Daily Inspiration: Meet Malo Ingledew

Today we’d like to introduce you to Malo Ingledew.

Malo, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Music was a staple of my childhood. At any and all times my parents would be listening to something, whether it was Stereolab, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Jamiroquai, or anything classic rock on the radio. My parents actually met at one of Jamiroquai’s parties back in the 90’s, and my father got to ride in one of his Lamborghinis for about a block. There was always music bouncing around the walls of my home, and I think that is probably why there is always music bouncing around my head now.
However, the thought of me actually creating music came much later, and not by me but by my mother. I had this gladiator costume when I was around 10 years old, and when one of my favourite bands started to play on the speakers, I remember picking up my “sword” and playing along to the music, swinging what little hair I had at the time as if I walked out of an 80’s glam metal band. I think she saw something so special in me doing that that even my most optimistic delusions of grandeur pale in comparison to it. I just remember one day, out of the blue, she bought a guitar for me, and from there on out I was a musician.
I was into the rock and heavy metal stuff, Slipknot, Korn, Disturbed, Death, Megadeth. However, as my playing progressed I decided to expand my horizons with more jazz fusion and contemporary rock elements, from players like John Mclaughlin, Al Di Meola, Paco De Lucia, and Allan Holdsworth. I think that was due in part to my participation in Carnegie Hall’s Future Music Program, my high school’s “Rock Band” Program, my Berklee College of Music Summer Program, and my Upper West Side–based guitar teacher Robert Ankner. They provided me the outlet to express my musical creativity freely with other like-minded people, and I truly believe that was integral to my development as an artist.
However, that did not account for everything. Every day after school, I would lock myself in my room and practice for hours. In my head, I was going to catch up to my idols, and nothing was going to stand in my way. My experience and skills really started coming together around age 17, where I noticed that I could create impactful music and get the reaction I always wanted out of whatever crowd I presented myself to. I finally felt all the attention, power, and presence as a player I always wanted to achieve, and in truth it did not move me.
By this time, I had written around 150+ songs, all documented and safely tucked away in the annals of Soundcloud, and I had felt that I said all I needed to say. At this point it was my senior year, and I was much more invested in socialising, making friends, and planning which university to go to because I KNEW I wasn’t staying in New York City. I had a $40,000 academic scholarship to go to either Pepperdine in Los Angeles or the University of San Diego (USD), and sunny-side San Diego had my heart within two minutes of seeing the campus.
My freshman year of college was marked by partying, girls, beautiful weather, and a disastrous first semester report card- the quintessential college experience. Deep in my soul though, I knew something wasn’t right with how I was portraying myself and how I was acting. Guitar was no longer a staple of my life, and music was an afterthought. It was as if I completely abandoned my rock-solid core in order to adopt this new “cool” persona built on a house of cards.
Returning for my second semester, I was determined to turn over a new leaf and do things right this time, only to be thwarted by the global pandemic known colloquially as COVID-19. My redemption arc, as well as the whole world, was put on hold. Needless to say, it wasn’t the most graceful transition for me or my mother, who moved all the way from New York City to come be with me in Orange County. It also wasn’t great having my father thousands of miles away in Toronto. I was a terror, through and through, to myself and to the woman who supported me through everything.
On one particularly tumultuous night, I didn’t necessarily see the point to life anymore. I stepped outside to go to this public courtyard, went to a seating area, and started praying. I wasn’t even a believer back then, but something compelled me to speak. I said, “I don’t enjoy being here nor do I want to be here anymore. God, if this is what life has to offer for me, then you can take it from me.” As soon as those words left my lips, there was a crack in the sky and a torrential downpour of rain. It was only for about two minutes, and completely dissipated as soon as it came.
Without saying a single word, I went back home and went straight to sleep, only for my mother to wake me four hours later and tell me that one of my friends died. I genuinely believe this one moment changed the entire trajectory of my life and made me believe in a higher power, a faith that has only been strengthened seven years later.
I decided to go back to my music roots and see what life had to offer me. Shortly after that, I moved to Los Angeles and started my musical journey. I had quite a lot of wins, quite a lot of losses, and an ocean of fresh and new exciting adventures. After four years in LA, I moved to London, where a lot of my old ways were challenged and put to the test. I am currently moving to Marseille in France, where only new and exciting opportunities await me.
While I can’t truly say that music has been the most rewarding avenue for me professionally up until this point, I am glad that I can tell the version of myself that doubted his future that life had much more to offer him. 🙂

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Not at all. However, I think tough roads lead to the resilience necessary to make better futures.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Music! Hilariously enough, I also run a consultation business because I like interacting with people through as many avenues as possible. I’ve learned not to limit myself to any one thing. Initially, I was a guitar player. Then I learned to write songs. I wanted to be a band leader, so I needed to learn how to sing, and with a few lessons and some elbow grease, I learned how to sing and became a fully fledged musician. Once I became a fully fledged musician, I wanted to expand even further, so I decided to expand my likeness to completely different niche of interest. I’m someone who always valued evolution in whatever I’m doing (whether I like it or not!)

Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
I was crazy. I had a good heart though.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maloingledew/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@maloingledew/videos
• Other: https://open.spotify.com/track/3MB8Bo0d0CSmcBvcNEJ47h?si=6ef03a0a93a8450a

Image Credits
Jeffrey Sales (@jgsalesphoto)
My Mother