Urban Grandstand Digital: I think it’s beautiful to have that level of support from family. As we both know, family is not always the most supportive, and a lot of people don’t follow their hearts and passion for concern of disappointing parents or other family.
Joy Villa: It’s so true. I don’t know where I would be if it wasn’t for the support of my family. Even if you have friends and other people, I am so thankful that my family didn’t expect me to be a doctor, lawyer, or have a plan B. That’s basically saying you’re setting up to fail. That has to be your one and only plan and safety net; to do what you want to do. I give free lectures, and make it a part of my concerts. The whole message behind my song “Vagabonds” is to go and do you. Be free and embrace that freedom. If you commit to a 9 to 5 to get the health benefits, the car, the kids, and not saying these things are bad, but to do it just because society says so is wrong.
Urban Grandstand Digital: It takes you away from what you love.
Joy Villa: It’s a distraction. It’s like, a lot of people say “Joy, you’ve inspired me”. I say thank you and ask what they do. They’ll say “I’m trying to sing, or trying to be a photographer”. All the other things don’t matter. If you take photos, then you’re a photographer. If you sing, you’re a singer. If you write, you’re a writer. That’s one thing I’ve always been aware of. My music is intrinsically tied into my philosophical beliefs, which
One of the things we aim to push in our content is that you can do and accomplish any and everything that you want to do. You are a living and breathing example of that. I know that to many, it looks like it’s all happening overnight for you, but you’ve been working hard at this for a number of years. You’ve done acting, and now music, and you’re going to be walking in LA Fashion Week which is coming up. I think it’s good for people to see someone like yourself who is really doing it and following their passion. That’s why i appreciate you because it helps us to push our message.
Joy Villa: Yes. It’s awesome that I can attract other like-minded brands and individuals because that’s what it’s about.
Urban Grandstand Digital: So jumping ahead to Fashion Week, how did this amazing opportunity come about?
Joy Villa: So, Andre Soriano, I was at Los Angeles Fashion Week a few years ago. One of my friends is a designer. I’ve been to Copenhagen’s Fashion Week. I interviewed some of the top designers and celebrities there. Copenhagen is great. I’m often in Europe. I’ve been to New York Fashion Week, and that was two and a half years ago, and some things with that. This is the first time I’ve been officially invited to walk in any Fashion Week around the world, so I’m super excited. Andre Soriano did my infamous Grammys Snow Fence dress. He said he wanted me to close his show out and perform. I said let’s do it.
is that we are spiritual beings and that we come to this planet with a set of skills and talents, given by our creator. We were created to put love out through our aesthetic talents. For us to deny that is to deny who we are. If you have a desire to do fashion designing, and you’ve done a few sketches that you’ve hidden away, bring that book back out and start putting more energy and attention to those things you love to do. That gradually becomes bigger. What you put your attention on grows bigger. That’s what the universe responds to. So that’s what I’ve been doing since I was 5 years old. At 10 years old, I joined a regional theater group in Santa Barbara, which is where I was born and raised. I just kept going with it. This is something I’ve been doing all my life. Musical theater transitioned to local television with Comcast, Youth Network television. I was producing live segments for television at 16 years old. People responded to me as an adult because I acted like an adult. I never let people treat me like a kid or a girl. I never let them put me into boundaries, whether it was the color of my skin, my hair, my height, gender, or none of those things. It was all about my desire and purpose on this planet, which was to create music, and create a branding of freedom and aesthetics and through that, reach fans, like your readers. Once you figure out the big picture, which for me is worldwide domination, it all comes into play.
Urban Grandstand Digital: I appreciate the fact that you say worldwide domination.