Meet Joyie Lai

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Joyie Lai. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Joyie, 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.

I found that my purpose came from being inspired by others. I remember when I was working on a feature film after I first moved to LA. It seemed like the dream job. Every morning, I would drive to the studio, and we would work until late at night. We spent two weeks straight in the studio with no days off. I remember one of those nights when I drove home, feeling really tired. I thought to myself, Did I make a mistake choosing this as my career? Would the rest of my life be like this? I was seriously considering changing my career path at that time. But then the weekend came, and my friend got us tickets to see Jacob Collier at the Hollywood Bowl. And I remember, once I heard the music, I thought, “Yeah, this is what I want to do for the rest of my life. I want to make music!”

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

Hi! I’m Joyie, a mix engineer and guitarist based in Los Angeles. Born and raised in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, my music journey began at the age of 5 when my parents (like all parents) signed me up for music lessons. Music has always been a part of my life, so after high school, I decided to build my career in music. My time as a musician in Malaysia led me to perform at many music festivals, such as the Singapore International Jazz Festival, World Youth Jazz Festival, and Borneo Jazz Festival. But then, I wanted more. I’ve always loved to travel and see the world, so I decided to come to the U.S. to further my studies in Music Production and Engineering at the renowned Berklee College of Music. After graduation, I moved to LA to begin my career, and since then, I’ve had the chance to work on feature films like The Fall Guys, the Netflix series Blue Eye Samurai, and The Perfect Couple. Aside from that, I also work with local artists as a mix engineer and producer!

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?

The three qualities that have been most impactful in my journey are patience, dedication, and hard work.

I’ve always been a true believer in hard work and dedication. While talents and passion can take you far, it’s the hard work and dedication you invest that make your efforts truly flourish. It can be draining at times, but I always believe that, in the end, the hard work will pay off.

Over the past few months, I’ve learned the importance of patience. I’ve learned to take things one step at a time. As much as I value hard work, I’ve realized we don’t have to push ourselves every single day. There are moments when it’s okay to take breaks, and I’ve found that when I allow myself a day or even a week off, I always return stronger and recharged. Taking care of yourself is the most important part of the journey. Like they always say, it’s a marathon, not a race!

Any advice for folks feeling overwhelmed?

There’s always a lot of stress working in this industry, and it’s so easy to get overwhelmed. Most of the time, when I’m stressed or overwhelmed, I list out the things in my head that are bothering me, then categorize them and think about what I can and can’t do for each item on the list at the moment. For the things I can do, I come up with solutions and work through the list. In the end, I think to myself, “See! It’s not that bad!” For the things I can’t control, I acknowledge that they’re beyond my control and seek help if needed. I focus on the things I can do and think through the worst-case scenario and what is my plan B. I always remind myself, “It will be fine, you’re okay.”

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