Q&A with Somana Mak—Music, Emotional Vulnerabilities, and Chasing Your Dreams
Image of Somana Mak.
Interview featuring: Somana Mak
Editor: Jeni Fjelstad
Creative Direction: Catie Menke
Somana Mak is a singer-songwriter in Scottsdale, Arizona, who finds musical inspiration in every area of her life. After a winding journey in her career so far, she’s found her own self confidence formula, as well as a personal brand-building moment thanks to a CatieMenke.com Mini Shoot.
Some advice from Somana: “Do not try to outrun or ignore your dreams,” she said. “They always find a way of catching up to you.”
We can’t wait to find out how music empowers her, how she deals with the emotional vulnerabilities of sharing her songs, and what she’s learned from finally pursuing her dreams.
How did you get started in music? Why did you feel inspired to pursue that?
While I knew I wanted my life to be about music at age 4, it wasn’t until I was 16 when it came back up into my consciousness again. However, since my parents weren’t supportive of that kind of career, I didn’t actively pursue music until I was a full-fledged adult. That’s when I started getting voice lessons and most recently, found a community who I can make music with.
I was inspired to pursue music because of my own experience with music. Music made me feel like I was not alone in life. My family isn’t known for sharing/discussing feelings or emotions, so music was the only channel in which I could feel my feelings safely. Through music, I want to be able to pay it forward, if you will. Whether people are sad, happy or in between, I want people to feel validated in their own life experiences, a “hey I see you” through music.
What’s your journey been like?
Oof. It’s been a very loooooooong, wind-y, confusing, scenic one. A lot of starts, stops:
Over and over and for a very, very long time. I was torn between wanting to do what others (society, my community) wanted/expected of me and what I felt in my soul, which is a passion for music. It took a lot of humbling life experiences to finally get to this point where I'm actively going for it.
When it comes to being a singer/songwriter, what goals do you have?
By the end of this year, I want to co-write and record original music of my own. Next year, my goal is to have an EP recorded and released on streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music. I also hope I get to perform my music as well.
Where do you find your inspiration these days? What routines do you have to get into creating music?
Inspo is everywhere and anywhere haha! The notes app is a godsend. It could be watching a show, listening to another song, walking down a hallway, working out or in the shower, to name a few. I could be half asleep and words will appear. So you name it, inspo can and will hit. It’s the magic of creativity. When I’m being intentional, I will make time, set an intention and open up my brain essentially. It’s best when I simply follow my current emotional state. I’m already feeling this way, so what are some lines that come to mind? And things will drop in — usually.
As a Cambodian woman, what does representation mean to you? How do you approach that in your music?
Representation means everything to me. It's become part of my purpose. Growing up, I didn’t have someone who looked like me, especially in music. Asians are considered as this large monolith, when in fact there are so many different, distinct countries with their own rich history and culture. With Southeast Asians — who are pretty invisible within the Asian community itself — it’s like double the invisibility. As a kid, what I would end up doing is trying to get inspo and motivation by looking up to any Asian woman in any entertainment medium. That was my only option. Because of the lack of representation, it’s just as important for me to be seen visually on top of being heard. While I write and sing about universal human experiences, it matters that I’m seen singing and performing it as well because I want to normalize people who look like me. The dream is to be able to find mainstream success so another kid who looks like me or connects with me as an artist will see themselves in me, and hopefully, it motivates them to shoot for the stars because they are worthy of following their heart too.
You’ve done a CatieMenke.com Mini Shoot. (Thanks!) How has that impacted the development of your personal brand? And how does that help you in establishing yourself?
You’re welcome! It has established a much-needed social media presence for me. I like lurking at food and giggling at memes on Instagram, truthfully. Thanks to the Mini Shoot, I was able to be intentional about creating a brand which showcases a clear aesthetic to who I am as a person and an artist, so when I’m looking to connect with other creatives/artists, I have a profile for them to refer to so they know what my vibe is and maybe we can collab. I definitely still lurk at food accounts though.
Image of Somana Mak.
How does your music empower you? How can music contribute to empowerment of women?
Music empowers me to tap into my being/humanness and express myself in the most real, authentic way that I’m not able to do so otherwise. It also gives me a safe place in which to be vulnerable and access my emotions in that moment. It may sound weird, but I’m not always conscious about accessing my emotions. I disassociate often by way of coping. Music is when I will return back into my body and acknowledge my feelings at that moment.
Music can be empowering to women when we take the opportunity to write and perform in a way that acknowledges women in a way where we lift each other up. What do women experience? Why do we experience it? How do we feel our own power? And answering all those questions through the female gaze or lens, rather than performing what we’ve been taught as a society.
Where do you find your confidence? What’s your self confidence formula?
Oh man. Fake it ‘til I make it haha. I struggle with it still to be honest. I give myself permission to be human, that this is my creative expression and I do have a right to honor that expression in a way that only I can. Then I just let it fly. With anything, you just have to release the control and hope for the best. Sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn’t.
How does music contribute to your lifelong mental wellness?
Music acknowledges. It heals. Music has always been there for me, like a good friend who always knew what to say in melody. It’s been a grounding force in my life, yet allows me to access a weightless creative space that is unlike any other.
Between being on a stage, putting out songs, and recording music, how do you feel vulnerable in that space? How do you embrace emotional vulnerability with writing and/or performing your music?
When your physical body is the literal instrument of your creative expression, it is so vulnerable. Your voice, body, and thoughts are out on display for the whole world to see, and that is scary AF. *Starts sweating at the mere thought of it.*
So when fear or anxiety strikes, I try remember two things:
How it meant the world to me when other artists put out their hearts and souls. These artists saved my life many times over.
It's my creative expression that I feel compelled to share in hopes I can help someone feel seen or heard. So how can I run away from such a beautiful responsibility? In that moment, it’s freeing for me so that’s how I embrace it.
Is there anything else you’d like to add?
Yes. Do not try to outrun or ignore your dreams. They always find a way of catching up to you. If you ignore it, subconsciously your frustrations will likely manifest in negative ways. And if you didn’t take the hint the first, second, or 20th time, life has a way of really smacking you and humbling you in such a way that is extremely painful, trust me. So why not embrace your beautiful purpose and do something about it? From my own experience, I spent most of my life running away from it, feeling so so so lost and then finally — because I am stubborn — the universe upended my life in a permanent, heartbreaking way. So I couldn’t ignore my purpose anymore.
While I’m still in hot pursuit of my dreams, what I can tell you is the feeling of purpose as you set out to make your dreams/goals come true feels so affirming. This positive energy state lets you know that you’re on the right path, even as your world is falling apart. You can have a heavy heart but also feel expansive, and that’s okay! It’s what you’re meant to do, even though it’s scary. There’s no perfect time to start. You’ll never be completely ready to start. So just start. Going after your dream or purpose whatever that means for you … that’s what makes this whole life thing worth it. Regardless of the outcome, how can it be wrong? So let’s go for it, yah? And if you have to, find someone who will push off the cliff like I did with Catie.
Do you know a powerful woman who’s an inspiration? (We see you, powerful woman.) Share yours or a friend’s story with us & get involved as a Contributor or future Q&A guest.
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