Daily Inspiration: Meet Veronica Bianqui

Today we’d like to introduce you to Veronica Bianqui.

Hi Veronica, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I grew up in the San Fernando Valley and attended music magnet schools throughout middle school and high school (Hamilton High Class of ’06!). I played my first show at age 16 upstairs at the Rainbow Bar & Grill before I was actually old enough to be there. I attended UCLA where I received a BA in Ethnomusicology. Throughout this whole time, I was always writing and performing my own songs. I started making demos of my songs with my friend Matt Adams (The Blank Tapes) and finally went into the studio (Station House Studio run by Grammy Award-winning engineer Mark Rains in Echo Park) to begin recording my album. I released my first single “If Love’s A Gun, I’m Better Off Dead” on Soundcloud in 2015 and my debut album many years later in December 2020.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It’s been a gradual journey to finding my musical voice. I could have started releasing my music as a teenager, but I think perfectionism has affected me in all areas of life and played a major role in preventing me from moving forward. My album was recorded years ago, and yet I didn’t release it until December 2020! Part of that was me wanting to do things “the right way” and part of that was me thinking I have control over my career’s success. As I’ve gotten older and created more of a name for myself in the scene, I’ve realized that it’s okay to grow in front of people. I’ll never feel truly READY, and sometimes you gotta just take the leap. Make mistakes. Just get out there and DO IT. I never could quite see how an unknown artist like myself could start playing the cooler shows and bigger venues. But it’s started to happen naturally. Part of me being able to grow in that way was just attending other peoples’ shows and becoming a part of a community. That was a huge help, but it’s a slow process and doesn’t happen overnight. Sometimes I can fall into the “compare and despair” trap we all can fall into from time to time. My process has been slow. It’s a slow burn for me. I just try to stay in touch with why I love doing what I’m doing and keep producing quality work. Everything else will fall into place.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a musician, singer/songwriter and an actor. I am known for my strong live performance with an awesome backing band. I’m a petite woman with a big voice. I have a way of connecting people to pure emotion and capturing an audience. I have a strong ear for hooks, too. I am most proud of finally getting my album out to the world in December 2020 (thanks to PIAPK for spearheading its release). On pink vinyl too! It was a long journey and at points seemed like I never would see the day of its release. What sets me apart from others is my strong and unique songwriting. On the surface, my songs are catchy and fun, but if you break them down, I often have odd time signatures, quirky time changes and so on. And I bring a lightness to sometimes dark lyrics.

So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
What matters most to me is creating quality work and creating a good name for myself. I do not have control over my success, but I can contribute something good to the world that can be timeless. And creating a good name for myself is important to me because that’s what Patti Smith said, and I love that advice. It comes down to longevity – what legacy do I want to leave behind when I’m gone? Fame and money aren’t the only things worth striving for. It’s connecting with people, sharing my story and maybe inspiring some folks.

Contact Info:

• Email: vbianquimusic@gmail.com
• Website: https://veronicabianqui.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/veronicabianqui/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/veronicabianquimusic
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/veronicabianquimusic
• SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/veronica-bianqui

Image Credits:
Photo 1: Michelle LoBianco Photo 2: Casey Lewis Photo 3: Brooke Olsen Photo 4: Casey Lewis Photo 5, 6, 7: Brooke Olsen