We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Minh Ta a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Minh, we’re so appreciative of you taking the time to share your nuggets of wisdom with our community. One of the topics we think is most important for folks looking to level up their lives is building up their self-confidence and self-esteem. Can you share how you developed your confidence?
I was one of the only Vietnamese kids in my school, who was a bit overweight and also didn’t have money for nice clothes. I learned early on that opinions only matter as much as you make them to be, and so I carried myself in a way that I was happy with others disliking. You do have to fake it until you make it, but if you make it then it isn’t *really* fake. I believe that acting brave while you’re terrified in itself is an act of bravery, and the same could apply to your self-esteem and confidence. However, as I’ve gotten older, I find that confidence was never affirmations in the mirror; it’s a list of undeniable skills and traits that do not change despite other people’s opinions. Eventually, you have to develop the skills and traits that make you you, That way, despite what goes on around you, you’ll have an unbreakable reference point that becomes what makes you confident.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I go by Demxntia! I’m an independent Vietnamese-American Alternative/R&B artist from Tampa, FL. I dropped out of school when I was 16, and in a desperate attempt to find purpose, I held onto my passion for music and attempted to turn it into a career to help myself and my loved ones. It started with just me learning how to graphic design and produce music, and then figuring out how to upload it to streaming services and market it myself. As of today, I’ve released over 10 albums and 300+ tracks, charted independently, and streamed over 500,000,000+ across all platforms!
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?
I find that with anything entrepreneurial, it’s not so much a game of “the best wins”, but more-so “last one standing”. My unwillingness to fail or give up ultimately led me to success. Within that, you also have to not be afraid to fail. It’s knowing that you may get hit and knocked down, but the strikes won’t kill you. A lot of artists worry about their releases flopping, after investing a lot of time in the craft. Even if you flop 99 times, it only takes 1 to take you to the next level. Consistency and patience played a huge role in how I got to where I am today. When you feel like it’s not working fast enough, when you feel like giving up, you have to remember that at some point your favorite artist probably felt the same way you did. The only difference is that they didn’t stop!
To close, maybe we can chat about your parents and what they did that was particularly impactful for you?
The most impactful thing my parents did for me was allow me to be myself. Of course they did their best to steer me in the right direction, but at the same time, they let me make mistakes and learn from them myself. I remember promising my mom that I’d get some traction as an artist within a year and that if I didn’t, I’d go back to school and find a job. Although it didn’t seem like she believed me 100%, she didn’t try to stop me either. Unapologetically being myself in this industry has made it much easier to go and pursue what I want.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/wowdemxntia
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/demxntiamusic
- Twitter: https://x.com/wowdemxntia
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@demxntia
- Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/demxntia
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
