Life & Work with Paola Proctor of Nashville, TN

Today we’d like to introduce you to Paola Proctor

Paola, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
According to my mom I’ve been singing at the top of my lungs before I could even speak.

I started performing as a child in church choirs where I discovered an innate passion for music performance. I started taking classical singing lessons and cello lessons in the fall of 2005.

I grew up moving around a lot which included living in the Middle East and Europe. I always joined local orchestras and choirs in those areas and have had the honor of performing for crowds such as the Prince of Wales with the Doha Community Orchestra, the Youth Orchestra of the Middle East at the Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi, and Florida All-State Choir with Gulliver Preparatory Academy.

I studied Music Business at the University of Miami, Frost School of Music. I’ve performed the National Anthem at collegiate sporting events and for the Miami Marlins. I’ve also showcased at local events in Miami such as National Voice Day and The Young Artist Initiative.

In January of 2017 I relocated to Nashville, Tennessee to further my musical endeavors and started my own music company. Within three months, I sold my first copyright to a Fortune 500 company and have written custom music for Niklaus Children’s Hospital in South Florida.

Released in spring 2018, my single “Tongue Tied” was featured on Lightning 100’s evening radio show, The 615 in Nashville, TN.

As a result of the pandemic I now am in sales as my day job and continue to do music in my spare time. My most recent release is Ecstasy.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
While attending the University of Miami Frost School of Music I needed Internship credits in order to graduate with my Bachelor’s Degree. I then went to Los Angeles the summer of 2015 where I first encountered Hollywood Gatekeepers that said I’d have to prove myself to them if I ever intended on being successful.

To make matters worse, I had a very awful run in with a very unprofessional producer based out of Miami, FL that asked me grossly inappropriate questions. It was almost to the point where I wasn’t sure if I wanted to continue my music career if these were the kinds of people I would have to interact with on a daily basis.

After thinking long and hard, those challenges lead me to the decision to open up my own music company. The business model was simple, I’d write custom music to license for commercial use. I’d then use that passive income to fund my personal projects.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Growing up I learned majority of music by playing by ear. I actually learned Strangers in the night by Frank Sinatra on the cello and surprised my mom by playing it at my 5th grade cello recital.

I’ve always been very creative, I’ve gone through several creative phases which included:
– sowing
– fashion (didn’t go very well)
– painting

but even among all of those different phases I always did music

Also, I grew up playing sports and started training in Mixed Martial Arts in the summer of 2012 after highschool.

Have you learned any interesting or important lessons due to the Covid-19 Crisis?
It’s always important to think outside of the box when solving problems. During the pandemic, my friends and I would do writing sessions over zoom when we couldn’t be in the same room.

Also, I firmly believe in having the RIGHT people around. It’s always better to have 4 quarters then 100 pennies. I’ve found that in times of crisis, the right support system can help you out of any scenario.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.paolaproctor.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paolaproctor_/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/paolaproctormusic/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsQo5ENolQIhwZoJm30BgKQ
• Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5MdDES3OwSeS7KVW0FhGHO?si=Hucu0I2wSd2fF8PveM2AHg