Meet Claudia Parada | Musician, composer and counselor.

We had the good fortune of connecting with Claudia Parada and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Claudia, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
I pursued an artistic career because it is something that I am very passionate about. I enjoy writing music, playing and creating melodies that can reach people. I am a person who feels a lot what happens around me, but sometimes I have a hard time expressing everything I feel in words, so music is a great way to channel my emotions. I also think that being able to share this with others is a great thing, music creates bridges that bring us closer as people. I am very grateful that God allows me to be able to create music and share the talents that he gave me. I hope that my melodies can lead people to connect with God, that they can get to know him and that they can enjoy the peace and hope that Jesus gives.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I am a musician and psychologist, I was born and raised in the city of Concepcion, Chile. I think this is very important, because it is something that distinguishes me as an artist. I remember that the first time I got up on stage was in Chile, singing in church. When I was 13 years old I learned to play guitar and it was something that I was very passionate about. I was part of several musical bands in Chile, some of them were “Receso”, a band with a punk emo style, we played mainly at high school events. Then with my brother and some friends we formed the band “Exponente J”, a rock band, where my brother mainly created the lyrics and melodies of our band. It was a great experience, we started playing in different events around the country. Also, in parallel, I belonged to a choir called “Coro Evangelico: Voces de Gloria “, with them we were able to travel to other countries like Paraguay and cities of the country, it was really a great experience, because that is something that I shared with my mom, dad, brother, Grandparents, uncles and cousins, For many years I played and sang in different churches and Christian events. In 2010 I started to study psychology, and in 2012 I started to create my own songs. With a friend we started working on an alternative rock musical project, he wrote the lyrics and I wrote the music. In 2015 my first album was recorded and a couple of years later “A pesar de mi” was released on all digital platforms, an album with very deep lyrics and melodies that lead us to reflect on life, spirituality and the essence of God, is an album that talks a lot about God’s faithfulness, but also talks about current social problems. After that album, we began to promote it on some television and radio programs and with the band “Emeth”, a band formed with a group of friends, we began to tour Chile sharing this album. I also had the opportunity to play my songs in Argentina. At the end of July 2017 I came to study in the United States, there I began to play at Christian events and churches. In 2018 I released my second album “Las selfies de Jesus”, a fun but profound album that talks about the ways in which Jesus relates to us, that is, from love and faithfulness. Being in Dallas, Texas, I have been able to play a lot in different bands and I have been able to share my music in various churches. One of the biggest challenges I have had to live with has been the death of my father, that is something that has marked me deeply, I miss him very much. I think that marked a before and after in my life. In 2021 I had to admit and face my addiction, I started attending a gospel centered recovery group. Which has been a great blessing for my life, I am in the process of recovery, facing my problems, speaking honestly, recognizing that God is the one who gives me hope and restoration. It has been a journey of great learning where I have met great friends who have supported me throughout this process, I am very grateful for them. At the beginning of August, 2022 I released my third album “Heart Sounds”, a very personal album that recounts my recovery process, it only has melodies, but each song expresses a particular theme in the midst of this recovery process. For example, the first song is called “Start Over”, and the sounds of that song are deep, a bit melancholic, but also hopeful. The idea of ​​this album is to show what I feel in this process, but also to speak with music and without words. God has been very good and my desire is that others can know the love of God.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If a friend from Chile comes to Dallas, the first thing I would do is take him out for a Whataburger. I would tell him that this is one of the best burgers in Texas. After that, we would organize our week, I would tell him to go visit the city of Dallas, we would walk around it, I would show him the John F. Kennedy museum and the holocaust museum. After that, I would take him to see the Dallas World Aquarium, we would see all the animals and I would buy him a souvenir stuffed animal. I’d also take him to Six Flags, and we’d get on all the rides. I would also like to take him to eat ice cream at The Baked Bear because I love ice cream sandwiches with cookies. I would also take him to eat at Fuzzys Tacos, because I love that place. Finally we would go to see a band in Deep Ellum and order a pizza, and then finish at 1:30 am having a coffee at Cafe Brazil.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
This journey has been very crazy, it has been a journey of many experiences and learning. There are many people I want to thank.
First of all I want to honor God and thank him for all his care, love, tenderness and guidance in every decision and process of my life. He has taught me about his love and to know him as a tender and caring father. It moves me a lot to talk about him and how he has been unconditional with me.
I also want to thank the support of my mom, my dad who passed away a few years ago, my siblings, friends and family from Chile. I am very grateful for their support throughout this process, the calls, the concern and the constant encouragement. They are a blessing and I love them very much.
I want to thank the dear friends that I have met here in the United States, they have been a tremendous blessing to me. Thanks to them for their advice, unconditional support and for showing me the selfless love of the Lord. I love them and I am grateful for them!.
I want to thank the leaders and my friends from the Citizens Church recovery group, for helping me get ahead in the midst of my addiction problem, for showing me that life with God is much better than addictions, for teaching me about of Jesus, for showing me that God gives purpose and meaning to life. That he restores us and that there is no condemnation for those of us who have believed in Him.

Website: https://linktr.ee/claudiaparada

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clauparada.arias/

Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/clauparadaarias

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ceparada.arias

Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCsFhVm_Mm6sDI09W6wFspDA

Other: https://ffm.to/claudiaparada