipline, I cried in front of the whole class. “It’s ok, Ms. Ceja. You are still the best teacher ever.” Said H, one of my favorite students.

When I first sang for my class, I heard a small whisper “wow, that is what a true queen sounds like”. My heart bursts with love and frustration for my students every day.

Some days, we have rigorous bell-to-bell periods of instruction. Other days, I play soft music and tell everyone to lay on the floor and engage in “square breathing” – 4 beats in, 4 beats out, until half of the class falls asleep and the room is enveloped in a gentle, dark silence. We are all still healing from a pandemic, after all.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I think my biggest struggle in the past was my perception of myself. I struggled with getting cast in lead roles. I haven’t had a lead role yet, and I always thought it was because I am a bigger girl and overweight. Now that I’ve made some peace with my body, I realize that I had just begun my career and would have probably gotten a lead role eventually if I had kept it up.

Now that I am a choir teacher in a poor rural community, my biggest struggle is trying not to compare my current self to my past self. I have to work very hard to accept where I am now, and most days it is not easy.

I find joy when my students sing the right notes. I find joy when I see a bunch of my students doing a dance routine together.

I find joy in my days, remembering the experiences I had in the past in Los Angeles are still a part of who I am now.

One of my students, D, bought me a Cameo by the drag queen Jinkx Monsoon where they sang me the song “Everything Stays” from Adventure Time. In that song, the lyrics state “everything stays, right where you left it. Everything stays, but it still changes. Ever so slightly, daily and nightly, in little ways, everything stays”.

I watch that cameo over and over to remind myself that this transformative phase of my life is temporary. Eventually, I can go back to LA and start singing again. I am not sure when, but I really want to. And as long as that desire is there, I can make it happen. My students’ belief in me has caused me to believe in myself again. Before I started teaching, I had stopped believing in myself, I stopped having dreams during the pandemic because of how the world changed. I struggled to see my place in the world of fine art as an educator. If a choir sounds beautiful in the middle of nowhere, do they really make a sound? (A la’ “if a tree falls in the forest” cliche). The truth is, my choir sounds beautiful not only because I am teaching them but because they have gone through life transitions alongside me. We have grown together, and I will never forget my kids. I am who I am now because of them. Due to the experience of teaching choir out here on a vast expanse of farms, I am forever changed, humbled, and a better person than I was before.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a vocalist and music educator. I started out singing classical music, but I also collaborated quite a bit with punk rocker Mr. Max, who is also LA-based. I was his voice teacher, but eventually, he asked me to join his band as a backing vocalist and hype girl. We have a lot of fun. I am known for being a classical vocalist who learns difficult modern music quickly and accurately. I sing with precision and artistry. I am also a voice teacher and pedagogue. I pride myself on being able to teach people how to harmonize, choose smart harmonies for their own songwriting, and pop-belt with healthy technique.

What sets me apart from others is my intelligence and automatic instincts in singing. When it comes to singing, I just know what to do and I rarely have to overthink how to sing things correctly or healthily, I just automatically know how to do it. I am also very good at explaining how I sing, to other people, to help them sing better themselves.

What sets me apart from others is my artistry and precision with singing, I can sing my parts accurately and beautifully, keeping in mind rhythm, vocal timbre, technique, and acting.

Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
I feel like I can hardly give advice on this topic, as I am an early career singer myself. What has worked for me is intentionally following people on social media. I do not casually follow anyone. I always make sure I follow with a purpose to keep in contact, network, and keep my feed positive and mentally healthy for myself. I have found mentors through social media by intentionally using it for networking purposes. Tracy Cox, @sparklejams on Instagram, has been an amazing role model for me as a fat woman and singer.

Hiding people who cause me to feel like comparing myself or whose content makes me feel bad about myself has helped me a lot, too.

Meet your mentors through your friends. Ask your favorite colleagues who has been a good mentor to them. Be brave, and reach out to those people. That is how I have met several of my own mentors.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @kittigirl_herworld