Having a Laugh
As an actor and voice actor, I've spent countless hours talking and jabbering away. So why not put my talking to good use and start a podcast? Get ready, babes, and join me for some spicy hot tea, generational TRAU-MA (Jamie Lee Curtis voice), and some hilarity. My therapist always told me I should do stand-up, and this is the closest I’ll ever get. I've also roped in some guests to join me in discussing acting, mental health, and behind-the-scenes magic. Welcome to the wild world of my podcast, where sarcasm reigns supreme and laughter is the best therapy.
https://linktr.ee/havingalaugh (FOR MORE)
Having a Laugh
#20 From Canada to the West End: Myla Carmens' Journey in the Spotlight
This week, Shayla Tharp and Myla Carmen are chatting about life in the performing arts. Myla, a talented dancer, actor, and singer, discusses their journey from Canada to London. Their experiences in productions like "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" and "Jesus Christ Superstar." They explore the ups and downs of mental health in the arts, touching on self-care, audition anxiety, and being nonbinary. This episode is filled with warmth, insight, and plenty of laughter. Join us for an exploration of creativity and connection!
Myla - https://www.instagram.com/_mylacarmen_/
Shayla - @shaylatharp_
shaylatharp.com
Having a Laugh - Instagram
Shayla Tharp (00:00)
Hey everyone, this is Shayla Tharp. You're listening to Having a Laugh and today we have Myla Carmen, a dancer, actor, singer, triple threat, recently was in Lion Witch and the Wardrobe, which I saw, and then the recent UK tour of Jesus Christ Superstar. Hi!
Myla Carmen (00:22)
Woohoo! Hi! Hey!
Shayla Tharp (00:25)
How are you? You living in London still?
Myla Carmen (00:28)
Yeah, I'm living in London, West London, whoop whoop. We're keeping it bougie, aren't we? We're keeping it bougie.
Shayla Tharp (00:32)
Ooh, yes, you've gone to the nice area.
Yeah, yeah. You were a client or maybe still are a client at Narrow Road where I worked, but I unfortunately didn't get to like interact with you too much because I worked for other agents at the thing. But I always found your journey so interesting and I was so proud when you got Lion Witch in the Wardrobe. So me and Fraser came to watch.
Myla Carmen (00:44)
Thank you.
Hey.
I remember when you guys came, it was so cute. I still got the little story that you put on narrow road. I think I screen shot it. It was so cute. But yeah, I remember you guys coming. That was so nice. That was a good memory.
Shayla Tharp (01:10)
Aww. Yeah.
How's it been for you out there? Like, you're a native Canadian, yes? When did you move to London?
Myla Carmen (01:21)
Yes, I am. So it's kind of funny to be fair, I'm probably more of a Londoner because I've been here since I was about four or five. So yeah, no, exactly. Like I've lived pretty much like southwest, west London since then. And I like as this as this goes along, you'll probably notice my my accent is a little funny.
Shayla Tharp (01:33)
Okay
We'll float, yeah.
Myla Carmen (01:50)
it's got a little got dips here and there. So yeah, you'll hear some British isms come out at some point, I'm sure. But yeah, I got my my family are all based in Canada. So yeah.
Shayla Tharp (02:06)
What made you move then to London?
Myla Carmen (02:09)
It was actually my mom's job, so just brought us over here and now we're here.
Shayla Tharp (02:16)
Cool. Are you enjoying it then? like, how is working in the industry kind of been for you? An up and down journey or how's it been going?
Myla Carmen (02:26)
I mean, for me, I've really enjoyed it. I mean, I've done some great jobs. And so I graduated in 2021, which I feel like was yesterday, but then also feel like years ago. okay, snap. So,
Shayla Tharp (02:35)
Mm
Wow. Yeah.
I think that's when I graduated, now that I think about it. Yeah. Yeah.
Myla Carmen (02:53)
Yeah, I think I did Panto first. That was my first contract. was like a two months, three months out of college. Like, so yeah, I think it was like my second audition with Adam, with Nero Road. That was really cute. And yeah, so that was like the start of it. And I just did some like corporate job things and then I did Lion Witch. And then...
Shayla Tharp (02:57)
Mm.
Aww.
Mm
Myla Carmen (03:21)
I did some commercials with a TV, I went to JCS and now I'm here. So like in a nutshell, I've had some great experiences. mean, obviously, you you have to take the good with the good, with the ugly. It's all there. But it's definitely been more good than bad and ugly.
