An Inspired Chat with Amy C.C. De Alba of Los Angeles

We’re looking forward to introducing you to Amy C.C. De Alba. Check out our conversation below.

Hi Amy C.C., thank you for taking the time to reflect back on your journey with us. I think our readers are in for a real treat. There is so much we can all learn from each other and so thank you again for opening up with us. Let’s get into it: What are you being called to do now, that you may have been afraid of before?
To walk in my absolute truth. To live fully, and genuinely, and honestly. To stay my course and trust the process, and the people who love me and believe in me. To believe in myself and to be authentic. To know everything will always work out for the greater good.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Amy C.C. De Alba and I am a film composer (under the name Abra Kadab) and a recording artist (under the name The Artist KUBIK). I’ve got three albums, and I’m currently working on my fourth album “KUBIK: Caravaggio.” I am vehemently anti fascist and my work very much reflects that. I explore darkness and light in equal parts.

Caravaggio was an Italian Baroque painter I’ve taken a special interest in lately, particularly because of his masterful use of chiaroscuro. In a personal sense, I consider him to be a revolutionary. I truly think he had the kind of attitude toward authority that the world needs right now, especially toward the police and people wielding political power.

He worked with extreme darkness and extreme light and was a pioneer of the play of light and shadow. While he was a bit of an eccentric, he absolutely did not tolerate disrespect toward himself or people he cared about. In the end, he would be remembered for these reasons, and because he work was undeniably brilliant.

My favorite of his pieces are Medusa and Judith Beheading Holofernes.

Okay, so here’s a deep one: What breaks the bonds between people—and what restores them?
What an interesting question! Lies and betrayal break bonds. Manipulation. Deceit. Abuse. Neglect. Broken trust. All of these are born from selfishness and ego mania. And it’s impossible to maintain a healthy bond with anyone else if the only person who matters is you.

The things I see that can restore bonds is humility and grace. Intentional reparations can restore bonds. Everyone wants to be right all of the time. People’s pride is at stake and so many people can’t put that aside.

That said, some bonds need to be broken, especially in order to form new ones. Some bonds should not be restored. It’s absolutely valid and acceptable to want to walk away from people or situations you found toxic or damaging. You’ll be all the better for it.

When did you stop hiding your pain and start using it as power?
I’d say when I moved to L.A. by myself and founded the KUBIK project is when I started turning my pain into power. There’s something really deeply satisfying about taking society’s poison and feeding it back to them. When you hold a mirror to ugliness and force it to face itself. The people who see their reflection become angry or afraid. But what they really fear is being seen and feeling called out. A friend asked me the other day why I write from a villainous perspective. Simply put: I am identifying problems in a way that many very privileged people would never feel or understand without hearing it first hand.

For me, the creative process is all about embracing personal growth and digging ALL of that pain, all of the anger and suffering out of your psyche, out of your body, and expelling it back to where it came from. This pain was created and has a right to exist as it’s own entity in some form. To deny or forget that you went through something painful is a disservice to yourself, but it’s extremely common. You have to own these experiences as part of your journey and let them recreate you.

I do still hide my emotions to some extent as a form of self preservation. I consider it unwise to let everyone know what I’m feeling all of the time. People will take advantage of a moment glee just as easily as they do a moment of anger or vulnerability. I share my emotions only with people I trust and there are not very many.

Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. Is the public version of you the real you?
The real me is all anyone will ever get. And some people really don’t like that. In fact I’ve met a few people who absolutely hate that.

But being myself means something more to me than it might most people. It is an act of true dignity and pure self love to show up exactly as you are and give people the choice to take you or leave you. It’s important they are able to make this choice, because you’re not for everyone. What kind of person would you be if you were?

Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?
I am absolutely doing what I was born to do. What I’m not doing is what I’ve been told to do.

Be more of a woman! Be less of a woman! Don’t be queer! Be with a man! Be quiet! Know your place! Sing, don’t speak! Don’t say that, they’ll get mad! Don’t do that, it’s not polite! Don’t go there, it’s dangerous! “Every profound spirit requires a mask;” so choose a subtle one that everyone will like!

I’m at a point that it doesn’t even occur to me that people I don’t know have an opinion of me. I used to care so much about stuff like that. I used to dwell on rejection. If someone says no, I don’t waste time trying to convince them. I just keep going knowing eventually the right doors will swing open. They always do!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.theartistkubik.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.artist.kubik/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amy-c-c-de-alba-82130a192/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theartistkubik/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@theartistkubik
• Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5ZPD1R9CNIVEZAfwjPTrT4?si=PMNYlY2EQoe2siuN_IAeEg

Image Credits
Photos by: Cameron Thrower and Paula Crichton De Alba