Daily Inspiration: Meet Ricardo Mota

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ricardo Mota.

Hi Ricardo, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
After receiving my degree in music in Mexico, I came to Los Angeles in 2015 thinking I was going to be a worldwide opera star. I worked really hard with voice teachers in the area and I went to every audition I could, but little I knew how hard it was going to be surviving in this city since I didn’t even know how to drive. Auditioning nonstop took me to perform in Mexico with a professional orchestra and attending my first festival in Europe. That motivated me to keep going, and I sang with a few local companies and got better as a singer. When I finally became a permanent resident, I started taking a few side jobs such as brand ambassador work and started working for different events and campaigns. There is a local campaign called Helpful Honda where I worked for 2 years and a half and that was my first contact with commercial work. When COVID hit I decided quitting opera and giving a chance to acting. My very first time doing a self-tape for a principal role in a Spanish commercial I booked the job, so I told myself, this feels right… I think this is it! Now I am a represented actor, doing mostly commercial work, I was invited to be on a pilot last year and I sing in really nice venue in Hollywood Boulevard every weekend. Paying my bills through acting and singing just feels amazing.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Immigration in the beginning was a huge obstacle, for a while I thought I was not going to be able to stay in this country. Money was number two. Being forced to take side jobs in things you don’t like or enjoy can make you lose focus on the things you want or even in who you are. I know a lot of creative people can relate, and I wish everyone could accomplish their dreams.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
First of all, I am a singer. I hold a degree in music that took me eight years to get. I am good with technique and I got a lot of discipline in music school. I enjoy the process more than the results and I think this is what makes me consistent. Even when I didn’t consider myself an actor, I realized I trained a lot in acting and I was always acting when I sang operas. My first job ever was in a Children’s theater company as a singer and actor, I even toured some parts of Mexico with the company. I try to take as many classes as possible and keep studying to get better in what I do. I think talent will give you a nice push to start, but hard work will make you get the real opportunities. I am still waiting on mine, but I have noticed that every time I book a better job is because I keep prepping for it and I keep discovering more and more about myself. I am very proud of paying my bills through acting and singing in this expensive and rough city. I am known for being a very happy and smiley person but a disciplined and studious performer.

We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
Success is doing what you love, and loving what you do. Always having a balanced life, not everything can be work and unfortunately, I see that a lot in this city.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/motatenor/?hl=es 

Image Credits
Anthony Anastasi. Alejandro Jimenez. Adam Kazmierski.