Shayla Tharp (03:27)
Mwuh
Mm -hmm. Yeah.
I was touring for Jesus Christ Superstar.
Myla Carmen (03:48)
It was busy. It was a whirlwind. was a lot. It was no joke. Honestly, no joke. Yeah, like, so we started rehearsals August of last year and we opened in Manchester September, like, start of September, and then we finished in Cheltenham this year, August 10th, I believe, and then...
Shayla Tharp (03:50)
A whirlwind? Yeah.
Wow.
Okay.
long time.
Myla Carmen (04:17)
I hopped straight onto a flight to Canada to rest.
Shayla Tharp (04:21)
That's a long time of doing the same thing and something so physical.
Myla Carmen (04:25)
Yeah. my god, yeah. I mean, it was definitely something where you were learning along the way how to look after yourself mentally, physically, in everything in between, supporting each other as well as the cast because you can't disregard them. You're a family for like a year. All on top of each other for a year. You can't ignore them.
Shayla Tharp (04:47)
Mm -hmm.
Myla Carmen (04:54)
As much as sometimes you might want to, just because you're like, I need space, the peace. I feel like we all sort of always made sure we were supporting each other, which I think is good. But yeah, that tour was no joke. And I'm grateful for the learning experience from it.
Shayla Tharp (05:00)
Mm -hmm.
That's good.
Cool. And how was Narnia? mean, seeing the show was wonderful. It was a really well done production. I think everyone loved it. So how did you find it, since that was your first big, I guess, big stage production?
Myla Carmen (05:29)
Yeah, that, yeah man, that, line which honestly I just, when I think about it, it just makes me smile. mean, bonus, cause I'm like 20 minutes from central, it was, it's a great, great problem. But yeah, no, honestly, like the cast, creative, like everyone, I was just like, everyone was great.
Shayla Tharp (05:41)
Aww.
Mm -hmm. That's much nicer. Yeah. Yeah.
Myla Carmen (05:59)
Everyone was great. just, I don't, you have pet peeves here and there. What show doesn't? But all in all, like, just what an awesome show to do every night with such a lovely, such lovely people supporting you. And then, you know, also like covering the lead. was like, this is silly. This is, is.
Shayla Tharp (06:07)
Yeah.
Mm -hmm.
You
Myla Carmen (06:26)
This is This is wild. I go on stage and I get paid to look like a mess. Sometimes a 12 year old kid from the 19 what 30s is it? Something like that. it was just silly in all the good ways you can think of because it was just so much fun and you know you get to fly and they're even seeing kids faces in the audience.
Shayla Tharp (06:33)
Yep.
Something.
you
Yeah.
Myla Carmen (06:54)
I'm sorry, you kidding? Like, the big wide eyes and their wonder, because they genuinely believe we're flying. They believe like the witch is really like mean and like the cruel, which were like her sort of lackeys were like these. had like, some of them had like these horrible like masks. I'm like, yeah, they're like, they're scary. Yeah, no, I know. Like, I remember my mom, like these are scary.
Shayla Tharp (06:58)
Ugh.
Yeah.
like, ooh.
Myla Carmen (07:24)
I just remember this kid slap bang in the middle of the front row when we had these masks on and he was hiding underneath his mom's cardigan next to him. And it was just, and he was so dramatic about it. He sort of went underneath and sort of went back under and I was like, you are the cutest thing, I hope you go into drama. But yeah, no.
It was just all kinds of good that show. The music and the dance and you know, shout out to Tali for the choreography and Javon as well. They were awesome with the creation for the show was awesome.
Shayla Tharp (08:07)
It was really beautiful.
It was beautiful. So in your childhood, did you always want to be like a performer or dancer? What were you doing?
Myla Carmen (08:19)
I mean, I've got plenty of pictures from my mom of me in tutus and ballet slippers. like, apparently, so like, we lived in Vancouver when I was little, and I would just wander around like in my tutu. Like, she let me dress myself. So I was always in my ballet slippers and tutu. But yeah, I...
There was never like a defining moment where I was like, this is it. This is what I'm gonna do. I was just like, I enjoy this. I wanna dance. So my mom, know, was taking me to dance classes, you know, doing that. And then I was like, I like acting. I think I wanna try that, like try that out a bit more. So was going to acting classes, like, you know, like after school, like drama club and stuff. And then the music, like,
Shayla Tharp (08:51)
Yeah.
