Meet Karina Marquez Caballero

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Karina Marquez Caballero. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Karina below.

Karina, thank you so much for taking the time to share your lessons learned with us and we’re sure your wisdom will help many. So, one question that comes up often and that we’re hoping you can shed some light on is keeping creativity alive over long stretches – how do you keep your creativity alive?

Creativity, for me, is no longer just a state of mind—it has become a state of heart. I come from a family of musicians, and growing up in Mexico City, I was surrounded by artistic expression. My mother, a singer and drummer, and my grandmother, a seamstress, instilled in me a constant mode of giving through music and craftsmanship.
From a young age, I was immersed in creative exploration. At just five years old, I discovered the magic of the microphone—recording my voice into a sound system—and became fascinated by fabrics, textures, and sewing patterns. School art activities. My father was an Architect , his passion to build , his love for Mexican culture , nature and technology further nurtured love to my roots , my origin to blow my imagination, keeping me close to a rich tapestry of ideas.
At 14, I won a contest on Mexican radio, earning a ticket to see NKOTB and a solo trip to New York City. That experience opened my eyes to the endless beauty of the world and confirmed what I had always felt: my destiny was to leave my home country and discover myself in new places, speaking new languages. By age eight, I was bilingual, and by my teenage years, I was fully independent—writing, singing, dancing, and dressing in my own unique style. Creativity has always been my way of life, evolving with me as I continue to explore, express, and reinvent myself.

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 life is a film. I’ve lived so many adventures that I can only describe it this way.

In 1995, I survived a car crash that left me with a broken hip and a long journey of healing before I could walk again. That experience shaped my understanding of resilience, something I had already witnessed in my mother—one of Mexico’s first female rock musicians in the 1970s. I grew up immersed in music, traveling with her, napping during rehearsals, and absorbing the rhythm of an artist’s life. I was a singing a Music teacher from age 17.

By the 1990s, I was fronting my own rock-electronic band. At just 18, I was sharing stages with legendary international and local artists, even opening for *Garbage* and sitting next to Shirley Manson at a soundcheck in Mexico City’s iconic Metropolitan Theater. At the same time, I was beginning my studies in Advertising. Balancing school and music was second nature to me—I never saw it as a job or duty, just a way of life that kept me surrounded by creativity and connection.

But life took unexpected turns. I fell in love with mystery and with someone who, instead of supporting me, led me into an abusive relationship that almost ended my life. That chapter forced me to redefine myself. I migrated to Canada 25 years ago, searching for a new adventure and a new beginning. Adapting wasn’t easy—I had to embrace the cold, learn French, navigate a divorce, and find my place in a completely different world. My son was born in 2007 and shortly after my relationship died to end a long domestic violence period

Technology became my greatest ally in reinvention. I evolved from a musician into a pioneer of immersive augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) live music performances. Today, I work at PHI Studio as an Innovative Technologies Technician while continuing my artistic journey, blending music, extended reality, and storytelling.

The most exciting part of my work is pushing the boundaries of how people experience art. I create immersive, multi-sensory performances that bridge the human and the digital, bringing audiences into worlds where music, visuals, and technology merge. It’s a future-forward way of storytelling, and I see it as my mission to explore these new dimensions of artistic expression.

My latest project is a high-tech live music performance for *Kulture Intelligente*, integrating AI, AR, and real-time visuals with kinetic cameras. It’s an evolution of everything I’ve lived—a journey of sound, movement, and transformation.

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?

1. **Resilience, Adaptability & Compassion**
Life is full of challenges, but the ability to **adapt, heal, and move forward with an open heart** has been essential in my journey. From surviving a car crash and healing from an abusive relationship to starting over in a new country, I’ve learned that growth comes from embracing change rather than fearing it. At the same time, **forgiving myself and others** has been just as crucial. Letting go of resentment creates space for clarity and new beginnings. **Advice:** Learn to flow with life’s uncertainties while staying true to yourself. Every challenge is an opportunity to evolve. When you cultivate resilience and self-compassion, you transform pain into wisdom and obstacles into stepping stones.

2. **Creative Discipline & Storytelling**
From a young age, I understood that creativity is not just about inspiration—it requires dedication. Whether it was balancing music, school, or later pioneering immersive AR/VR performances, I developed the discipline to show up, practice, and refine my craft. My deep love for **ancient civilizations** also shaped my artistic vision. Our ancestors told stories through symbols, architecture, and rituals, and today, I use technology to continue that legacy in new ways. **Advice:** Creativity is a muscle—use it often, and it will grow. Respect the past, explore the present, and innovate for the future.

3. **Embracing Technology as a Bridge Between the Past and the Future**
My journey from music to immersive tech was unexpected, but it expanded my artistic expression. I see **technology as an extension of human storytelling**—just as ancient civilizations used pyramids, codices, and celestial alignments to communicate deeper truths, today, we use AI, VR, and AR. Technology isn’t separate from humanity; it’s a tool for expanding our collective imagination. **Advice:** Stay curious. Explore new tools, but don’t forget the wisdom of those who came before us. The future belongs to those who merge art with innovation while honoring the timeless knowledge of the past.

For anyone starting their journey: **Trust your instincts, stay adaptable, be kind to yourself, and never stop learning.** The most unexpected paths often lead to the greatest discoveries.

Who has been most helpful in helping you overcome challenges or build and develop the essential skills, qualities or knowledge you needed to be successful?

**People.** Every challenge I’ve overcome and every skill I’ve developed has been shaped by the people I’ve met along the way. Life itself has placed me in roles where I either **help others or learn from them**, and I believe both are equally valuable.

Living in a **multilingual and multicultural country** has been one of the greatest teachers. It has expanded my understanding of communication—not just through language but through emotion, culture, and perspective. Being **trilingual (Spanish, French, and English) took time**, but learning how to be **multicultural is an endless and fascinating school**. Every culture has its own rhythm, and adapting to different ways of thinking has made me a better artist, collaborator, and human.

One of the most important lessons I’ve learned is that **to be heard, you must first know how to listen.** True communication isn’t just about speaking—it’s about creating bridges between people, ideas, and worlds. Whether through technology, art, or daily interactions, the ability to connect with others has been my greatest strength.

**Advice:** Surround yourself with diverse voices. Listen more than you speak. Every person you meet has something to teach you, and every culture offers a new way of seeing the world. The more perspectives you embrace, the more infinite your creativity becomes.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Olivier Biron
Nomadlife
Guy Pelettier

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