Meet Gianluca Malave

We recently connected with Gianluca Malave and have shared our conversation below.

Gianluca , so excited to have you with us today. So much we can chat about, but one of the questions we are most interested in is how you have managed to keep your creativity alive.

The number one way I keep my creativity alive is by going out and watching art. Whether it is a musical, a play, a concert, a cabaret, a dance show, an AMDA showcase, or even a DJ set, all art is valid and fuels me to create my own. I like to sit back, relax, and let art take me for a ride, with no judgement or preconceived opinions. For however long the ride is, the artists have their hands on the wheel and I am just there to take it in. When it is done, the processing, reflecting, and conversing makes my brain and heart spiral into a million thoughts that light a fire under my own art. I am a huge believer of the Awe Effect which is what I experience when I see shows on Broadway. Watching Nicole Scherzinger in Sunset Blvd. or Eden Espinosa in Lempicka I felt revived and pushed to strive for more in my own art. It gave so many ideas, thoughts, and simply creativity. To be as otherworldly as they are is my new goal and makes my creativity run for miles and miles.

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?

My name is Gianluca Malave, I am a 19 year old artist and performer living in New York City. I was born and raised in the beautiful island of Puerto Rico and moved to the Big Apple to study Musical Theater in the Conservatory Program at The American Musical and Dramatic Academy. I have ten years of dance training in Jazz, Ballet, Hip-hop, Contemporary/Lyrical, Theater Jazz, and a variety of Latin styles. I also do heels dance as well as aerial silks. As a student and performer in New York City I have been working on balancing my studies while developing a career in performing and building a social media following (@gianluca.malave on all platforms). Cabaret performances, Dance shows, Broadway at Bryant Park, Musicals, are all the things that have kept me busy over the two years, while also working on my craft in voice, acting, singing and dancing lessons with a lot of auditioning on top of all of that. I strive to make new and exciting art that evokes feelings in audience members and challenges the norms as we know them. I want to bring attention to the thought that life is only one and we have to live it, doing things that we are passionate about and not taking any moment for granted. I love sharing my journey as a way to impact others and teaching a little thing here and there.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Looking back, I think autonomy, resilience, and kindness were the three qualities and skills that were most impactful in my journey. Autonomy, for example, is a huge compass for me. I have learned that if we want something in life, it is up to us to go out and get it. We must govern our own future and make sure that we are shaping something that is going to please and benefit us forever, not for anybody else or by no one else’s doing. I encourage young artists to go out and find the job, find the opportunities, and if they are not there, make them for themselves. If all fails and you get knocked down to the ground (metaphorically or literally) it is up to us to have the resilience to get up and keep fighting. We can’t see setbacks as the end of the world but as a chance to learn and grow. Finally, I have learned that kindness takes you a long way. In the ten years that I have been a performer, forming part of many dance studios, casts, and classes, leading with the heart and being a light in the room has always done much more for me than any pirouette or high note has. This also comes into play when auditioning or applying for jobs. Casting directors want to hire people that are going to be good to have around set or in a rehearsal. Some of the performers/artists that I look up to like Caroline Bowman or Mandy Gonzalez have all of these qualities.

Looking back over the past 12 months or so, what do you think has been your biggest area of improvement or growth?

I feel like my biggest area of growth in the past 12 months has been in implementing the phrase “I do my work, I go home” into my daily life. Especially after reading this book called The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins I have started to stop letting other people’s opinions, drama, and judgment impact your life. Between class and professional opportunities I have been surrounded by people who always have a lot going on or a lot to say, and sometimes not all are good. Because of this I have decided that my peace, my artistry, and my life will not be impacted by that. I will do the work that is required of me and go home to the people who love me and the things that fulfill me. People and their words or actions only have as much power as we give them and we cannot let those things guide our moods, our feelings, or our enjoyment of life. This has been a really helpful tool to learn and grow over the last year because challenges I have had many, but how I deal with them is very important. Two simple words, Let Them, will set you free from the exhausting cycle of trying to manage everything and everyone around you. Let them act crazy and do the most, your peace and sanity matter the most. Go home and rest, eat good food, and enjoy a night out with friends. Those are the things that fuel our souls and we carry with us in the long run.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Headshots and Dance Shots by @andrewalstat_photography

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