Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Marisa Nikole. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Marisa, we are so deeply grateful to you for opening up about your journey with mental health in the hops that it can help someone who might be going through something similar. Can you talk to us about your mental health journey and how you overcame or persisted despite any issues? For readers, please note this is not medical advice, we are not doctors, you should always consult professionals for advice and that this is merely one person sharing their story and experience.
I was in one of the darkest places in my life a few years ago, and it was not easy to pull out of that, and took me about 6 months to finally come together once more. First and foremost, by the grace of God, I was saved from one of the hardest times in my life when I almost gave up and gave in. I became a recluse and didn’t leave my home because I struggled with not wanting to be here, and couldn’t get out of bed. I struggled with my inner thoughts, and I prayed a lot. There was a moment in time where I finally got the courage and the strength to get professional help as well, and started seeing a therapist, which I do believe was an intervention from God. I was on medication for my depression and anxiety, and was not proud of where I’d been, but grateful for how far I had come in such a short time. I had to change my whole mindset, the way I thought about things…..and I trusted God to lead me where I needed to go. It was all of this that eventually pulled me out from the deep, and I am so thankful to have made it out alive. I’m such a different person, and much stronger than I once was. I’m grateful to have had gone through it, honestly, because I needed to in order to get to where I am today.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
Hello! My name is Marisa Nikole. I’m a Musical Artist. I sing, I write my own songs, I perform live, and I create my own music in the studio from start to finish.
I grew up in a musical family, where I frequently went to my dad’s band practice and live shows. I loved listening to music on my dad’s headphones when I was a toddler, and I would sit there and listen to all styles of music all day long. I started writing poems at age 9, which I eventually turned into songs. As I grew older, writing poems/songs became an outlet for me and I decided to learn how to play guitar to put my lyrics to when I was about 23. I learned how to play more than one instrument by producing my music at home myself. Although I started playing an instrument a little later in life, I’ve always been a songwriter at heart.
Songwriting is one of my favorite things to do. I write about people I know, circumstances I’ve been through, and my real life…..and I’m not afraid to go to dark places and share my most inner feelings and thoughts through my music. There are things in life that can be so awful to go through, but if you don’t face them head on, you never heal from them. And I believe music is my form of facing some of the hardest things in my life, while sharing my own story with others.
Another favorite thing I love to do is perform live! There’s no better feeling in the world to be able to share my music with other people, and to make an impact on someone’s life through the music I share. It’s the most meaningful thing I get to experience while doing music.
I’m proud of how far I’ve come in life, how much I’ve grown, and the different person that I am today. My experiences shaped me into someone I’m grateful to know.
Music is my passion, my love in life, but I love doing it because I have the opportunity to change lives, to heal others through my music, but most importantly to let others know that they’re not alone.
On January 26, 2024, I just released a brand new Christian EP that I’m so excited to share! You can purchase it, or stream it, on any platform that music is sold on. It’s called, “Crimson Hallow”.
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?
I think three things that were most impactful, in my personal journey anyway, was the ability to stay humble, sustain passion for what you do, and to maintain a level of thick skin, especially in the music industry. It’s one of the hardest industries to work in, not just because everyone is trying to make music like you might be, but because you’re criticized for every move you make.
In my opinion, the music industry is not what it used to be, and there’s a loss of musical and artistic integrity through the process of becoming a “mainstream” artist. I feel like authenticity is not appreciated enough, and there’s more and more cookie-cutter songwriters, artists, music in general, being pumped out to the masses in order to generate the highest gross. I would never want to sacrifice my own artistic quality, in exchange for the confines of the music industry and the standards they have set for todays society.
The best advice I could give someone who is new in their musical journey, is to remain true to who you are. If it doesn’t feel right, don’t put pressure on yourself to appease anyone else. Regardless of what kind of music you make, you will always have a “tribe” of your own people who will follow you relentlessly, and who your music will always speak to. And those are the people you are playing for.
Is there a particular challenge you are currently facing?
There have been many challenges I’ve had to face along the way. The most prominent challenges I’ve had to go through are all my health issues, which a lot of them have interfered with my musical career at times.
A lot of the time, my carpal tunnel prevents me from playing my instruments, which I’ve always played my own instruments for all of my live shows. I’ve kinda had to take a step back, and let other musicians help me out in those areas. I’m now playing live shows with a friend of mine, Sam Coker, and it’s been a really fun time doing that, despite the origin of the setback of it all. I also have seizure disorder, so that can cause a lot of unplanned and uncontrollable circumstances if I have one during a live set, and I’ve had a few Cancer bouts as well, amongst other things.
It’s been a journey, but through it all, I’ve continued to find the inspiration and passion I have for music, surpass the hardships along the way, and find an alternative way to push forward in doing what I love.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.marisanikolemusic.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/marisanikolemusic
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/marisanikole.music
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marisanikole?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=android_app
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/marisa_nikole
- Youtube: www.youtube.com/@marisanikole
- SoundCloud: www.soundcloud.com/marisanikole
- Other: https://ffm.to/marisanikole?fbclid=PAAaY2DAiZfKstDiBY0Yk2vDzvrD2IcHnOEyxjegvSoURxRtFEgiX7qcfUBBo
