Meet Krista Marina Apardian

We recently connected with Krista Marina Apardian and have shared our conversation below.

Krista Marina, first a big thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and insights with us today. I’m sure many of our readers will benefit from your wisdom, and one of the areas where we think your insight might be most helpful is related to imposter syndrome. Imposter syndrome is holding so many people back from reaching their true and highest potential and so we’d love to hear about your journey and how you overcame imposter syndrome.

I used to have incredible stage fright. It was partially because I’m introverted sometimes, but I learned overtime a big part of my fear was imposter syndrome – believing that I didn’t belong on stage to begin with. There was a time I wondered if I’d ever have the courage to conquer a stage. But I slowly started to fight that voice in my head. I have worked incredibly hard to overcome that fear and be my true self on stage. A major part of that journey was realizing that being on a stage or screen is not about anyone on the stage or screen – it’s about your audience. I realized that song, that message, that impact on the audience is the fuel that drives it all. As I first got to perform and speak to various audiences, I kept collecting proof points that my impact for the audience mattered. Once that clicked for me, it made it easier to push through that imposter syndrome because it worth doing something that scared me if it meant other people got to take enjoyment from my music or hear my message. After countless shows and speaking engagements over the years, I know the preparation it takes for me to be ready and excited for the stage – so that both I and my audience can enjoy ourselves, heal, talk, and grow.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

I am both a musician and speaker. I love all the aspects that entail the creation of both songs and speeches, from writing and production to performance and delivery. I also love making songs for other artists and helping powerful speakers craft their message. Currently, I am preparing for an exciting film titled “A Winter’s Song,” in which I will be playing the lead character and creating music for the film. It is a story of a hopeful dreamer who is faced with some major obstacles across her life. For the first time, she looks to her roots for guidance, traveling back to Armenia. This film is a powerful opportunity for me to help bring representation to my culture on a large scale and in a way that resonates with everyone. It is a story of self-discovery, music, and new experiences that is truly a story for all to enjoy.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

I love this question! I would say…
1. Conviction. Knowing yourself. This is a skill and often new area of knowledge for a lot of people. Having clarity about who you are, what it is you want and why you want it gives you a natural compass to move through life. Recognizing your motivation in chasing whatever it is your chasing also allows you to move with intention, purpose and deeper fuel. Of course, uncovering this knowledge is a journey we go through our entire lives and it can evolve overtime; nonetheless, there are efforts we can take to spend time with and get to know ourselves at any point.
2. Courage. Although I didn’t have a mentor in my pursuit of music and made mistakes early on, I learned so much by just diving in and going for it. If I waited for the perfect time or perfect team to record, release, perform and share my music, I may not have released anything for a long time. The passion was the driving force and that helped me feel courageous enough to dive in. The learnings will always follow if you’re open.
3. Community. Having a community of people who support you, understand your pursuit and your life mission is priceless and it makes any journey that much more fulfilling. It is hard enough to convince yourself you are worthy of your dreams. Surround yourself with those who are already clear on how worthy you are of your goals! That is the beauty of community – to uplift, accept and celebrate one another.

Okay, so before we go, is there anyone you’d like to shoutout for the role they’ve played in helping you develop the essential skills or overcome challenges along the way?

I have been lucky enough to meet some incredibly kind, talented people in my journey thus far. 3 particular people come to mind who I view as both mentors and friends.
In high school, I auditioned and joined a vocational pop music program, which was amazing to have access to at a public school. Our program director, Jamie Knight, and the culture he created helped me realize how important music was in my life and it gave me the conviction that I can deepen my skills, learn production and take this seriously.
In college, I joined Speech and Debate to refine my skills of owning the stage. In that process, I met my coach Shauhin Davari who helped me truly unlock and transform my voice and connect with audiences in a way I never thought possible. From theatre stages to speaking stages, Shauhin’s talent and his dedication to paying it forward is truly inspiring. The same goes for Misty Megia, who I am beyond lucky to work with. Her experience in theatre directing, and global speaking keeps me in awe.
In moments where I may doubt myself, I think of these 3 amazing humans – and I think of their belief in me. It never ceases to help me get back up.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Thank you for leaving space here!
Image credits include (in order of upload):
Jade Marie
Hovig Kazandjian
Talia Claire
Jenny Li
Hovig Kazandjian
Leona Abrahamian

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