Today we’d like to introduce you to Marisa Kouroubacalis.
Marisa, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I started making music and recording videos with my brother when we were toddlers. We spent most of our childhood years as a multi-instrumentalist duo Michael & Marisa, performing hundreds of shows around the country as the opening act for artists like David Archuleta, Cody Simpson, Greyson Chance, Drake Bell, Mitchell Musso, and UK band Rixton to Top 40 artists like Ariana Grande and Christina Perri in arenas with over 14,000 audience members. I just finished my first national tour as a solo artist opening for Greyson Chance. I moved to LA a year ago and this opened up opportunities for me to move to LA to study acting, tour with Greyson Chance, and land a principal role in Disney’s The Hip Hop Nutcracker, streaming on Disney+ on November 25. Also this year, I was cast as a lead character in a Dhar Mann film (playing a music artist).
More info here: https://online.berklee.edu/takenote/disneys-hip-hop-nutcracker-features-marisa-dynamyte-kouroubacalis/
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?
Where I’ve been in a duo my whole life, branching out on my own was a scary but thrilling step, and led to so much excitement in my career.
I also recently graduated from Brown University. Going to college put my career pursuits on pause while I focused on getting an education, but I’m really glad I have that academic background.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I studied Sociology at Brown and my lyrics are all centered around human behavior and social observations. Meant to be humorous but also extremely relatable in a way that makes people think “Ohhhh that happens to other people too?!!”
My favorite songwriter growing up was Lily Allen, so definitely in that same vein.
I just finished a 26 city tour with Greyson Chance and so many people after the show would share how much they related and got a kick out of the lyrics, which is why I love doing what I do. Always looking to make an impact on people’s lives while making them laugh at the same time. Also being a female drummer and multi-instrumentalist is another way I love to inspire others.
Here is a reel with some clips from the tour:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=p_2vr_gex8M
As an actor, I am 4′ 11” and the size of someone 14, so I really enjoy getting to work on a full-time adult schedule but also play those younger roles. Just like in music, I love that I can put so much emotion into my work to tell a story that will impact people.
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
– My parents have been so incredibly supportive, as has my brother Michael.
– My acting school Cynthia Bain’s Young Actors Studio and my teacher there, Jillian Rose Reed
– Of course my manager, Karla Huff, at Dream Talent Management
– Marc Delcore, who accompanied me on my recent Greyson Chance tour to 26 cities and played the keyboard
Contact Info:
- Website: dynamyte.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/dynamyte
- Youtube: youtube.com/dynamyte
- Other: tiktok.com/@callmedynamyte
Image Credits
Headshot image: Deidhra Fahey
