Check Out Laura Rizzotto’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Laura Rizzotto. 

Hi Laura, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I’ve known my calling was in music since a very young age. I was born and raised in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, but am also of Latvian descent. My parents exposed me to all sorts of music growing up, but something truly clicked inside of me after I saw a Brazilian pop artist duo called “Sandy & Junior” performing on stage. At that moment, I truly understood what my dream was. 

Since then, I’ve been pursuing this dream. I took ballet lessons and competed as a ballerina for about 8 years, studied classical piano for about the same time, joined a school choir, and performed every chance I got. Competitions, family events, recitals, school functions… and I’d choreograph anyone who was down to join the show. 

When I was 11 years old, my family and I moved to Minnesota for a year. I was learning how to speak English on the go by going to Middle School; I didn’t really know much before. At that time, I was very homesick and was always excited to share my culture with my friends in school, especially Brazilian music. So, I started writing English versions of Brazilian songs so that my friends could understand our lyrics. That’s how I got into songwriting. 

When I moved back to Brazil, I was called to sing at a talent show on Brazil’s biggest TV network, TV GLOBO. I was about 13 years old, and it was my first time singing by myself on a stage in Brazil. After that, it became clear to me and my family that this is what I am meant to do. They believed in me so much and started doing everything they could to help me pursue music professionally. 

I started performing my original work professionally when I was 15 years old, and after a few sold-out shows in my hometown, I was signed to Universal Music Brasil. I recorded and released my first all-original song album with them called “Made in Rio”, with 15 songs I had written either by myself or with my brother, Lucas. That lead me to perform in different parts of Brazil and eventually open for Demi Lovato during her Latin American tour in 2012. 

Shortly after, I got a scholarship to attend Berklee College of Music, which was an absolute dream. I moved to Boston on my own to pursue my studies at 17. Later on, I moved to LA to release my second album, “Reason to Stay,” independently and transferred to California Institute of the Arts, where I graduated with a BFA at 20 years old. After getting a scholarship for Columbia University, I moved to NYC to pursue my Master’s Degree in Music and also to continue working on my own music as an indie artist. 

I’ve had some fun gigs throughout my career so far. I got to share the stage with Colbie Caillat, Rosanne Cash, Demi Lovato and work with incredible artists like Eumir Deodato and Jennifer Lopez. I’ve performed at the UN and all-around Europe, and also got to represent my beautiful land, Latvia, in the Eurovision Song Contest, the biggest music festival in the world. 

After Eurovision, my life changed completely- and for the better. I ended up moving back to LA, as it seemed to be a place with more opportunities for the pop segment, and it is. Since then, I’ve collaborated with wonderful musicians, released the first ever new song with a holographic performance, and became a voice-over artist, which is a great new passion of mine. 

Now, I’m preparing for the release of some of the best music I’ve ever made, and I could not be more excited about it. It’s been a wild journey, but I am extremely grateful for it. 

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
Struggles? In the entertainment industry? No… never… not a single one… right? 

Leaving my family and moving to a different country on my own, speaking and a different language, dealing with culture shock and doing it all to pursue my dream definitely has come with its own set of challenges. 

I think the music industry might be one of the hardest ones to break into. There’s no formula to success, everything is always changing and there’s so much competition for attention, especially nowadays. One of the biggest challenges is not burning yourself out in the pursuit of your dream and finding somewhat of a balance in your life. My career is my biggest focus, as it is associated with my purpose. But what’s success with an unhealthy mind and empty life? Not worth it. Finding that balance is an ever-going walk on a tightrope. 

Other than that, there’s also learning how to deal with rejection, protecting your energy in the process, getting funding for your projects (releasing music is expensive y’all), constantly networking, doing basically 10 jobs at the same time, and not losing sight of your dream amid all the chaos. It’s a lot. 

However, even so… I wouldn’t trade the career I’ve chosen for anything else. I look at struggles more as challenges, and every time I’ve been through any of these, I come out so much stronger on the other side. I’m really grateful for the adventurous and purposeful creative life I’ve led so far. 

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m a singer/songwriter and voice-over artist from Brazil and Latvia based in Los Angeles, CA. I’m most proud of my storytelling through my lyrics and my ability to write and sing in multiple languages. I believe what sets me apart from others is my point of view as a writer, my educational background as a musician, and my ability to navigate to wear so many different hats in my industry. I specialize in making people feel good and hopefully understood through the music and stories I share, whether it be on stage or through your headphones. ♥️ 

What do you like and dislike about the city?
Love: the weather and extensive amount of nature nearby. The sunsets, the beach, the endless possibilities, the people I’ve met. ♥️ 

Do-not-love: The lack of public transportation (leading to all that damn traffic), the irresponsible drivers, as well as the lack of history and culture. I also highly dislike how people here often seem to go out just to be seen instead of actually just having a good time. 

Contact Info:

• Website: www.laurarizzotto.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/laurarizzotto
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/laurarizzottofans
• Twitter: www.twitter.com/laurarizzotto
• Youtube: www.youtube.com/laurarizzotto
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@laurarizzottoofficial

Image Credits
Sandra Emmeline
Zach Bell