Interview: Alissa Musto
Can you start by telling the readers a little about yourself?
My name is Alissa Musto and I’m currently living my dream performing music while traveling around the world as guest entertainer aboard luxury cruise ships. This year, I’ve performed for thousands of people while sailing through Mexico, Canada, Alaska and Hawaii, the French Polynesia, Central America and currently, New Zealand and Australia. As a pianist and vocalist, I perform all different types of music in my shows—from Bach to Frank Sinatra to Lady Gaga. I also write my own music, which I would categorize under the “singer-songwriter” style. This year, I was nominated for New England Music Awards “Songwriter of the Year” and while traveling, am always writing new music. My two albums can be found on Apple Music, Spotify, Amazon and other music retailers.
I grew up in Massachusetts, in a family of professional musicians and started playing the piano when I was four years old. I performed throughout my childhood, including my first national television performance at age nine; by high school, was playing at the local restaurants and bars every weekend. Although music was always the central part of my life, I chose to study government as an undergrad and was on a trajectory towards law school. A few key moments made me realize that, at least for now, being a lawyer is not my passion. I learn something new from every new show and experience and have never looked back.
You've had a lot of jobs. Currently you're working as an entertainer aboard a cruise ship. What brought you to that line of work?
Some of my many past jobs include: frozen yogurt swirler, TV show host, Miss Massachusetts 2016, piano teacher, stand-in actress for Netflix, tennis instructor and probably most interestingly, founder of the Boston Donut Crawl, which is like a pub crawl, but with donuts.
However, my journey with Billboard Onboard, the gig that has taken me around the world, ironically, started a few blocks from my house. I was in the waiting room of the music studio where I take vocal lessons and noticed a poster for a talent agency casting performers. The agency usually held their auditions at nearby Berklee School of Music, however, because of some sort of scheduling conflict, they were hosting auditions down the street. Despite already working with some of New England’s top agencies and being pretty booked up, I went anyway, and a little over a month later, I was performing in Europe. It changed my world forever; I absolutely fell in love with the shows, the audiences and the lifestyle, hanging out at places like the Leaning Tower of Pisa or Wall of Dubrovnik every day, and performing on stage every night. I had a great performance career back home, and it took a lot to drop everything and leave it behind. My only regret? I didn't take the leap sooner.
“I believe that by sharing our stories, we have the opportunity to inspire others—maybe people we’ve never even met, which is a huge honor and responsibility.”
You've also started music programs for at risk youth, correct? Can you tell us a little about that?
Every contestant in the Miss America Organization adopts and develops a personal community service project that they advocate on behalf of during their year of service. When I was crowned Miss Cambridge 2016 and Miss Massachusetts just a few months after, I knew I wanted to use my platform and visibility to promote music education, especially amongst at-risk youth. As a piano teacher and lifelong performer, I witnessed the positive effects of music education on children and knew I wanted to provide kids the same opportunities that had changed the course of my life. I had previously worked with a number of non-profit arts organizations, as both a volunteer and in leadership positions. However, as a titleholder, I was handed a figurative megaphone to promote my mission. Everyone suddenly listened a little closer to what I had to say; I met with senators, spoke to school auditoriums full of students and educators, as well as at businesses and club meetings. However, the most rewarding part was going into schools and working with the kids directly through the music programs I founded at several inner-city schools. Throughout the semester, I introduced them to different musical instruments, basic music theory, musical genres and taught them several songs, which culminated in a recital for teachers and parents.
We are never really done growing up. What do you hope to do in the future?
I love learning new things and stepping outside of my comfort zone—I think that’s one of the things that’s draws me to traveling. I have a number of bucket list items, both personal and professional, that I’d love to check off. As a performer, I think it is especially important to have goals and hobbies outside of your craft; it is so easy to sink into a cycle of letting your career consume all your energy, time and thoughts. I recently ran my first half-marathon and would love to run a full marathon sometime in 2020. I’d also love to go back to school at some point to pursue a terminal degree and have recently considered coming out of pageant retirement, because I enjoyed that chapter so much. Career-wise, I just want to keep improving as a songwriter and performer and would love to be able to fully shift focus to my original music. Of course, a Grammy nomination or Billboard chart placement would be a dream come true, but for me, it’s really just about writing great music.