Mm.
Myla Carmen (09:12)
I was going to do music either way. Part of my family are very musical and it was always a big part. My uncle is a pianist and he's also a piano teacher. My other uncle, I he's still, I'm not sure, he's still working for Coldplay. He looks after the pianos. It's all very piano -orientated.
Shayla Tharp (09:15)
Really?
Bye.
Myla Carmen (09:38)
Yeah, it was always a big part. My mom always made sure I was listening to all the great artists, like Billie Holiday, Simone, The Beatles, everything. Everything good and everything in between, all of it. So to some capacity, music was going to be part of my life. But yeah, just remember, think at one stage, I was like, I like doing it all.
Shayla Tharp (09:56)
Yeah.
Myla Carmen (10:05)
Hold on, wait, you can do it all at the same time? I've got to try this out. And that must have been when I was about 12, 13. then I auditioned for what is now BYMT. It was YMT back then, British Youth Music Theatre, for one of their musicals. And I got in and I did that. That was like amdram.
Shayla Tharp (10:08)
Mm -hmm. Yeah.
Mm
Myla Carmen (10:34)
like summer thing. I at the Lillian Baylor studio next to South as well as I did my first musical which was a dance opera about women in sweat factories. Yeah, it was heavy, but it was good music and it was good dance and I'm still in touch with people from it. Like one of my good friends, we're both in musical theatre and we're smashing it. So it feels good to be like
Shayla Tharp (10:46)
All right.
Myla Carmen (11:03)
This is weird, like, we were like when we were like, fetuses and now now we're doing exactly what we enjoy doing. it's yeah, it's just awesome to be able to have, I don't want to say fallen in, but in some sense, fallen into something that I enjoy doing. I always had the thought in my head that whatever job it is I do, it's just as long as I enjoy it, then I'm happy.
Shayla Tharp (11:04)
Yeah.
Ha
Mm -hmm.
Myla Carmen (11:32)
I just, couldn't work in an office. That was never gonna happen. So as long as I'm happy with the way I kept my paycheck.
Shayla Tharp (11:36)
Yeah.
Yeah, I think narrow road was the first office job I'd ever had and it was like the only thing I'd like allow myself to do because it was still within the industry. So I was like, okay, fine. And I did end up enjoying it. So it was perfectly fine. But yeah, I would be like, I'm not going near a desk. It's not happening.
Myla Carmen (11:46)
Really.
Yeah.
Yeah
Yeah.
Yeah, I mean, feel like narrow roads probably the for someone who doesn't like a desk job probably the one of the better places to work because it's like Everyone seems so lovely there. I mean, obviously like I know Adam the most from there
Shayla Tharp (12:09)
It was perfect. It was perfect.
Yeah. Adam, yeah. Everyone was great. The job was great. Like learning all the clients was wonderful and seeing all the clients was wonderful. Seeing everybody's work and I got to see such a wide array of productions and so it was like kind of best of both worlds. It spoiled me a little bit. Little bit.
Myla Carmen (12:37)
Yeah, I can. little bit, little bit.
Shayla Tharp (12:43)
Has your family then been very supportive of your journey through this?
Myla Carmen (12:46)
Yeah, yeah, for sure. Like, I mean, I'm sure sometimes I must have thought I was absolutely nuts. mean, I was, I some left school at 15. Like I did year 10, but then I left school I was at to to homeschool myself so I could have more time to do my music and my dance.
Shayla Tharp (12:54)
Yeah.
Mm.
Myla Carmen (13:14)
which is wild when I look back I'm like that I didn't do this thank god it worked out I got my the rest of my GCSEs and stuff but but totally worth it like I mean that was awesome to be able to have the give myself the discipline have the discipline to do what I wanted to do creatively and feed like me
Shayla Tharp (13:17)
Yeah, that's wild.
Yeah.
Myla Carmen (13:44)
and then also get done what is required by me from the government. But to spend as little time on that as possible, you know? So, yeah, no, they've been great. Like my mom is my biggest supporter. Like she was the one taking me to all of these like auditions for this scholarship, this Amdram production, this...
Shayla Tharp (13:49)
Yeah, very true.
Yeah.
Myla Carmen (14:12)
whatnot, like helping me out with bursaries and everything, everything. I, yeah. So, and you know, like that's a lot. That's a lot. so yeah, no kudos to her and a bit more than that, but yeah, I would support it. I really appreciate like everything she did for me in my teens and when I was younger, like, cause I would just be like, I want to do that.
