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Life & Work with Justine Garcia

Today we’d like to introduce you to Justine Garcia.

Hi Justine, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I was raised in Miami, began exploring the arts at a young age. Went to New World School of the Arts for high school in musical theatre and then transitioned to jazz voice in college! After graduating from frost school of music, I’ve been working as a gigging musician as well as mentoring with Guitars Over Guns.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
Navigating my mental health has been a journey. My anxiety and depression are constant factors in my life but I’ve learned a lot about myself and am really proud of all my progress so far! Therapy and introspection have done wonders! It’s an ongoing journey but I’m really thankful for all the progress I’ve made and all the support I’ve had.

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?
As I mentioned before, I went to school for jazz voice! Currently, I still sing a lot of jazz but I also have been releasing original music! My music is pop/indie/neo-soul kind of vibes. I also sing in a couple of really cool Miami bands (besides my own) called Abstract Citizen and Double Trio. Both are fusion groups started by my friends. One of my favorite things is collaborating with other musicians, so it’s been such a great experience working on these projects.

Besides gigging, I am really proud of the work I am doing with Guitars Over Guns. I currently am a mentor at two middle schools with them and teach free after school music classes. We have a strong emphasis on social emotional learning so I get to talk about gratitude and self awareness. I have such a great time connecting with my students and know the work is important.

What matters most to you?
Probably connection. I really value my close relationships as well as meeting with new people. I think I’m a pretty extroverted person and I deeply care about others. My career is inherently very social and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Connecting with others through art is so magical and I think music is one of the most universally understood art forms, as almost everyone enjoys some kind of music.

There’s nothing like connecting with my band members or an audience through song.

Contact Info:

Image Credits
Michael Lozano April Nicole Steph Estrada Ionit Studios Natives Media

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