Meet Aria Stiles

We were lucky to catch up with Aria Stiles recently and have shared our conversation below.

Aria , so great to have you with us and we want to jump right into a really important question. In recent years, it’s become so clear that we’re living through a time where so many folks are lacking self-confidence and self-esteem. So, we’d love to hear about your journey and how you developed your self-confidence and self-esteem.

Confidence and self-esteem comes from serving others and by gaining purpose through it. You really have to put off self-centeredness when it comes to being confident. Ultimately, Jesus is my confidence. Through all of this, practice and diligence ultimately pays off.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

I play fiddle and violin. Whatever the gig needs. I do session work in Nashville, play at Union Station with a pop/jazz quartet, teach violin lesson in my home, play in the worship team at church.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

I grew up competing in talent shows and fiddle contests. Winning is fun but losing is always so helpful when growing as a musician. You have the opportunity to learn what judges liked in the winner. You also can rewatch videos of how you did which leads me to the second.
Watching yourself is incredibly impactful and humbling at the same time. Continuously learning and bettering your craft is essential to keeping up with everyone doing the same thing.
Not trying to do it all is also very important to remember. To be successful in Nashville, you don’t always have to say yes. I’ve learned as I’ve grown in maturity that it’s ok to say no and usually when you get to say yes, you’ll have the time to prepare and crush the gig.

What is the number one obstacle or challenge you are currently facing and what are you doing to try to resolve or overcome this challenge?

This is by no means an obstacle but a priority shift. Having a 2 and 4 year old and a home to run with a lovely husband definitely has shifted my priorities on what i can do and how much I can do. With each and every gig, I am extremely thankful and seek to absorb every minute of it. I also have a huge desire to be with my kids all of the time so when i am out of town for work, my heart is often split.

Working on gratitude has been one of my favorite things that has come out of being a mom while also freelancing around Nashville and the country.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://ariastilesfiddle.com
• Instagram: ariastilesfiddle
• Facebook: Aria Stiles Fiddle
• Youtube: ariastilesfiddle
• Other: Tiktok: ariastilesfiddle

Image Credits

Tabatha Garcia, Lawrenceburg, TN