Meet Tania Arriaga | Musician, Writer, Artist & Creative

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

Hi Tania, why did you pursue a creative career?
Sometimes I feel as if my heart and creativity are one, I think my career as a musician, writer, and creative all around chose me. Because it doesn’t allow me to work on other things that aren’t creative. My creativity is always calling on me and is so intertwined with my existence that when I’m working on something that doesn’t involve it, I feel like I lose my purpose. It’s hard to tell if I’m pursuing it, or if it’s always within me, creatively creating me.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
More than anything, and especially in my music, I like to be as authentic as I can be with myself and creatively, I constantly ask myself what that looks like, sounds like, and feels like for me. One of my biggest challenges has always been the opinion of others, and especially comparing myself to others. Many times I’ve been swayed in different directions that have nothing to do with my heart, so the challenge and the lesson is to constantly keep getting better at making my inner voice louder than the noise, and distractions.

What helps me overcome this challenge is the art of noticing, and especially noticing when I’m in a state of fear, anxiety or just feeling overwhelmed, because when I’m in that mindset it’s hard to listen to my own voice advocating for my authenticity. Taking a step back from the craziness always helps, and envisioning it myself first helps too. As well as knowing that my gut, my intuition, God, and the universe are always guiding me, trusting that sometimes it’s hard but necessary to remind myself of this, especially in industries like the music industry.

I’m proud of standing in an industry as a Mexican woman, who at the start knew so little about creating music, being in the industry, the challenges, and the setbacks. But almost four years into it, I feel so certain about all of it. As music has always been my eternal love, I’m proud of doing something that holds my whole heart and soul, as I don’t think I’ve ever created so purely, until I started doing music.

What I would like for the world to know about me is that I believe in my dreams, in my music, in my heart, in the people who surround me, in God, in the small moments, and the big ones, in the wholesomeness of not only believing in life but also loving this life- I believe that my love for my life is intertwined constantly with my creativity, and I hope the world can see that. That my work has true soul and purpose, and so much love.

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.
As a nature / city / foodie girl, I would say, Griffith Park, Point Dume for sunrise or sunset, Burton Chace Park, if you’re lucky you can see seals pretty up close, Kenneth Hahn Park, and have a picnic there. Restaurants like Road to Seoul (kbbq) , La Guelaguetza (Oaxacan food), Messob (Ethiopian food), Same Same (Thai food), and the Grand Central Market, are some of my favorites showing the diversity of LA, and for Nighttime I’ve had good times at the Stowaway, El Prado, The Red Lion Tavern, la Descarga, and my personal favorite used to be Cliffton’s but I think it closed.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My shoutout goes to my family, my mom, and dad who have believed in me and my dreams unconditionally, my brothers who are my biggest fans, my friends who have uplifted my heart, and who always hold space in their hearts for me and my projects. Shoutout to all the people who I’ve worked alongside in the music industry, who have been nothing but kind, brilliant, and inspiring, and to Karin Harvey for believing in me from the start and opening so many doors, I wouldn’t have been able to create my EP without her.

Instagram: @_taniari @taniarisounds

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0JE1JN7OTFxr_QUEYtElgQ