Meet Rossana Barrera

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

Rossana, so great to be with you and I think a lot of folks are going to benefit from hearing your story and lessons and wisdom. Imposter Syndrome is something that we know how words to describe, but it’s something that has held people back forever and so we’re really interested to hear about your story and how you overcame imposter syndrome.

It took me years to realize that having imposter syndrome really meant two other things: 1. I did not believe in myself enough, and 2. I cared more about what other people thought about me than what I thought about myself. Once I understood this, I was able to fully focus on what I wanted to do with my life.

For the longest time I was a lover of the arts, wanting to sing, dance and act for a living, but I was always too scared to take that jump. I admired the craft from afar, but I had never taken acting classes myself. And the older I got, the deeper my fears became. “How are you just going to start NOW? You’re 25. There are people that have been doing this for decades.” These were the recurring thoughts in my head for years. I would compare myself to others, especially younger more talented people, and that would be enough to discourage me from doing what I wanted the most. By a stroke of chance, I was cast in a musical just from sending a self-tape and auditioning virtually. Nowadays, I would do anything to be in a room in person, but back then, I was grateful I had this option. This empowered me in a way that I had not been before. I realized that I had talent and power, not only as an artist but as a human being. And if I wanted others to see it, I had to acknowledge it myself first. It took years of working on my self-esteem to be able to make the decision of moving to NYC to pursue musical theatre. Of course, this was not work I did alone, I always had my family and friends by my side, encouraging and supporting me.

Looking back now, I realize that I was not fully happy before because I was not doing what I loved and I was not fulfilling my life’s purpose, which is to make art. To make people feel things. Whenever I have intrusive thoughts about people judging my choices or my career path, I remember the reason why I am here, and I focus on the work. Imposter syndrome, or at least mine, is fed by letting other people’s opinions in. So I lock them out. I close the door to negative comments, bad energy, and unsolicited opinions from people who do not even know me. I remember why I do what I do, and as long as I am happy with the art that I am creating, I am able to keep the imposter syndrome at bay.

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

I am a Mexican teacher-turned-singer and actress. I grew up in a very supportive but competitive family where we were encouraged to play sports. Because we were 4 girls in the family, my mom would decide what classes we would all take, so she could drive us all there at the same time. We tried cycling, dance, ice skating, basketball, gymnastics, but eventually, thanks to my oldest sisters’ wishes, we ended up taking voice lessons.

I fell in love with singing immediately, but I was a very shy kid, so even though I would have killed to be in a school or regional production of a musical, I never worked up the nerve to audition. My sisters did, the youngest one starting at just 4 years old, so I lived my dreams vicariously through them. I accepted that singing would just be a hobby for me and I continued my life doing so many other things that I loved, like playing basketball and doing community service. Once in a while I would get hints of what my life could be like while doing a small school production, but it didn’t feel like it was in the cards for me.

I then went to college and got my degree to be a teacher. After graduating, I was hired by my college to impart a leadership course, which I did for over 2 years. One of the units in this course was about finding your passion and your life’s mission, and then making a plan to achieve your goals. Every semester that I would teach this course, it would always come back to musical theatre for me. So in 2023 I took a leap of faith, quit my job, and moved to New York City.

Saying that I have been in the city for only a year and a half feels like I am not doing it justice with everything that I have learned and how much I’ve grown in this time. I was fortune to be able to attend the Musical Theatre Integrated Conservatory at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA), learning from the amazing faculty and sharing the stage with so many talented individuals. Since graduating AMDA I have performed with Jaime Lozano & The Familia at Lincoln Center, as well as done several cabaret shows at 54 Below, The Green Room 42 and Don’t Tell Mama. I am currently working on a developmental reading of a new musical called “She Sings Me Home” by Artemis Montague, which will be presented at Caveat on February 3rd, 7:00pm.

I am currently non-union and seeking representation. IG: @rossanabarrera

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

Three key elements that have helped me on my journey are: always keep learning, stay true to who you are, and take care of yourself.

There’s a saying that if you are the smartest person in the room, you are in the wrong room. I believe this is applicable to anything, not only being smart, but also talented in different disciplines. New York City, and the arts in general, are full of amazingly talented people, and if you are humble enough to see that these people are not just your competition, you have won. There is always something that you can learn from your teachers, your peers, directors and anyone else you cross paths with. You really never know everything there is to know about a single discipline, because it is ever-changing. So keeping a student mentality will help you thrive wherever you are.

Authenticity is tricky in a world where you are paid (or not) to become other people. However, it is possible to be genuine when making connections with a text, with a team, or even with an audience. Knowing who you are and what you stand for will bring clarity in terms of what you are willing to do with your art, and where you set your boundaries. Never give up your identity for a project. If people can’t see you for who you are, then you don’t want to work with them.

Lastly, prioritizing your health in all its forms. We have always been told: drink water, sleep early, eat your fruits and vegetables. And it wasn’t until I lived alone and was thrown into an intense, fast-paced environment that I realized how easy it is to overlook these basic human needs that we usually take for granted. Having struggled with my physical, vocal, and mental health in the past year made me realize that without these, I can’t fully share myself and create the art I want to. So take care of yourself first, and the rest can come after.

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?

My mom is my biggest inspiration and also my biggest cheerleader. She made my sisters and I try everything at least once, but then allowed us to pick what we liked making sure we would be committed to it, even if this meant that every one of us picked something different. For her this looked like, 5am wakeup calls for ice skating practice, basketball and soccer games almost everyday, dance and singing recitals on the weekends, as well as any shows we were doing, where she would show up to every single one of them. Even though she was never into of the things we were into, she would be there, cheering us on.

She always told us this saying in Spanish “El ‘no’ ya lo tienes, hay que buscar el ‘sí’”, which means: “You already have the ‘no’, so look for the ‘yes’.” Whenever we were feeling stuck or unmotivated, when it looked like things were not working out, she would say this, empowering us to do something about it. She always believed that me and my sisters could do anything, even when we didn’t believe it ourselves. And that is priceless.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.rossanabarrera.com
• Instagram: @rossanabarrera