Shayla Tharp (14:31)
We love a supportive parent. We love it.
Myla Carmen (14:41)
And she'd be like, all right, and then find whatever it was that I wanted to do, like find a class or something. I'll give her a text, I'll give her a text.
Shayla Tharp (14:46)
Does she want to be my mom?
Thanks. Give me a little shout out. during your journey through all of this, have you had any kind of mental health battles? Have you struggled with yourself at all? Like has it, for me, you know, it was always a mental battle more between me and myself.
rather than the outside forces. Yeah, how has it been for you?
Myla Carmen (15:11)
Mm.
Yeah, I feel like it's probably more of like, you know, I mean, I know I'm very aware I set myself these stupidly high standards. My mom likes to remind me daily. yeah, calm down, go sleep. And like, you know, it's never gonna be plain sailing, that's for sure.
Shayla Tharp (15:27)
Mm -hmm.
It's like, calm it down.
Myla Carmen (15:42)
so with like, with that, like mental health and stuff, mean, I've always been, I've always put a lot of pressure on myself. But then also I feel like I've always been very much someone who's like, I'm doing this. This is what I'm going to do. And I feel like that's put me in a good stand, like for the industry. So I haven't been, taken advantage of, especially like as a graduate, like if I felt this wasn't right, I'd
Shayla Tharp (15:58)
Yeah.
Mmm.
Myla Carmen (16:11)
usually like I'd be on the phone to add him or I'd say something like just be like, it's what? No? so for my mental health, I feel like that's really helped. it's just, it's just knowing like, you know, when you need to give yourself the time to be like, well, I feel a bit crap or can you swear? Sorry.
Shayla Tharp (16:14)
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah, yeah, go ahead.
Myla Carmen (16:38)
I was like, god! I like, yeah, I a bit shit. like, fuck, this is not good. like, there was a part, there was a time in JCS where like, my god, that was, not fucking joke, like I said. And like, you know, it's a crucifixion you're seeing on stage every day. You're pushing your body to over the limit.
Shayla Tharp (16:41)
Yeah
Mm.
Yeah.
Myla Carmen (17:06)
And you know, on top of that, you're touring weekly in a different city weekly and different digs weekly. Sometimes the digs don't work out. You need do your food. need to, you're probably doing an audition or something as well. Like you've probably got a self tape or something. So it's, yeah, there was one point like sort of winter time where I was just like, this is a lot. And I just got really, really fucking tired. And you just have to take.
Shayla Tharp (17:13)
Mm
Yeah.
Myla Carmen (17:33)
make sure you take the time for yourself to heal and recuperate because
Shayla Tharp (17:38)
What are some of the things you do then?
Myla Carmen (17:41)
I do a lot of sleeping. That's the main main main thing. what do I do? I do I guess like I do a lot of what my what's like comfort for me. So I drink a lot of tea. I'm very British. So yeah, I drink
Shayla Tharp (17:43)
yes. Big fan, big fan.
That's perfectly fine. Yup. Very normal.
Myla Carmen (18:05)
Sort of in terms of like physically looking after myself would be like drinking love to you eating good food like Home bless my mom. She loves to cook. So she was like feeding me some good meals Like she'd do like fish a fish curry She did pad thai things like that Looking after my body as well as stretching doing yoga really helps I do a lot of yoga that definitely
Shayla Tharp (18:11)
Mm -hmm.
Yeah.
Myla Carmen (18:33)
It's kind of like a form of meditation for me. My brain goes at like 5 million miles per hour. So that's kind of like a chance for it to stop for just at least five minutes. And what else do I do? I keep a diary. I keep a diary. Which I think I haven't done for... I haven't done that for a long time. I've only started that this year actually. And I've noticed it's really helpful.
Shayla Tharp (18:35)
yeah.
Mm
Myla Carmen (19:01)
So I do recommend, because I think it's more because I know with my brain it just, I'm like, yeah, yeah, yeah, that's what I'm constantly. So I'm like, maybe I should just word vomit onto a page for a bit. Yeah, that's actually sort of shut it up a bit. I'm going through like my routine and like thinking about what do I do? I go to the gym. I love going to the gym.
Shayla Tharp (19:09)
Ha ha ha ha.
Yes, do it.
Mm -hmm. Yup.
Yeah.
Myla Carmen (19:29)
And I like that's like so cathartic for me, which is a bit wild.
