WrapWomen Next-Gen Ambassador Kirstin Maldonado is just your average 28-year-old girl who loves Rumble, her three dogs (Pascal, Floof and Olaf) and belting the song “Shallow” by her Grammy-winning a capella singing group Pentatonix during a late-night karaoke sesh. Speaking of Grammys, did I mention she has three of ’em? #casual. As the only female member of Pentatonix, Maldonado is paving the way for young female artists – and making sure to have some fun in the process.
The singer/songwriter recently opened up to WrapWomen about her inspirations, career highlights and shared her top tips for success. You can also go behind the scenes with Maldonado by checking out her WrapWomen Instagram takeover.
What inspired you to start singing?
Honestly, Disney movies! Disney movies led me to musical theater, which is what really spurred my passion for wanting to sing as a career!
My musical influences are…
Sara Bareilles for her beautiful way expressing herself through songwriting; JLO for being the epitome of a hard-working Latina woman with an amazing work ethic and a career to show for it; Idina Menzel for literally doing it all: Broadway, movies, TV and being a Disney Princess!
My favorite song to perform is…
“Imagine” with Pentatonix. There’s a counterpoint fugue in our arrangement that really rings and hits when we’re all belting and feeling the emotion!
I would most like to collaborate with…
Imogen Heap or Sara Bareilles.
Craziest moment of my career was when…
We (Pentatonix) played Madison Square Garden! There are definitely a few other amazing moments, which I am so thankful for, but that one was most recent and just felt so surreal! Major check off the bucket list!
I am most inspired when/by…
Human connection and meaningful conversations.
I manage my stress by…
Taking little breaks for my mental clarity, whether that’s organizing and color-coding my schedule, writing, reading, walking the dogs, etc. Sometimes stepping away from something that is only radiating stress can help you look at it with fresh eyes and input when you return.
Top five tips for success…
- Do what inspires you and your work will feel authentic and flourish, as opposed to doing what you think will make you money or what you should do.
- Do not let the “NOs” get you down. Failure is inevitable and can always be used as a tool for growth and understanding.
- A positive mindset is crucial; you can either believe everything will go wrong or everything will go right. If you live your life with that negativity, you will miss out on opportunities. Really strive to be optimistic and meet challenges head-on.
- Learn to be organized and delegate your time efficiently to grow ALL areas of your life, not just career (family, self, etc.)
- As opposed to trying to manipulate the future to be what you want and getting all stressed about how to get there, focus on being your absolute best in the NOW. The immediate you can control, and being your optimal best will eventually harvest your goals!
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