Meet Tiny June: Musical Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Tiny June and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tiny, where are your from? We’d love to hear about how your background has played a role in who you are today?
I was born in Nicaragua, and got to grow up there for the first ten years of my life. When we moved to Texas in 2008, it was complete culture shock. From the school systems, the way people did church, and everything in between. As a kid, you don’t really think about the implications that might have as you grow into adulthood, and although I’ve had my fair share of bad experiences I consider it a great honor to have been immersed in such a beautiful culture that has helped shape the way I see not only the world, but the people in it. My experiences are a constant reminder not to take life to seriously because it is truly out of your control. Part of me can be a little impulsive at times (which can lead to things like bad haircuts)- but the other half of me is really striving to live a really beautiful life without questioning the validity of my decisions, or worrying about the future. It’s easier said than done, but something that I often revert back to in hopes that one day I will have lived a life worth living.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My goal for writing music is simply to amplify the voices of others. There is always a need, and we can either assume that someone else can meet the need better than we ever could, or realize that if we don’t step up to the plate no one ever will. Most of my music is inspired by my life experiences, which is what I believe makes it so relatable to others. Everyone is a little broken, but not a lot of people are willing to admit that. I on the other hand feel like I am constantly shouting it “Hey, we all kind of suck sometimes, but that’s okay because we can do something about it.” It’s been a sobering experience to say the least. I am nowhere near where I want to be professionally, but I take it one day at a time. Engagement with my listeners is key for me. I would rather have 20 listeners who not only support me, but see me as someone who is down to earth and willing to have a conversation with them than sing on stage in front of hundreds and never have a real conversation with anyone. True change happens we step of the stage in order to do life with one another.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Honestly, I have become such a homebody this year. The most interesting thing I did was sleep for a solid 12 hours the other day. But all jokes aside, I absolutely love food, and music. With that being said, I would want to try new foods (considering that Houston is a melting pot and you never run out of new things to try), and then take them to one of Cafeza’s jazz nights or Pan Dulce’s creative nights to introduce them to all the cool local artists. Maybe go to a Buc-cee’s and tell them to go use the restroom.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
This is a loaded question! There are so many people who’ve inspired me in countless ways. From strangers who send me messages expressing the impact of my music in their lives, to the friends who have stood by me from the very beginning. If I had to choose someone who has been a mentor to me, it would be Brandon Williams. A songwriter who also happens to be my boss. He has been so consistent in encouraging me to be a better artist, and not give up on music or beat around the bush when it comes to the message I have for people. I am so honored to be surrounded by so many amazing people who have been willing to pour into me as an artist. Not everyone gets that. I received a phone call from a wonderful poet named Charles Patton (Red Lion) the other day, and it was so encouraging. It’s always a humbling experience to sit down with other creatives to discuss my music. I would also love to shout out my friends Noe and Liz from Wondertone (film and photography) who have done so much to help me in every project launched. Lastly, I will never pass on the opportunity to shout out my amazing sound engineer, Joe Murguia. He does such an incredible job at everything he does, and I recently had to change his name on my phone to ‘magical angel man’ after he sent back the final mix to my latest single, Meadows. Seriously, all these people are wildly talented and selfless.

Website: https://l.instagram.com/?u=https%3A%2F%2Flinktr.ee%2Ftinyjunemusic&e=ATM6kq6mttawcPat5CH2uC9_a6FJTLBwTPAnoaIwYT5RhOTGust3Ut13-TRIUl9wPUYSPyv4c1wyZUJuvFU5DTL5qj9CszSfaXhkpA&s=1
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tinyjunemusic/

Image Credits
Wondertone, Kevin Turcios, Daniel Roman, Abigail Padilla