Meet Ali Mills

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Ali Mills a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Ali, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.

A childhood mentor of mine used to tell me “Quitters never win and winners never quit”. I was 7 when I first heard it, and I never let myself quit anything until I was 30 years old. I kept my heart and soul in everything that I ever wanted to do. I practiced guitar sometimes, I played sports, was active in community theater productions, I took my voice lessons, I said “yes” to a lot as a kid because I thought saying “No” meant I was a quitter.

Fast forward to my 30’s when I finally felt like I couldn’t keep up with who I wanted to be. I needed to let some things go. It was difficult trying to sort out who, what, and how to let go of, things, places, and people that had become such defining components of my life. I walked away from bands, friendships that no longer served me, and cities that had lost their spark, in hopes of finding clarity.

I thought marriage and a family would be the answer, and it was for a short period. I was so happy to welcome all three of my children into a loving and supportive home, but as the weight of being a “stay at home mom” grew heavier, the guitar on my wall that had been collecting dust for 5 years started to lure me back in. During the pandemic, I found joy in writing music again. It was like it was seeking me instead of me seeking it. Writing and singing felt cathartic and necessary. Towards the middle of 2021, I lost my Dad and that triggered another cascade of melodies, lyrics, and feelings that were flowing through me.

It was June 2021, and I finally understood what a true purpose felt like, and it wasn’t because I never gave it up… It was because giving up made me truly realize how much it was supposed to be a part of me.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

I am a singer-songwriter, based in Los Angeles, CA. I have been working on my debut record as a solo artist for the better part of a year, and am excited to say that it is nearing completion. What I have come to love most about what I do, is how people resonate with my music. Some people connect with the lyrics in a very upfront and personal way- and that’s fucking brilliant! I also take a lot of time to find new and inventive ways to craft sound in the studio. This record uses a lot of vintage gear in unconventional ways and when a listener picks up on a tone or sound, I feel like there’s a spark that ignites a special connection between artist and listener that is so unique and special.

There are currently 3 singles out, and 8 more in line to be released on a monthly basis, culminating in the release of the whole record with live performances and music videos to help support it.

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?

Keeping an open mind was by far the best piece of advice I ever received from my mom. I would think about this when I had intrusive thoughts and performance anxiety.

Over the years, I have worked hard on finding my voice and letting it whole heartedly reflect who I am and what my sound is. I tried sounding like other singers before finally realizing that my voice was good enough, strong enough, and worthy of an audience of friends and like minded musicians.

Is there a particular challenge you are currently facing?

The biggest obstacle out there for me is likely true for all artists out there: How can we re-monetize our music with streaming platforms? I’m so thrilled to be working with a Record Label, (Dog + King Records) to try and rebuild the online music streaming community in a way that is lucrative to artists, and accessible to fans.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Neil Cabana, Ben Bentley

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