When the Big Rock Pub organized a songwriting competition to benefit Coachella Valley Sexual Assault Services, many local musicians went all out to create and showcase a song that would raise awareness about the terrors of sexual assault and human trafficking.
There were some beautiful and heartwrenching songs—yet it was a performance by 16-year-old Mikayla Fazzone that won over the judges and audience.
Her song “Stronger Than Me” is a rallying cry for a group of broken individuals to fight back—and it will be released on Thursday, Nov. 28, via the various streaming services, like Spotify, iTunes, etc.
“Music has always been in my life. I’ve always loved doing it,” Fazzone told me. “The first instance of my love for music came when I was a toddler, and my parents took me to Old Town San Diego. They bought me this little toy purple guitar, and then happened to lose me in the crowd. They finally found me onstage playing with a mariachi band. It’s just something I’ve always loved the art of.”
Fazzone is currently a part of the Academy of Musical Performance, which is helping transform her from a student of music into a rock star.
“In ninth-grade, I went to AMP’s Summer Showcase, and walked away depressed, thinking that I could never be as good as these kids,” Fazzone said. “It inspired me to start getting better over the rest of the summer, and I went on to audition for AMP in the fall. I made it in and haven’t looked back since. It’s is a great program for getting introduced to the music scene. You get to meet a lot of very important people in the local industry—like Will Sturgeon, Abie Perkins and Courtney Chambers, to name a few. AMP is great for leadership skills and musicianship skills, and shows you how to work with other people, along with giving you live performance experience—all in one!”
Fazzone sets herself apart from many other artists in our scene with her desire to use music primarily as a helping hand to anyone who might need it. Her lyrics exude inspiration and empathy for her listeners.
“Whenever one of my friends is going through a hard time, I write songs for them, and they turn into cool songs that I enjoy playing,” Fazzone said. “Helping people has always been at the core of my music. I write songs not just for me, but for specific audiences. People always tell bands that a certain song saved their lives, and I’d love to be able to have that effect on people.
“When I heard about the competition raising awareness for human trafficking, I knew I had to do it! (I thought), ‘It’s a great opportunity to help people. It’s going to be a great experience, and I’m going to be able to meet a lot of people. If I win, I’d be able to go out and become an advocate for the people who really need it.’”
One of the perks of winning the competition was having the song recorded by Will Sturgeon in “The Sturdio.” Fazzone already knew Sturgeon from AMP, and he helped “Stronger Than Me” reach its full potential.
“Recording is such a cool thing,” Fazzone said. “Most of my songs are just me and my guitar, so when I got to hear all the musical layers I think of in my head come to life in the speakers, it was just incredible!”