Rising Stars: Meet Precious Perez

Today we’d like to introduce you to Precious Perez.

Hi Precious, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself
I’ve been singing since I was six years old.

A family friend gave me a pink Barbie karaoke machine, and I used to record myself singing along to the radio on cassette tapes. I participated in music choruses starting in elementary school, and I started writing songs and performing solo in middle school and high school.

In high school, I took four years of private lessons at the New England Conservatory and participated in an ensemble all through the Handel and Haydn Society. I always knew I wanted to be an artist, but I never would have imagined back then that I’d be where I am today, holding a double bachelor’s degree in music ed and performance from Berklee College of Music.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I represent multiple minorities as a blind Puerto Rican woman, first-generation college student, low-income, and a person with anxiety. I’ve experienced the most around the difference that people see first, my blindness.

I’ve been underestimated, openly discriminated against, and I’ve had to navigate a lot of obstacles, but that only made me stronger. I fight to give back to my family, my communities and to use my platform to educate, help others, and glorify God with what I do.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a classically trained Pop/R&B and Latin singer/songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, although my instrument of choice is my Breedlove tenor ukulele. I am a published children’s author and a part-time elementary music teacher at the Michael J. Perkins School in South Boston.

I am membership chair of RAMPD (recording artists and music professionals with Disabilities), a fast-growing coalition with coverage in the New York Times, Billboard, and the Hollywood Reporter whose mission is to elevate disability culture, promote inclusion, and advocate for accessibility in the music industry. I and paving my own way as the first mainstream blind Latina artist at the forefront of the Latin music industry.

I’ll be dropping my first ever commercially released cover soon, so stay tuned! You can find all of my original works on all platforms in the meantime, and you can find me posting acoustic covers on social media, including but not limited to Tictoc!

Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
The most important thing I’ve learned on my musical journey so far is to never forget where you came from, keep everything in perspective, and surround yourself with genuine friends and collaborators who keep you grounded because those are the people that will stay by your side no matter what.

If you have power, use that to elevate your communities, your friends, and your greater purpose. This is bigger than you or me.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://preciousperezmusica.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/precious_puertorican20/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/preciousperezhummingbird/
• Twitter: http://twitter.com/pulyperez1
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-gU9Z844iI464Fc2ItIhvQ
• Other: https://vm.tiktok.com/TTPdAMnb43/

Image Credits
Brian Snider