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

Hi Meli, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
Work life balance is one of the most challenging parts of being an entrepreneur. Throughout the years I’ve found myself engrossed in the places I work and felt a fierce loyalty to the small businesses especially. However, I’ve realized that making time to pursue music is imperative to my happiness and well-being. The thought of committing myself to a career in music has been challenging especially after the pandemic when I witnessed how quickly tours were cancelled and musicians had to fend for themselves without financial support. That being said, over the past two years I have shifted my perspective by prioritizing music and recorded an album with a friend of mine. The idea of balance has come up a lot while promoting my music and the album “Lessons in Letting Go” which I released in December 2021. Recorded in evenings and weekend sessions in my friend’s home studio, the idea of balancing work and life was constantly on my mind. I believe we can achieve the most and find the most inspiration when we prioritize balance in our lives. If all I do is work, there’s nothing to write about and no time to write. If all I do is relax or travel without working, there’s also a lack of urgency when I do have time to pick up my guitar and write. The ability to work for myself inspires me, but a sense of work life balance is crucial to my success as an entrepreneur and I look forward to continuing to explore that balance. That being said, I look forward to spending more time on music than the full time job I have had for the past few years outside the music industry and shifting that balance to work more creatively.


Please tell us more about your work. We’d love to hear what sets you apart from others, what you are most proud of or excited about. How did you get to where you are today professionally. Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges? What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way. What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?
One thing that sets my music apart from others is the personal, emotional, overly wordy lyrics. I like to write in a stream of consciousness manner that is straight from the deepest place of emotions while I’m processing things going on in my life. I’m most proud of the album and music video that I dreamt about for years and finally took the leap to put out into the universe. I wish I could tell everyone who has written original music and thinks no one wants to hear it or could relate that there are people who will enjoy listening to it. So take the leap and release it so that others can hear it too! It’s not easy to be vulnerable and share your music, and sometimes it can feel selfish, but the world needs art and creativity. My life wouldn’t be the same without the art and music of other people who took the risk and released it, so do it! You’ll be happy you did.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
This is a difficult question for me to answer since so much has changed in Denver over the past decade that I’ve lived here. At this moment, I would bring a friend from out of town to Whittier Cafe or St. Mark’s Coffee Shop for a coffee or to hang out before a bike ride on one of the trails in town, out to Crown Hill Park or to Golden from Denver. Then we might bike back into town and visit Tasty Thai or one of the Pho or taco restaurants on S. Federal Blvd. and W. Alameda Ave. We would then visit Cheeseman Park or City Park to see the sunset before heading to one of the local music venues including Cervantes, Hi-Dive, Meadow Lark, or Roxy on Broadway. Another favorite for an alternate day would be going to the mountains for a hike or to Red Rocks for a show since we have the most amazing mountains right outside the city!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?

My friends and family have been incredibly supportive of my musical endeavors. A huge thank you to John Baldwin who produced, mixed, mastered, and played all other instruments beyond rythym guitar which made my debut album Lessons in Letting Go what it is. Check out his production company Paper Satellite Productions on social media and his music studio, Z Music Place, in Denver along with his personal music project: John Baldwin. He’s also in about 5 other bands including playing bass guitar in my band and rocking it. Thank you to my bandmates for wanting to play my original music, it’s a joy to play with the talented Leeland Morgan, John Baldwin, Oliver Bolz and Audrey Walstrom. Also to my creative friend Cyrena Rosati for her encouragement and guidance.

Also, Tommy Wilcox who produced, edited and filmed my first official music video which was released June 24, 2022. Find him on instagram@TommyfWilcox. Our music video is on YouTube titled Meli Tierra – Pens and Ink (official video) and he did an incredible job with Jose Gallegos as a second video shooter. Another instrumental group of people to my music career have been my parents Leeland Morgan, who plays harmonica on the album, and Leigh Jardine who both instilled a love of music in my sisters and I from infancy on. Both my sisters, Julia Fordyce and Lillie Morgan, who are incredible artists, musicians and wildlife education leaders, respectively. You can find Julia’s fine art and street art murals on instagram @aerose_art. They are also my biggest fans, thank you for always listening to my songs before and after they’re finished and giving me constructive feedback. Also, the friends who started my first ukulele band called the Garlic Breath Girls in high school: Rose Bruce, Sidney Westerhoff, Nora Anders and Ayla Frost. It’s not possible to be a musician without people listening and spreading the word, so thank you for reading this article and ShoutoutColorado for sharing my music! Keep an eye out for upcoming shows around Denver, too.

Website: https://melitierra.bandcamp.com/album/lessons-in-letting-go

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melitierra/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MeliTierraMusic

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2Covr2iwgccHaVJ8YTmq5w

Image Credits
Tommy Wilcox, Cyrena Rosati, Matt Krieger, and Dmitri Rumschlag.

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