Today we’d like to introduce you to Rebecca Posavec.
Hi Rebecca, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
It started when I was a toddler performing for my parents in our living room in Croatia. All because of my love for singing and performing, I applied for and won many kids’ festivals, performed in the Lisinski Concert Hall, and performed for the president of Croatia. In 2011 my dad secretly signed me up for Croatia’s Got Talent competition, where I made it to the super-finals and won 6th place at only ten years old! As I wanted the music to be my life, I enrolled at the Varazdin School of Music, which gave me classical training and vocal skills in class of mag. art. Blanka Tkalčić. In my junior year, my school partnered up with Croatian’s famous composer, Ivan Josip Skender, and Croatian National Theatre and made the first Croatian musical ever, “The Music of My Heart”. I had the opportunity to portray the main villain in 2019 and 2020! There I felt a love for Musical Theatre and started exploring genres outside of classical music, embracing the new calling. With no money in my pockets, I decided to take a year off between my senior year and college and work, as I wanted to apply to colleges in the USA to study music.
Right before I left Croatia, I organized 4 solo concerts to say goodbyes to people I grew up around and make more funds for my dreams. I enrolled in Los Angeles College of Music and opened a new chapter of my life learning jazz, rock, pop, songwriting, business, and producing. It was a scary step because I have no family here, but it was kind of exciting to figure it out on my own. Recently I connected with the Croatian community in L.A. so I don’t feel so lonely anymore, and am happy to teach Tambura Orchestra to children! By now, I have gigged with Phil Crosby Jr. in Santa Monica and Malibu, performed with and learned from Teresa James, and did many Industry Showcases in front of the industry professionals in my school. I performed at a few Open Mics in L.A., and am trying to book solo gigs! A few weeks back, I was chosen to be Grammy U Mentee and learn about the industry from Amira Gadd. My life has been (positively) busy recently. While I am working on my first dance-pop single, I am holding three job positions on campus just to ensure my graduation as my parents are not able to financially support me. I am very excited about finishing the project and cannot wait to show it to the world!
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?
It really hasn’t been a smooth road. I struggled with being misunderstood my entire life. For non-musicians, I was a blind dreamer who should come up with a plan B, and for some of my music peers, I tended to be “too complicated” haha. I was always super creative, with too many ideas, and always trying to learn something new. Coming here with nothing more than a few suitcases and hope is something people around me considered unachievable. To be where I am today, at one point in my life, I went to 3 schools simultaneously – finishing my primary music education (played accordion for six years), preparing for music high school (piano and singing), and graduating from middle school. From that point in my life, I’ve spent most of my time in classes, traveling between cities, practicing, and coming home at 10 pm. But I loved every second of it. After high school, when I decided that I want to study other genres of music in the USA, I didn’t want to tell anyone because nobody was supportive except for my family and closest friends. I was also afraid that people are going to make fun of my dreams. I faced a lot of backlash for working instead of going to college like my peers right after graduating high school, but I knew it was worth it.
Eventually, I got my admission letter and a nice scholarship however, I was still missing funds for tuition and living expenses over the Atlantic. So I worked even harder, took out a loan, and organized four solo concerts. To be successful in this industry, I had to unlearn (but not forget) all the classical vocal training to reach the commercial sound, and even though I am still learning, I can say I hear a lot of progress. Moreover, like every artist I find myself being over-critical towards myself, which can be a bad thing more times than a good thing. Emotion management is an “unmentioned” side job you have to do as an artist to stay on the right track. In the end, music is here to heal, and so far I have overcome every obstacle that was in front of me, and I am ready for more! What doesn’t kill you really makes you stronger, and dreams are always worth fighting for because if you don’t try and give your all, there will always be that little question mark above your head asking “what if….?”.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a vocalist-slash-songwriter-slash-performer, haha. I am known for my versatility, creative performance ideas, prominent outfits, and energetic stage presence. I love writing dance-pop music that energizes me on stage and makes other people move to the rhythm of the beat and forget their problems with me. At the moment, I am most proud of my upcoming dance-pop single with all the following projects that was co-made with Gualtiero Minelli, Charlie LoPresti, and Pascal Shrady. The project is weeks from releasing, and I can’t be more excited about it!
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
If you see me at an Open Mic, please come and say hi!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rebeccaah_2407/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rebecca.posavec.1
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/rebecca-posavec
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrQ6htM7fek16WGFybjQd9g
- Other: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryxPkvweHwk&list=PLOx3Qe2GE-rDQ4E5fwBZ2wThq05WmSZOi
Image Credits
Studio VIPRO, 7Plus Regionalni Tjednik
