Oliveira-Pazzia wins Honorable Mention in YoungArts Foundation Competition

By Lauren Mittleman
Features Editor

Junior musician Bella Oliveira-Pazzia’s passion for music resulted in the National YoungArts Foundation awarding her Honorable Mention Winner in the category of pop music.

Oliveira-Pazzia applied to the National YoungArts Foundation Competition at the beginning of this school year, and she found out that she was an Honorable Mention winner in November.

Oliveira-Pazzia received a medal from the National YoungArts Foundation for her accomplishment.

“The best part is how happy and proud it made my friends and family, and myself included, to finally be recognized for my singing,” Oliveira-Pazzia said.

Oliveira-Pazzia decided to enter herself into the Young- Arts Foundation Competition because she thought that it would help her to become a better musician. She also wanted the opportunity to receive feedback from professionals and then apply their feedback to her vocal technique and performing skills.

“[My hope is that being named an Honorable Mention in the Young-Arts Foundation Competition] will help me get into colleges,” Oliveira-Pazzia said. “If I choose to go into music, it’s helpful to have that in my background.”

Oliveira-Pazzia has been singing since she could talk and began performing music when she was in kindergarten, Oliveira-Pazzia said. In addition to singing, Oliveira-Pazzia started playing the piano when she was about five years old and has been taking piano lessons ever since that time. Oliveira-Pazzia is self-taught when it comes to her singing, although she currently has a vocal coach, Marti Harris, who helps her build on her technique and her performance skills.

“[My favorite thing about performing is] making people feel something,” Oliveira-Pazzia said. “I like making a statement while I am singing.”

As of Jan. 2020, Oliveira-Pazzia is not in any type of a band or choir, but she used to be involved with a band while she was in middle school. Oliveira-Pazziaas was also a member of an a capella group called Minor 6. At the moment, she does not know whether she wants to pursue a musical career in the future, but there is a possibility for her to do so, Oliveira-Pazzia said.

“[My advice to other musicians at Mira Costa is to] just be yourself and don’t be afraid to take risks when performing, even if its out of your comfort zone,” Oliveira-Pazzia said.