Today we’d like to introduce you to Mina Tobias.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
My name is Mina Tobias – well, my full name is Mina Tobias Amick-Alexis – I had to drop my last name when I was in college releasing music because it’s against NCAA rules to use your name and face for your business… But that’s a whole different story… I grew up with two extremely talented parents. My dad, David Alexis, was a singer-songwriter and producer who was signed to all the major labels at one point or another. My mom, Madchen Amick, is an actress who became successful from shows like Twin Peaks, Gossip Girl, and currently Riverdale. My love for both acting and singing started as early as I can remember from these two amazing people.
My love for music started as I got to watch my dad creating music in the studio when I was in kindergarten. He would let me play all the instruments, sing with him, and he got me into piano lessons where I could start to communicate through music at such a young age. I gravitated toward songwriting when I joined the choir in elementary school. I started realizing that though I was a soprano, and though I was singing all kinds of songs during choir class, I felt like there was something missing… I wanted to sing songs that meant something more to me.
So I started writing poems and fractions of songs that over the years I worked to polish and structure into real singles. By the time I got to Cornell University for my undergraduate degree in psychology and music, I had been writing songs and releasing them on SoundCloud for years. I loved nothing more than spending my nights in the music library where I had convinced one of the jazz professors to give me the keys to his personal studio, and I took full advantage of the soundproof room to sing at the top of my lungs and create music all night long.
Though I loved Cornell with all my heart, I wanted nothing more than to graduate and move to LA to get my acting and singing career going. I was so anxious to get started before I graduated college that I would even enter myself in singing competitions in New York City where I would drive down during our fall breaks to compete and feel like I was chasing the dream. So by the time I got to LA and moved into my first apartment by myself, I was more than ready to get things going. I immediately started scouting open mics, met with promoters, and negotiated my way into getting performance nights at bars and clubs around town.
I would harass my friends to come to buy tickets – and no matter how many people showed up, I felt like I was finally living out my dream and never had so much fun as I do when I was performing on the stage (of any size). Since graduating, I’ve filmed four music videos (Freedom, The Sound, Kings & Queens, and now Another One), I have opened up for a festival in London, I’ve met so many talented people that I got to collaborate with, I signed my first record deal last week for an upcoming single, and I have been tapped to open up for Nikki and Gabi DiMartino‘s upcoming “Individual Tour.”
I’m focused on the things that I am in control of, like growing my fan base and connecting with my listeners on social media – which over the years I’ve found so important (even though I didn’t want to believe that social media was so powerful). I’m now looking towards 2019, I’m getting myself ready for pilot season, I am preparing for the upcoming tour, and preparing for the release of a few new songs that have been signed to some major labels, and I’m finalizing the music video release of my new single “Another One” as we speak (and should be up on my Mina Tobias YouTube by the time you read this!) and looking forward to so much more in the upcoming months!
Every day is a hustle and has so many ups and downs in this town, but I’ve loved every second of it.
Has it been a smooth road?
Of course not! Every single day there is a new bump in the road, and I honestly believe that the most successful people in the entertainment industry are the ones that can maneuver these bumps with the greatest skill and for the longest amount of time. There are no guarantees with anything as an artist and has an entertainer, so there are constant disappointments. Literally daily. But if you’re able to get past that, and find that for every 50 disappointments, there’s one redeemable moment that comes your way, that’s what makes it worth it.
We’d love to hear more about what you do.
I am a singer-songwriter and actress. Something unique about my music is that I am responsible for every aspect of my original tracks. I write all the music – from the beats to the synthesizers, the piano, the bass, etc. I write the lyrics and perform all of the vocal lines. I produce an engineer mix and master the final product.
Any of my original songs are 100% created by me. It’s both a blessing and a curse because I started creating music this way out of necessity, I didn’t have anyone else to work with back in the day and just taught myself everything that I need to know as I went along.
As I’ve grown to start collaborating with other artists, it is honestly such a blessing to know the hard work that each department puts into creating the track and promoting it afterwards. Though I love being involved in every aspect of creating music, it is definitely a sigh of relief to focus on one aspect like writing and singing the top line.
As far as acting goes, I have a few small projects I’m cast in and looking forward to this upcoming pilot season. I want to get on a show and flex my acting muscle some more. It’s the world that I grew up in because of my mom, and will always be a part of my life and one of my greatest passions.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
I was just talking about this at my last performance. I had a show at my alma mater Cornell last month and talked with some audience members afterwards who are aspiring actors and singers and wanted to know if I thought LA was where they should go to pursue their careers. And I’d say that our city is absolutely where any aspiring creative person should be, rivaled only by New York, or Nashville for music.
And I say this with a grain of salt because I feel like we’re in a very unique time right now where you could be in any city across the country and as long as you have a YouTube channel and a great voice you can create a career from your bedroom. But I will say that there is nothing comparable to Los Angeles in the sense that you can be surrounded by people who are in all aspects of your industry, and you can create relationships with any of these people that will someday help you grow your network and become a true brand.
There’s nowhere else in the world where you can walk down the street and meet a producer or a promoter or a manager or a future collaborating partner all on one city block. That’s not to say that these relationships will just fall in your lap because of the proximity, but if you’re willing to put yourself out there and get rejected and/or let down over and over again until you find your network of people who will help build you up, this is absolutely the place to be.
Pricing:
- Mina Tobias Merchandise – Cropped Heather Grey Hoodie S, M, L, $29.00
- Mina Tobias Merchandise – Unisex White T Shirt – $19.00
Contact Info:
- Website: https://mina-tobias-merch.myshopify.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/minatobias_
- Facebook: facebook.com/minatobiasmusic
- Twitter: twitter.com/minatobias_
Image Credit:
Caitlyn Hastings, Anthony Mongiello
Getting in touch: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