Shayla Tharp (19:35)
It just like, yeah, cause your job is like kind of a workout already.
Myla Carmen (19:38)
Yeah, with Drew McHoney's JCS, mean, his choreography was designed from the get -go, the top of the show, to exhaust you. So I don't know how, but I was going to the gym about two, three times a week. But I think it's because I just enjoyed it. was like, some people like to meditate, I like to go to the gym. But I mean, also, you need to know when you need to rest.
Shayla Tharp (19:49)
Ugh.
Mm
That's fair enough, very fair.
Myla Carmen (20:07)
And that's, think, a part of looking at yourself and when, especially when you're feeling a little bit shit, a little lower, like I was feeling sort of winter time last year. So I wasn't doing like a lot of gym. I was more just taking the time to watch Netflix and enjoy that. Because also like with our industry, like acting and stuff, you can watch some really good movies and take some notes from that. Like that's still something beneficial.
Shayla Tharp (20:14)
Mm -hmm.
Mm.
Yeah.
Mm -hmm.
Myla Carmen (20:34)
I was mainly doing that, taking hot baths, doing bubble baths, going to Lush, getting a nice bubble bath. And yeah, I think those were the main things, because I was just like, when my body needs rest, I really try to not do anything. And so I'm just vegetating, so I let my brain and my body just... Honestly, yeah.
Shayla Tharp (20:40)
huh.
Listen.
That's probably the best thing to do. mean, do you have a lot of - do you ever have anxiety for auditions or anything like that? How do you feel with those? Yeah. Yeah, I was gonna say, I don't think I've ever not been anxious.
Myla Carmen (21:08)
Yeah, for sure for sure it doesn't get any better after three years
No! think when I'm not anxious, it means I could not care less about the job and that's worrying. So, that's... bear in mind, rarely happens. those jobs are more the ones I go and I'm like, I need the money, so I should go in for this. Yeah, so... Yeah, for sure. I mean, I literally had...
Shayla Tharp (21:19)
It's just like, it's there.
Yes, yes.
Mm.
Myla Carmen (21:46)
an audition yesterday and I was getting butterflies in my stomach. I'm like, Myla Carmen, how many auditions have you done? Just this year alone, how many have you done? And I was like, God, what's gonna happen? I'm like, you know exactly what's gonna happen. We've practiced the choreo. You've got your sheet music ready. You know what you're gonna sing. You've got your makeup on. You look good. You look good. Yeah, you're like Good.
Shayla Tharp (22:07)
huh.
You look good.
Myla Carmen (22:15)
so it's like, there's only so much I can do. So I usually on my way to auditions, I'll like blast music in my ears. I've got my good old headphones. and I'll probably listen to like Motley Crue, which is, I feel so left field for people. Yeah, it works for me. it's like, yeah. and then when I get to audition, I'm like, yeah, I'm ready.
Shayla Tharp (22:20)
Yeah.
Mm -hmm.
hype. That is so left field, but it works. Yeah.
Nyaaah!
Myla Carmen (22:45)
I need to go in with that because otherwise I'm just not gonna know. But also one random song that I fucking love is this Disney song called Nobody Like You from Turning Red. Okay, everyone needs to listen to this song because it's great. It's such a hype song.
Shayla Tharp (22:50)
Yeah, no, you need the energy.
Ha ha!
I have not seen it, but I'm gonna put it in your playlist for...
Nobody like you.
Myla Carmen (23:15)
I really hope I got that right. Nobody... Turning red? Is it... It's definitely called Nobody Like You. I need to check this. I'm fully checking this. I'm worried. Yeah, Nobody Like You. But you, like as in just the letter U, Disney and Pixar's Turning Red, which is actually set in Toronto, where I was born.
Shayla Tharp (23:17)
From where? Red? We're turning red.
I don't know, but I'm putting it in your thing. In my notes for later.
Okay.
so it's giving you that fuel.
Myla Carmen (23:46)
Yeah, yeah, it's giving me, yeah, it's probably like 2000s vibe, vibe. And it's like, you're never not on my mind, my mind, my mind, you're never not by my side. So it's so, it's such a good bop to go into an audition too. And it's like really like, especially if you're doing like a dance audition and like sort of get yourself hyped up for that. So yeah.
Shayla Tharp (23:50)
giving life.
nice.