What gets you out of bed in the morning?
A double espresso.
Every day, I wake up in a new place, which is pretty damn good motivation itself to get up and get out. But even on the toughest days, when I’m trying to work through something, or figure out “what’s next”, I remind myself how blessed I am to have a loving and supportive family, a career that allows me to do what I love every day of my life, and above all, my health. People would do anything for the lifestyle I live, and I don’t take that for granted. Don’t get me wrong; my life is far from perfect. But on the hardest days, my faith, gratitude and a “show must go on” mentality keeps me going.
Do you have advice for girls growing up today?
Five years from now, it won’t matter what clothes you wore, or what your hair looked like, or how popular you were or how many likes you got on Instagram. What will matter is what you’ve learned, the people you chose to surround yourself with and how hard you’ve worked. You’ll never regret working hard, even if it is the unpopular or uncomfortable choice in the moment. I think being a girl growing up today is harder than ever. When I started high school ten years ago, everyone still had iPhones and Facebook, but that next generation was raised on it. Focus on making a life that is purposeful and rewarding, not just one that looks good online.
Also, no high-school boy is worth crying over. I promise.
Do you have any female figures that you look up to? (real or fiction)
There are many great female performers and songwriters I look up to, including Carole King, Debbie Harry of Blondie, Linda Rondstat, Stevie Nicks and Lady Gaga. Within the music industry, I think female artists have always had a hard time coming across as “serious” musicians and songwriters. I admire these women particularly, because despite looking, acting and/or singing in a way that might’ve contradicted industry trends, they marched to the beat of their own drum and set their own trends.
Why do you think it is important to tell our stories?
There’s a famous saying about learning from other peoples’ mistakes, but I think there’s a lot more to learn from other peoples’ successes. I love reading biographies because I find it fascinating that so many icons lead a normal childhood/life until a defining moment launched them into greatness; we all have that potential. I believe that by sharing our stories, we have the opportunity to inspire others—maybe people we’ve never even met, which is a huge honor and responsibility. When I was first inquiring about the Miss America Organization, I remember reading about (now Dr.) Lauren Kuhn, a classical pianist and Harvard Dental student, who was Miss Massachusetts at the time. I remember being so impressed and thinking wow, this is the caliber of women I want to be a part of. By sharing our stories, we introduce people to a way of life they may’ve not even known was possible.
What is something in life that you are most proud of?
The most rewarding chapters of my life thus far have been founded on taking a chance and stepping outside of my comfort zone; competing at Miss America, traveling around the world, and even personal milestones, like buying a house and running a half-marathon. In life, what I’m most proud of is not a specific accomplishment, but the times I chose to “go for it”, even when it didn’t turn out exactly like I hoped.
“By sharing our stories, we introduce people to a way of life they may’ve not even known was possible.”
A Few favorites:
Book:
The Great Gatsby
Band/Song/Music Genre-
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band
Quote-
“To be little, you have to be little” -Khalil Gibran
What is your life motto?
“If not you, who?”
I won’t lie; when I set out on a new goal or journey, I sometimes get intimidated or discouraged, reminding myself that I might not be as experienced or accomplished or known as others aiming for the same thing. But with every new dream I add to the bucket list, I recognize that someone has to fill it. If it’s not me, then it’s going to be someone else. Someone has to fill that role. Someone has to be on that Grammy ballot. Someone has to be accepted to that PhD program. And if Someone is going to do it, why can’t that someone be me? Every ordinary person has the potential to be extraordinary, and every extraordinary person started off normal. I stick to this life motto because it reminds me that nothing is actually impossible. If I don’t achieve it, someone with less reservations simply will.