We’re looking forward to introducing you to Regina Panina. Check out our conversation below.
Regina, really appreciate you sharing your stories and insights with us. The world would have so much more understanding and empathy if we all were a bit more open about our stories and how they have helped shaped our journey and worldview. Let’s jump in with a fun one: What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
The first 90 minutes of my day are my anchor. I wake up early, usually, and I start with breathing practices — they help me clear my head, ground my body, and reset my nervous system before the day gets busy.
Then I do my “morning pages,” just writing whatever comes to mind. It keeps my creativity flowing and helps me understand what I’m actually feeling or thinking.
After that I move — a quick workout or yoga, depending on how my body feels. Then a shower, and breakfast, which is genuinely my favorite meal of the day. It’s the moment I fully wake up, feel present, and get ready for everything that’s coming.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Regina Panina, and I’m a singer, songwriter, and vocal producer based in Los Angeles. I’ve spent most of my life on stage and in studios — singing, writing songs, producing vocals, and creating music for films and TV shows. I also recently returned from a U.S. tour with a contemporary ballet production, which was an incredible experience and a very different artistic world for me to step into.
What makes my work unique, I think, is that I move between very different creative spaces: from pop to indie, from experimental harmonies to cinematic soundtracks, from metal to musical theater. I love exploring contrast — soft and raw, emotional and playful, intimate and theatrical.
Right now I’m focused on developing new music, collaborating with other artists, and expanding my work in film and theater projects. My favorite part of what I do is storytelling — finding the emotional core of a song or character and building a whole world around it.
Music has been the center of my life for as long as I can remember, and I’m always curious about where it can take me next.
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What breaks the bonds between people—and what restores them?
I think what breaks the bonds between people is often a mix of misunderstanding, fear, and distance—whether emotional or physical. Too often, people have simply forgotten how to talk to each other. We stop listening, stop being present, or avoid difficult conversations, and connections start to fray.
What restores them, in my experience, is honesty and attention. Really showing up, listening, and being willing to discuss everything openly can rebuild what was broken. Sometimes it’s small gestures, sometimes big conversations, but at the core it’s about remembering that the other person is human, just like you, and treating that with care and respect.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
I would tell my younger self: “It’s okay to take your time, trust your instincts, and not have everything figured out.” I think I put a lot of pressure on myself early on, always chasing perfection or comparing myself to others. I’d also say: “Try everything, explore yourself in everything, and don’t be afraid if you haven’t yet become someone — you’re still discovering who you are.” I’d remind myself to enjoy the journey, embrace mistakes, and really trust my own voice, because it’s the one thing that will always guide me.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. How do you differentiate between fads and real foundational shifts?
For me, fads are usually loud and fast. They grab attention, feel exciting for a moment, but don’t have staying power. Foundational shifts, on the other hand, evolve more quietly and sustainably. They change how people think, create, or connect over time, and they tend to influence behavior, culture, or art in a deeper way.
I usually look for patterns: is this just hype, or is it altering how people approach their work or life in a meaningful way? If it sticks, adapts, and continues to inspire long-term change, that’s a shift. If it fades as quickly as it appeared, it was probably just a trend.
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?
I’m definitely doing what I was born to do. No one ever had to push me toward music — if anything, people tried to convince me to choose something more stable or predictable. But I’ve always known that creating, performing, and shaping stories through sound is the thing that makes me feel most alive.
Of course, I’ve had moments of doubt or pressure from the outside world, but the path always led back to music. It’s the one place where I feel completely myself, so I follow it — not because someone told me to, but because I can’t imagine doing anything else.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @reginapanina
Image Credits
Stevin Dahl
