We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Carlotta Romano a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Carlotta, thank you so much for opening up with us about some important, but sometimes personal topics. One that really matters to us is overcoming Imposter Syndrome because we’ve seen how so many people are held back in life because of this and so we’d really appreciate hearing about how you overcame Imposter Syndrome.
Aren’t we all, at some point, victims of this unjust feeling? We compare our skills to those around us, often forgetting the hard work it took to get where we are and why we deserve to be here. Imposter Syndrome is one of those feelings that comes and goes, but it’s also one we can learn from. As we grow older and become more aware of ourselves, these strong emotions become more prevalent, making everything seem questionable at times. Yet, sometimes the right answer is as simple as saying, ‘Yes, I can do this,’ without letting self-doubt take over.
The key to overcoming these feelings lies in staying in touch with yourself. Ask yourself: What am I truly great at? What areas could use more work? As you start uncovering these answers, you’ll begin to see your value in a larger context. They say, ‘fake it till you make it,’ and sometimes, that’s exactly the mindset that can help you move forward.
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?
My name is Carlotta Romano, and I’m an Italian composer for film and media based in New York City. After recently graduating from the NYU Screen Scoring program, I’m now enjoying the creative freedom of freelancing, writing music for inspiring short narratives and documentaries.
In addition to composing, I’m also a violinist, singer, and songwriter, which allows me to blend these skills into my work. Whenever I have the chance, I love layering my violin playing and singing into my scores—it brings a unique, personal touch to the music, making it feel deeply connected to who I am.
I’m passionate about composing for documentaries, narratives, and thrillers of all kinds. As long as I believe in the story, I’m eager to add a deeper layer through my musical storytelling.
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?
To truly learn and absorb the world around us, there must be a sense of humility that allows us to listen and grow. It’s essential to be open to constructive criticism from others. Sure, your idea may be good, but how can you make it great? We’re never done learning, and there’s always room for improvement. If you ever feel like you’ve reached the pinnacle of your craft, dig deeper—you’ll always find something new to work on.
Keep your curiosity and passion alive! Why are you doing what you’re doing? Does it make you feel fulfilled? Ask yourself these questions to understand what fuels your passion. Feed that hunger for knowledge, and keep striving to get better at what you love.
It’s also crucial to develop the skill of connecting with people. While mastering the technical aspects of composing, like using a DAW, is important, being able to sell yourself is just as vital. Listening to others—whether it’s a director or a fellow composer—is key. Empathizing with and understanding where they’re coming from can make all the difference in forming meaningful, successful partnerships
What would you advise – going all in on your strengths or investing on areas where you aren’t as strong to be more well-rounded?
This is such a great question and one I often ask myself! How much should I focus on learning outside of my strengths? Or should I spend my time honing what I’m already good at? With only so many hours in a day, it’s challenging to find the time to dedicate to learning, so we have to choose—do we improve on skills where we’re not as strong, or do we focus on further strengthening those we already excel at?
Personally, I go through phases. Sometimes, I feel the need to improve in certain areas, so I make the effort to work on them. Other times, I find myself naturally working on projects that align with my strengths, and in doing so, I fine-tune those skills while getting the job done.
Overall, I believe it’s important to have a well-rounded skill set in your craft. For a composer, this means having at least a basic understanding of orchestration, navigating a DAW, composition techniques, using notation software, and so on. With this foundation, you can then decide whether to focus on areas that need improvement or to dive deeper into the skills you’re already confident in.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.carlottaromano.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carlottaromano_/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlotta-romano-6879711b5/
Image Credits
Federico Modica and Allison Joyce
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