Meet Joaquina Lluma | Musician and music teacher

We had the good fortune of connecting with Joaquina Lluma and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Joaquina, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
As a self employed musician and music teacher, my whole life/career has been risk. I moved to the states around 20 years ago with a bass, a small amp, one suitcases with books, cds, a few clothes and $200 to my name. I worked all kinds of jobs and eventually finished my AA in California. After that, I toured the country with a power trio, moved to Denver and finished my BM. While in school I played with everyone I could, I tried to meet as many musicians as I could. Slowly grew my student base and my gigging opportunities. 2020 and covid pretty much dismantled live music all together and I focused on teaching even more. Slowly things are returning to a pseudo-normalcy that allows me to play live for small audiences. My career and the risks I’ve taken through the years earned me the freedom to do what I love, with who I chose to, whenever I chose to do it… or not.
I believe that no matter what your trade is, educated risk taking will push your career to another level.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I recently release my first EP with a lot of guest musicians on it. I am very proud and excited about it because is the first time i was able to my own music on my own terms with the help of loving friends. Getting to this point has been hard or really hard. Not only the financial struggles of the past, but confidence, stress, and anxiety are always slapping me in the face. Covid being the last unbelievable hurdle! Get my name out there and letting the world know I exist was the most important achievement for my career. All kinds of challenges will continue to pop up. Acknowledging this reality has made me wiser and stronger. Nothing lasts forever, including goods and bads. My mantra is “just keep doing what you’re doing” always! Life is change, and I have developed a skill to accommodate myself with this transformations. I’ve learned to let go of what -and those who- holds me back; self-discipline is key to success and always move forward.
My life and career have been pretty epic, and I wouldn’t change it at all. Challenges make us grow, grow make us wiser, and that is all there is to it.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
There are so many people!!! On first, my siblings and parents always supported even the most crazy decisions I’ve made, including moving to the states, with nothing, nobody neither a real “plan.” Estela Rodriguez in California convinced me to go to college instead of giving up and move back to argentina. She helped me with a loving and supporting home on my first years in the states.
Don Byron, who I consider my mentor, and a plethora of other teachers helped shape my career and their support pushed me to take more risks to be the best musician I can be.
My female musician friends, who share the struggles of a man dominated industry. Their strength has been a staple that shaped my own strength.
And Joshua Finley, my boyfriend. Joshua is an independent successful artist/musician. His hard-core work ethics, long hours, ultra creativity, positivity, and push are some of the things I look up to. Life by art is not an easy one, but it definitely is the only kind of life we know.

Website: www.joaquinalluma.com

Instagram: Roqui

Facebook: Roqui Lluma

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVr78NlPSVKsyTW30oSjHTw

Other: you can find my EP @ https://www.gordophonicrecords.com/artists

Image Credits
R2Shotz- Rhonda Roberts Taylor Pardum George L. Blosser Juan Carlos Flores