Gabriel Salcedo: Brittany, your creation of the Mindful Music Lab stands as a unique fusion of mindfulness and music. Could you elaborate on how these elements are synthesized within the Lab, and discuss your vision for its future trajectory? Additionally, what was the driving force behind the establishment of this space, and why did you feel it was crucial to offer such a sanctuary?

Brittany Berger:
Creating Mindful Music Lab was a journey born from all of my passions, mindfulness, healing, and music. Within the Lab, we integrate meditation, Reiki, mindset coaching, and sound healing with traditional music production. We incorporate this into the creative process, the energy overall in the space, and most importantly our team. This synthesis creates a sanctuary where artists can explore their creativity while simultaneously nurturing their mental and emotional well-being, feeling at home. Mental Health is the most important topic and we need to be louder about why and what we can do about it. 

My vision for the future of Mindful Music Lab is to continue expanding this mindfulness movement, making it a requirement for holistic artist development. I want to see it become a spiritual (not only physical) haven where artists feel supported in both their personal and professional lives. The driving force behind establishing this space was witnessing the high levels of stress and mental health challenges in the music industry. I felt it was crucial to offer a sanctuary where artists could find balance, healing, and a sense of community where they only have to be themselves. We accept you as you are.

Gabriel Salcedo: Your path as a Reiki Master and healer seems deeply intertwined with your creative work. How have these experiences influenced your approach to music production, and could you share specific meditation techniques that have significantly impacted your mindset and overall well-being? Additionally, how do these practices enhance your artistic expression and contribute to the holistic nature of your work? 

Brittany Berger:
As a Reiki Master and healer, my experiences have deeply influenced my approach to music production. Reiki has taught me the importance of energy flow and balance, which I apply to every aspect of my life and creative process. Techniques like chakra alignment, creating an intentional breath and space to ground my energy, pulling an oracle or affirmation card, and sound healing meditations have significantly impacted my mindset and overall well-being. I also love to light sage, palo santo, and mist sprays to open my senses to a serene atmosphere. These practices help me stay grounded, focused, and open to creative inspiration.

Incorporating these healing modalities into my work allows me to create music that resonates on a deeper, more authentic level. What do I need to hear, what do I wish existed out there to listen to, when I am navigating through my own mindful maze? If it doesn’t exist, create it - keeps showing up as my life path’s work. With my album, Mind Full, I made it for my clients and community who have been asking for this type of guidance. Creating this solely because it was fun and I knew it would help people. It still heals me. All of this enhances my artistic expression by infusing my creations with positive, healing energy, making my work a holistic experience for both myself and my community.

Gabriel Salcedo: In your multifaceted career as a songwriter, producer, artist, and author, how do you maintain a balance that prioritizes mental wellness? Additionally, as a motivational speaker, what core messages do you aim to impart about self-care and mental health, and how do these messages intersect with your creative endeavors and personal practices?

Brittany Berger: Maintaining a balance that prioritizes mental wellness is a constant journey. I ensure that self-care is an integral part of my routine, whether it's through daily meditation, exercise, nourishing my body, sound healing, or simply taking time to rest. As a motivational speaker, my core message stays true, we need to be more self-ish. Self-care is not selfish; it's essential. I emphasize the importance of prioritizing one's mental health, setting boundaries, and listening to one's inner voice as I practice this everyday.

These messages are interwoven with my creative endeavors. By advocating for mental wellness, I aim to inspire others to pursue their passions and purpose while maintaining a healthy, balanced life. Reaching as close to alignment, fulfillment, happiness and love, while staying positive and in flow. This holistic approach enriches both my personal and professional practices, allowing me to truly live in my authentic self and multifaceted career.

Gabriel Salcedo: How significant is the role of community and connection in your work, and what guidance would you offer to those seeking to cultivate supportive networks?

Brittany Berger:
Community and connection are at the heart of my work. Cultivating supportive networks is essential for personal growth and creative collaboration. I advise those seeking to build such communities to start with genuine relationships, sharing vulnerability and offering mutual support.

In my experience, creating a safe and nurturing environment where everyone feels valued and heard fosters a strong sense of community. This connection not only enhances individual well-being but also amplifies our collective creative potential.

Gabriel Salcedo: When you say "I feel so Salcedo" how does wearing pieces from my collection influence your sense of self-expression and identity? I'm intrigued by the emotional resonance you experience with the designs. Could you elaborate on how the aesthetics and style align with your personal narrative and enhance your confidence across the diverse roles you inhabit in both your personal and professional life? How does this alignment with the Salcedo aesthetic influence your overall sense of self and public persona?

Brittany Berger:
"I feel so Salcedo" paints the picture of the woman that I am and choose to be. I feel effortlessly powerful, sexy, present, cool, calm and collected. Creative and most importantly, confident. I don’t only feel like I’m wearing the clothes, the clothes are equally wearing me. Each stitch, each button, every thread of work complements my efforts as a woman. The ultra modern woman. My energy flows between divine feminine and divine masculine. So Salcedo portrays both.

Gabriel Salcedo: As you contemplate your life's work and its lasting impact, how do you envision your legacy? What narrative would you like to see unfold in how people remember and describe you? How do you hope your contributions in music, mindfulness, and wellness are perceived and remembered? Additionally, how does this vision shape your current and future endeavors, as well as the persona you cultivate in the public eye?

Brittany Berger: I envision a legacy centered and empowered around healing, creativity, mindfulness, and community that ripple effects globally. I hope to be remembered as someone who championed mental wellness, authenticity, and the transformative power of music. My narrative is one of dedication to helping others love and simple be who they are, programming that we are all enough, where mindfulness and creative expression are yin and yang.This vision shapes my current and future endeavors by keeping me focused on my mission to heal and inspire. It influences the persona I cultivate in the public eye, ensuring that my actions and words consistently reflect my commitment to wellness, creativity, the community, and myself, Self-ish.

Discover more about Brittany Berger by following her journey on instagram @mindfulmusiclab @berger_queen and visting her website at http://www.mindfulmusiclab.com