Today we’d like to introduce you to Makeyla.
Makeyla, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I’m originally from Sweden. Before I started my journey abroad my voice and stage presence got me an invitation to sing in the Swedish rendition of Les Miserable at the famous Malmö Opera House. In 2014 I was one of only four artists selected to go straight to Swedish Idol without having to audition. I had my first single running on Swedish Radio when I was only 16. Later one of the songs I made in Canada reached brisk airplay on the US east coast.
My journey to develop, both myself as an artist and my sound took me to Denmark, Toronto and finally Los Angeles, where I ended up for 2 1/2 years. 2018 I was honored to be invited to represent Sweden with a showcase at the A&R worldwide Musexpo convent in LA. I really feel like I found myself in LA, and now, I’m finally working on releasing my first EP!!!
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It’s definitely not an easy path to choose. It is and will always be a very hard industry to succeed in. As women in this industry, you have to be very strong minded and dedicated. Never let yourself get taken advantage of and always believe that you’re good enough. Lately, body-image and looks seem to beat actual talent… but my opinion is, talent should never be judged on appearance. Always work hard and believe in your goals.
Please tell us more about your work, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
I’m an educated artist, singing, dancing & acting. I do Urban R&B music! Lately, I’ve been working a lot with developing a unique sound with my music and really finding myself through it.
I’m an ambassador for A.U.A.B – artists united against bullying, which is an anti-bullying organization. And an ambassador for ”MAKE A CHANGE, Sweden”, which is also an anti-bullying organization, but bigger. I recently guest stared their Podcast talking about body image & self-esteem.
Looking back on your childhood, what experiences do you feel played an important role in shaping the person you grew up to be?
Growing up, I was bullied by the other kids, so I kinda found music trough my loneliness. I knew I could sing and I had my sights on stardom from an early age. I didn´t want to be just another singer, I wanted to be a star! But I have had a very rough path getting to where I am today. I’ve failed to reach my goals more times than I can even count. So, I really learned the hard way that the Music industry is rough, much tougher than you can ever imagine. I have been broken more than once but I have come back stronger every time. Now, I handle things differently, I learned and pushed harder. I never thought that I, a small town girl from Sweden, would ever make it to The US, but I did. And every day, I’m one step closer to reaching my ultimate goal!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.Makeyla.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: makeyla.music
Image Credit:
Jay Veezuals
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