KHADIJAH, a musical artist.

My name is KHADIJAH LOPEZ and I’m a musical artist

In your view, what’s the balance between art being a form of self-expression and a tool for community impact?

I believe all self expression-especially in arts, are tools that will impact society whether intended to or not. I think the real balance to be had is to make sure that there are a variety of voices being featured in our industry so that every person has an opportunity to be exposed to the art that would be beneficial or healing or entertaining for them.

How does your spiritual journey influence your creative process and the stories you choose to tell through your art?

My spiritual journey has made me a more compassionate person…and through that made me a better story teller.

looking back on your career so far, is there a piece of advice you wish you could have given your younger self when you were just starting out?

Kick fear to the curb, and do it quickly. It’s gets harder the older you get.

in a creative field that’s often competitive, how do you stay true to your voice and purpose while navigating external pressures or expectations?

I stay true to my voice by making an intentional effort to check in with myself every step of the way and make sure my “no” means no, and my “yes” means yes. As far as navigating external pressures and expectations- I view it as insider knowledge lol and a tool for self discovery.

If I feel a “pressure” from something that could mean that particular thing doesn’t align with me for one reason or the other, or maybe that particular thing is highlighting something about myself that I’m running from and need to resolve. In general it helps me to view things that could be deemed negative, as neutral information. It changes my relationship with the “pressure”, and allows me to see the choices and opportunities surrounding it.