Mahalia Jean-Pierre

Mahalia Jean-Pierre is a musician, artist, and actress living in Boulder, Colorado. Although she was born in Massachusetts, she grew up in Virginia, and relocated to Colorado after graduating from a highschool centered around the performing arts . While growing up, she was in many musicals, and plays, and always found delight in making people laugh. She created an online store where she has been effectively selling her original artwork and commissioned portraits to people accross the country. She also taught herself guitar, ukulele, and piano, and often accompanies her instruments by singing. She prides herself in diligently practicing, and taking extremely good care of her voice. You will never catch her starting the day without a cozy cup of tea! 

Theatre has always been one of the most difficult, but satisfying parts of Mahalia's life. Auditioning was nervewracking, and waiting for the cast list was torture. Her first few shows landed her in the ensemble - a humbling role where she learned to work well with others and appreciate her time on stage. After a few seasons of studying the inner workings of theatre and getting comfortable in front of large audiences, she strove to become the best performer she could be. All of the hard work payed off during her last two years of high school when she was cast as a principal role in both musicals. She had more fun than she could have imagined and felt she truly earned the role of Ariel Moore in Footloose. Many people said that she owned the stage during the show. It was one of the most rewarding experiences she had, and she will always be fond of that memory. She looks forward to breaking into the theatre community in Colorado and experiencing that feeling again in a more professional setting.

Mahalia began drawing the moment she could grip a crayon, and hasn't slowed since. She started the same way many young artists do - doodling on school work, tracing her favorite cartoon characters, and getting in trouble for drawing on herself. However, something set Mahalia apart from other young artists, she had immense determination to draw as much as possible. In eighth grade, she was presented with an opportunity that undoubtedly added to the fire. She was accepted into to a high school program for visual and performing arts, was drawing more than ever, and constantly surrounded by fellow artists. As she continued sketching everything in sight, her technique and accuracy improved, her individual style emerged, and she began forming her passion for pencils. Soon thereafter, Mahalia was constantly being asked to draw portraits for anniversaries, birthdays, and graduations. At age 17, she capitalized on this demand, launched an online store called Passion for Pencils, and began selling her artwork all over the United States. She sold many pieces with a little help from word of mouth and social media marketing. This was her first taste of the business world, and she quickly realized that it is truly possible to make a living doing what you love. This realization has been the driving force in her plan to take her hobbies and turn them into a fulfilling career.

Although she has been playing guitar for 6+ years, she sold her guitars to fly out to Colorado. She spent her first few months in Colorado enjoying concerts, touring studios, and doing a great deal of karaoke. Shortly after, she recieved a ukulele as a gift, started busking on Pearl Street Mall, and exploring open mic nights around town. This has all opened her eyes to something bigger, something brighter. It is time to take music a bit more seriously; and Boulder has become the catalyst to pursuing her lifelong dreams. 

 "Mahalia does EVERYTHING! She draws, sings, acts, plays guitar, ukulele, AND she flies an airplane!!! I just made that up, but she could!" -E. Gaines