Meet Isabelle De Leon | Drummer & Tech Ops Director

We had the good fortune of connecting with Isabelle De Leon and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Isabelle, how has your work-life balance changed over time?
I once read somewhere that achieving what most people consider balance is almost impossible and true “balance” is instead a continuous cycle of counter-balancing. I would say this accurately describes my work life balance and general creative pursuit. When starting out, many creatives are faced with the challenge of building a career in their craft while also building financial stability. Most people don’t realize that being a creative entrepreneur or any entrepreneur for that matter requires you to wear multiple hats. When starting out as a musician, that meant I had to be my own promoter/marketer, graphic designer, social media & website manager, booking agent & negotiator, bookkeeper, creative director in photo & video shoots, all while continuously working on my craft as a drummer and songwriter/arranger/producer, and many times having a part time job to generate consistent income. Being a freelance musician means I get to play with as many artists as I want, across multiple genres, and across the globe, but it also means balancing an unpredictable schedule with a more steady work schedule which requires excellent time management. Right before the covid-19 pandemic, I was constantly on the road touring and also teaching about 20 private students a week. I felt like I was constantly on the go and living out of a suitcase that was consistently packed, unpacked, and packed again with different clothes. While performing & traveling are my favorite things about being a musician, a part of me yearned to have a more stable and “normal” lifestyle, where I could have a consistent and predictable schedule like most people. When most of my friends were hanging out on the weekends, I was running from gig to gig; as peers around me were getting engaged, married and/or having kids, I was focused on landing the next big gig or saving up for some new equipment. The pandemic forced me to take a much needed break and a step back to reassess my career goals. I was lucky to have gotten to a point where I could be more selective in my gigs and more intentional with how I spend my creative energy, and generally the balance for most entrepreneurs should swing as such once they’ve been at their pursuit for awhile. That doesn’t mean I’m anywhere near where I want to be in my creative career, or that I’m stopping music altogether; but as I’ve intentionally chosen to counter-balance the craziness of the last several years with a focus on stability & health, I embrace the change of pace and the room to just live, while excitedly planning for my next creative endeavors. Being someone of many interests and more of a jack-of-all-trades gal, I’ve accepted that I will always be counter-balancing from one focus to another. I used to think my journey had to mirror that of another’s, more specifically that of someone I admired and looked up to; but I’ve learned that it should only be exactly what I want it to be and nothing else. We can define our own balance, and while my method of achieving work life balance hasn’t necessarily changed in my life, I’ve grown to accept my own approach to fulfilling it.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I’ve been a creative my whole life, but my true passion was always in music as a drummer, songwriter/producer/arranger, performer and collaborator. Since I was young, my dream in life was to travel the world playing music, to connect with people from all walks of life through music, and I am proud that I got to fulfill that dream in more ways than I could have imagined. Some of my proudest accomplishments thus far include touring with Oprah on her 2020 Visions tour for 10 weeks, and touring as a cultural ambassador with the U.S. state department in Russia 2 years in a row. It of course wasn’t easy getting there, but with time, dedication, persistence, and a constant pursuit of inspiration to keep me going, I found that little by little, what I considered achievements and milestones became more measurable and frequent, to the point where work came more frequently and in larger scale. As with any entrepreneurial pursuit, it’s always important to remember your WHY – the reason you do what you do, and ultimately, what drives you to persist in the face of difficulty. For me, my WHY in pursuing music, was to connect with, touch, and heal people from all walks of life. Music saved me in so many ways, and I wanted to be able to share that experience with others, in my lifetime and beyond. Knowing that I’m working towards creating a legacy to outlast my time here gives me the patience to let my dreams continue unfolding, but I also believe it’s important to continue learning, reassessing goals, and pushing yourself. In addition to having a strong sense of purpose, it’s important to surround yourself with people who inspire you, whether directly or by their example. It’s also important to maintain the connections you make along the way because you never know what those connections may lead to. Finally, even if you think your efforts aren’t manifesting in the ways you hoped, or that no one is noticing or watching you, it’s important to keep going, because more experience means more preparation for your big break. That saying “luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity” couldn’t be more true.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I love that in Miami you get such a wonderful mix of beach & urban life. We’d definitely go to the beach on multiple days. In Miami Beach we’d lounge in the sand somewhere in mid-beach, maybe grab sunset drinks at the 1 Beach Club or Serena rooftop. On another day, we’d bring bikes to South Pointe Pier and bike the Miami Beach boardwalk as far as North beach (if they can keep up!). We’d also check out Key Biscayne another day, pack a beachside picnic for Crandon Park, then check out the lighthouse.

Food & drink would be a very central part of their Miami tour. I live in downtown so we’d start by visiting some of my favorite spots which include Borsalino Cafe or Cafe Bastille for brunch, CVI.CHE105 for dinner, Jaguar Sun for drinks and light bites, Lost Boy for late night drinks & snacks. If it’s a Tuesday, we’d do what I call the Tuesday trifecta – buy 1 get 1 free tacos at El Primo, free drinks for ladies night at Tipsy Flamingo, $8 movie at Silverspot Cinema. Another night, we’d walk across the bridge and down to Brickell Key to have dinner at La Mar at the Mandarin Oriental while admiring one of my favorite views of the city. One of the beach days we’ll pick up a box of sorted empanadas from A Family, and another day we’d head to B Bistro for brunch. We’d go to Mister o1 for lunch or dinner, either in Brickell or Coconut Grove. In Coconut Grove we’d also do Ariete for brunch, walk around the Main Street and up to the marina. We’d pop by the book store and walk around Vizcaya Gardens. We’d spend another day in Coral Gables around miracle mile, and treat ourselves to dinner at Zucca. We’d also explore Little Havana and get lunch at Cafe Versailles. Finally, no trip would be complete without bar hopping in Wynwood. Some of my favorite spots include 1-800 Lucky, Dirty Rabbit, Oasis, NDA, Freehold, and Gramps….and we for sure would have to get tacos at The Taco Stand!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’d like to give a special shoutout to my siblings (2 sisters, 1 brother), who have always encouraged me in my many endeavors, supported me emotionally and even financially in hard times, and embraced me for who I am with all my quirks. They’re all intelligent, kind, and insanely creative, and along with providing fresh perspective and insight, they’ve also given me great ideas. Of course, we wouldn’t be who we are and where we are without the love and support of our parents. My dad taught us how to work with integrity, pushed us to constantly try new things, and taught us music. My mom encouraged us to be entrepreneurs and self-starters, showed us how to be thoughtful and kind to others, and allowed us to counter-balance discipline with fun. Together they created a loving home that cultivated the person I am today.

Website: www.isabelledeleon.net

Instagram: @thedrummerdiva

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/isabelle-de-leon/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/the.Isabelle.DeLeon

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/IsabelleDeLeonMusic

Image Credits
1) Jose Alejandro Gonzalez 6) DC Music Review