Meet Liah Pérez

 

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

Liah, 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?

When I stop limiting creativity to a single medium or outcome, everything flows more naturally. Being creative isn’t just about sitting down to write a song for me —it’s in the way I experience nature, crafts, books, new music, connection with others, and in how I move through the world. Inspiration comes not from forcing it, but from living fully and staying open to what moves me next.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

I’m a Dominican singer/songwriter of in-your-feels tunes, dancing through genres from pop, Latin rock, and ballads, and exploring themes of love, loss, searching for home and meaning. Music has always been my comfort and constant, and I write songs that feel just like that—a warm hug, a friend who listens, a place you can always return to—especially for those of us far from our native countries. More than anything, I want my music to create a sense of belonging and be a hand to hold for anyone who needs to feel less alone.

In the near future, I’m excited for new music releases, continuing to perform intentionally, and connecting with more people through my music.

Breaking out of the box of what an artist “should” be has been freeing. Years ago, I would have put so much pressure on myself over output and results. Now, I try to embrace the idea that art can take so many forms—for me, it’s music first, a newfound love and dedication to crochet, and growing in my full-time career as a UI/UX designer. Nothing is mutually exclusive; it has all contributed to a healthier relationship with my creativity. I love knowing I can have it all.

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

Patience, embracing imperfection, and having a clear purpose.

These are the things I return to again and again in my creative process—always a work in progress, always something to practice. The more I lean into them, the less power fear holds over me. I chose them not because they come naturally, but because they don’t. They are the hardest for me to embody, but I’ve seen that when I do, something incredible happens.

The understanding that good things take time. The willingness to start, to write the first word without picking it apart before it is even on the page. And when things feel overwhelming, remembering why I began in the first place.

The only way to grow into these qualities is to live them, to put yourself in the space to work them through over and over again. With each step, the muscle strengthens a bit more, the fear quiets, and the work becomes what it was always meant to be.

Do you think it’s better to go all in on our strengths or to try to be more well-rounded by investing effort on improving areas you aren’t as strong in?

I think a healthy balance of both is key to being a well-rounded creative. There’s power in knowledge, even if it’s not extensive, and growth comes from trying new things—pushing past perfectionism and accepting the discomfort of being a beginner.

At the same time, knowing when to delegate, ask for help, and collaborate with people whose strengths complement your own is so important.

Until last year, I was putting myself out there hesitantly—only showing certain parts of who I was, not fully committing to how my music was released. I told myself that if it looked like I wasn’t trying too hard and if things didn’t go well, it wouldn’t feel like such a big loss. It was a way of self-protection, a way to avoid the discomfort of not knowing how to do things better.

That started to shift when I partnered with my friend and creative collaborator, Wole Ajagbe—an immensely talented art director and visual artist (photography + videography). He brings so much passion, skill, and care to everything he creates and treated my projects as his own. By believing in my vision, he helped me believe in it too. Through working with him, I’ve learned so much—not just about the craft, but about trusting in collaboration. In many ways, it’s begun to unlock my creative process.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Wole Ajagbe
Murugi Thande
Genevieve Moore

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