Today we’d like to introduce you to Heather Rivas.
So, before we jump into specific questions about what you do, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I started playing piano at the age of six but I never really liked it or cared to practice until I attended an arts high school. I was fortunate enough to have attended the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts (LACHSA) where music began to take on an important role in my life. My Dad was eager to have both my brother and I audition for the school, but I wasn’t sure what program I wanted to apply for. I remember clearly, my Dad asked me inside a Fatburger chain if I wanted to audition for Theater or Music. Once I chose music, he prompted me with whether I wanted to audition for the Classical or Jazz program. I just chose jazz because it sounded more “fun”. So, that’s always been a funny memory of mine in how I even started music.
When I was accepted into LACHSA’s jazz department, I had no idea what I was in for. The jazz program was rigorous for me and I was super behind when I entered. Despite that, LACHSA was an amazing experience and I met musicians that I still play with today. Even though I took music more seriously I still didn’t feel like I would reach a level of playing that allowed me to pursue performance professionally. That was until I visited colleges on the east coast. The school that stuck out the most was Berklee College of Music. It had so many options available within music that it soon became clear that’s where I wanted to be. I ended up applying and being accepted with a scholarship. I was so excited to attend Berklee but was still struggling to see myself pursuing a career as a performer. Because of this, I spent my first two years at Berklee majoring in music business. Eventually, with some support from my peers and professors, I realized that pursuing a career as a performer was within my reach and something that I really wanted to do. I started playing in a couple of bands and began writing and releasing music. I couldn’t have chosen a more rewarding path. Post Berklee, I went straight into a jazz master’s program for a year at the California Institute of the Arts.
After my first year of a two-year program, I received a few inquiries to tour and since last Fall I took a break from school and have toured with a couple of artists. I have been fortunate enough to have been around the world with some amazing people and musicians. In my undergraduate years, I dreamt of hopping on a tour like the one I’m currently on. So, this past year has been a dream come true and I’m still trying to process it as a reality. Touring has been tough in a lot of ways but it’s also extremely fun and rewarding. When I’m not touring, I write and produce music in LA.
Great, 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?
I don’t think anyone can have a successful journey without some bumps along the way. I definitely have had my fair share of hurdles to overcome. There were some tough periods in my relationship with music. Other than the ongoing question of whether it’s something to continue pursuing (as almost any artist deals with), I had a hard time specifically with the jazz community. In general, it’s a boys club and I think I was slightly discouraged when I left high school. I didn’t want to pursue music I loved so much simply because of the environment I experienced. And it wasn’t always at the fault of high school boys but the fault of teachers that didn’t know how to address the stupidity that occurred. They kind of helped feed this culture of masculinity within the jazz program. And while I agree that in life you have to have tough skin, it should not be at the expense of making women feel like they have to prove something constantly. That kind of took hold of me and honestly, I didn’t even know how to address it at the time it was happening.
Fortunately, I wasn’t discouraged enough to stop music and when I got to Berklee I had a very positive experience. Many of the people I played with were still guys but the tone was a lot different. I didn’t feel I had anything to prove. Now that’s not the case for a lot of women that attended Berklee, but fortunately for me, I could surround myself with musicians who were genuinely some of the best people I know. The touring environment is also going through a shift. Women are finally being given the space to shine. It’s also healthier for bands and crews to be mixed with men and women. Of course, there is still a struggle in the dynamics that women have to deal with on a daily basis. But for the most part, there’s a positive change happening. So overall, I’d say it’s an ongoing road that has some bumpy and smooth parts.
What do you do, what do you specialize in, what are you known for, etc. What are you most proud of? What sets you apart from others?
I am a musician, songwriter and artist. I love writing music that crosses genre boundaries and I think my writing is best when it’s in collaboration with others. Music is such a collaborative process and I think songwriters, producers, artists, engineers and musicians are all at their best when they work as a team. So as an artist I care about and specialize in collaboration, it’s a beautiful thing.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
Being able to work with others is one of the most important characteristics and qualities of my own success. It sort of follows the saying that “it takes a village”. Additionally, treating everyone in your team or “village” with kindness. Learned a lot about that from touring.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.heatherrivas.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/heather_rivas
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/HeatherRivasMusic
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/ogheather
Image Credit:
Grace Rivera
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