Meet Miu Sato

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

Hi Miu, thank you so much for opening up with us about some important, but sometimes personal topics. One that really matters to us is overcoming Imposter Syndrome because we’ve seen how so many people are held back in life because of this and so we’d really appreciate hearing about how you overcame Imposter Syndrome.

The most important thing for me is remaining open-minded, appreciating the process, and staying focused on my goals and personal journey. What is it that makes us think we aren’t good enough? That we aren’t qualified enough? That makes us feel the need to constantly devalue our achievements?

It can be so easy for us to fall into the dangerous trap of hyper-focusing on what we don’t have or haven’t yet accomplished, whether that may be through unfair comparisons with others or holding ourselves to unrealistic standards. I think it’s crucial to remind ourselves that each of our individual paths are meant to be neither linear nor parallel to others. Once you recognize that you learn to appreciate your own journey and allow things to fall in place.

Another big factor that contributes to imposter syndrome is lack of representation. I have found myself carrying feelings of self-doubt and alienation being in rooms where no one looked like me. But I’ve learnt to channel that into fuel that drives me to seek a more diverse landscape and uplift underrepresented voices.

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 name is Miu Sato and I am a New York-based Japanese composer for film, multimedia, and musical theatre. I find storytelling through music to be a privilege and am constantly inspired by the indescribable way music moves and connects us.

Coming from a background in classical piano performance and heavily inspired by the music of Alan Menken, I gravitate towards piano and orchestral writing. With that being said, I also enjoy exploring a wide range of sonic palettes and incorporating my unique exposure to various cultures in my musical voice.

Aside from pursuing a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Screen Scoring at NYU, I am currently composing music for a new original musical in development titled, Neverland Never Ends, scoring short films, and playing keys in shows/productions.

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?

Trust your instinct. Be open for conversation, but don’t underestimate your gut feeling and the power of your own voice. When you’re working on a project that is so collaborative in nature, lots of ideas are bound to flourish and various perspectives may arise. The back and forth of ideas between collaborators can be fruitful, but remember not to lose sight of your own instincts and be ready to defend your ideas.

Be involved and engaged. Being a good listener and diligent collaborator will not only allow you to develop stronger relationships with others, but also give yourself the opportunity to dig deeper into the craft and story that you are trying to tell. Give yourself the space to be present with the material you are immersing yourself in.

Most importantly, stay genuine. By doing so you will find yourself naturally gravitating towards people that connect with you and projects you are passionate about.

Before we go, maybe you can tell us a bit about your parents and what you feel was the most impactful thing they did for you?

Asking me “Are you sure you want to major in business?” a month before college application deadlines. At the end of the day I know they always trusted my decisions, but if they hadn’t pulled me aside and pushed me to pursue what I truly wanted to do, the trajectory of my life would be completely different. So I am eternally grateful that they redirected me to this path that was meant for me.

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