Her Story
About Skylar
I've been in the performing arts for 23 years, and professionally for about 8 to 9 years. My work includes dance, singing, acting, and I recently started music production. I can also play piano, so I have a musical background in general. When I was around 18, after graduating high school and leaving the competition scene, I decided I really wanted to train in New York. That's when my dancing honestly got so much more technical and better, and I got a lot of information from New York. I specifically train at Broadway Dance Center, and I also have a singing teacher in New York City who is located in the Bronx. Sometimes we meet on Zoom. I started singing and playing piano when I was 3 years old, so it's been 23 years. My grandfather was a singer and apparently had a beautiful voice, though he's passed away now. That's the only genetic thing I got as far as music goes. Part of my skill came from having a natural sense of pitch and rhythm, just knowing notes and ear training, but I also worked really hard. I didn't wake up one day and could sing perfectly. Having that natural sense of rhythm and pitch really helped me work hard and get better. I'm currently pursuing my Master's in Music Education online at Kutztown University in Pennsylvania. I also work in music sales, which I've been doing for one year. Before that, I worked in other call centers for sales for almost 5 years until I decided I just wanted to go towards the music route.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Skylar
01What do you attribute your success to?
I think my ambition definitely drives me. I'm one of the first ones in my family to really go for my dreams, and I remember my grandma telling me that my grandfather got a record deal, but his confidence held him back. Of course, we all second-guess ourselves, but it's just going for your dream, no matter what, just trying for it. That's definitely something that pushes me every day. Even when I'm questioning myself, I'm like, no, I'm still gonna do it. I work really hard and have very high goals for myself, but I work really hard to get there. I also think passion is key. When I do any type of music, I put my heart and soul into it. And self-discipline is crucial because it's a field where you need a lot of discipline.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Keep going. It's really tough, I'm not gonna lie. It's a tough field, and sometimes you can get in your head, sometimes you need to second-guess yourself, but remember why you're doing it, because you love what you're doing, and that passion will help you get where you want to get.
03What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The first thing would be my ambition. I'm really ambitious, I work really hard, and I do have very high goals for myself, but I work really hard to get there. The second thing would definitely be passion. I really put my heart and soul into any type of music I do. The third would definitely be self-discipline, because it's a field where you need a lot of discipline. Outside of my professional world, I'm just really creative. I like to read, I like to write, I like anything where it's introspective stuff. I love to create anything, even designing things.
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