I don't think people understand the kind of toll musical auditions take on people because you gotta, I mean, that's why I didn't have, the people I worked for, hardly had musical clients because they, it's just like, it's so hard. You guys have to memorize not only the scripts and the scenes, but also the choreography, the songs, and then have like 400 callbacks. And then like, it's just utter insanity.
Myla Carmen (24:25)
Thank
Yeah.
Yeah, yeah, it's... I'm so used to it. I'm so used to it at this point. When I go into like, I don't know, audition for like a commercial or something for TV, like a screen job or just plain acting, and it's just... It's more actually like the plain acting ones where then you go in and it's more like a workshop.
Shayla Tharp (24:39)
Well, let me tell you that's crazy. That's nuts.
One and
Myla Carmen (25:05)
and they're like, you don't need to prepare anything or anything. And I'm like, what? Are you sure? Like, I'm so suspicious. so like, I've missed something. I usually get on the phone to Adam, like, are you sure? Can you check? Because I'm, what should I bring my tap shoes? I'm ready, I'm ready. And no, I just remember going in and majority of people were like more just actors.
Shayla Tharp (25:10)
The sus, yeah. Yeah.
Are you?
Yeah.
Myla Carmen (25:31)
So they were in casual wear, really chilled, had the, taking their shoes off? What? I was there, face on, hair done, in a cute outfit, ready to do a box split if I need to. And it was just like, we're just gonna start with walking around the room and maybe just do a bit of streaking yourself out.
Shayla Tharp (25:36)
Yep, it's a different breed. Different breed!
Ready.
First of all, I hate that.
Myla Carmen (26:00)
It reminds me of Andrea. I'm like, okay, I'm ready. I've warmed up. I'm here to do what you want me to do. The main thing, the main course. I don't need the starter. So when it was just like, like, just like that, and then I walked and then there was like, great, thanks, bye. And we just let me know like, part things or whatever. I was like, that's it? Like, are they not gonna like
Shayla Tharp (26:01)
Like, ugh. Yeah, just, come on.
Exactly.
I hate that. I don't need the appetizer, thank you.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Myla Carmen (26:30)
run back and be like, we forgot, we were meant to teach you a cool choreo, cool things, like, you know, Hamilton or something. Nothing. So, my God, I really really do. Yeah, there you go.
Shayla Tharp (26:35)
Nope.
Nope. Yeah. That's why I do it.
That's why I do it. I had learned so much more respect for musical theater people when I worked there. I was like, don't know how y 'all doing this. It's too much.
Myla Carmen (26:50)
Thank
Well, I prefer it. You know what, I think, I don't know if it's because I'm used to it, I prefer it. But I just, yeah, I like it. Because you're going into the audition knowing what you're going to do. for like, you know, Hamilton, they give you some street music and then you're like, cool, I'm doing this. And it will be only this. And sometimes I might be like, we want to hear like, you know, your range. So they do a little scale.
Shayla Tharp (26:59)
I think it's because you're used to it.
Mm.
That's fair. Yeah.
Yeah.
Myla Carmen (27:23)
But like, it's a lot more structured and I'm someone who really likes organization. So I, yeah, that's probably why.
Shayla Tharp (27:23)
It's a lot more structured. Yeah.
Fair enough, fair enough. You are also my first non -binary interview. Yee! I mean, I'm a she -they, Blake. It's not as cool. I'm kind of fake.
Myla Carmen (27:38)
Yes, baby!
okay.
Shayla Tharp (27:51)
I know. It's kind of like when you're bisexual, like me, and people are like, well, you're not gay, so like, it's not good enough.
Myla Carmen (27:57)
But then you still use the title. Someone goes, are you gay? You still say yes. You know what mean? Yeah. I feel like only the queer community get that. Anyone that's not in the queer community is like, but you said what? No. It's like, yes. Yes.
Shayla Tharp (28:03)
Yes, yeah, absolutely. I, yeah, yeah.
Yeah, no, it's just, yeah, all encompassing.
And how has your journey to finding your non -binary -ness been?
Myla Carmen (28:24)
Yeah, I don't even know it was it's not really much of a journey. I can't lie. I mean it's Like this is that's me
Shayla Tharp (28:30)
Just kind of woke up and was like, yeah.
Right? It just sounds like that's how it felt for me. I was just like, yeah, that seems more accurate. Yeah.
Myla Carmen (28:39)
Yeah, exactly. It was just like, this is a better, more accurate description. Right? Take it or leave it. Like, I never have and never will make a thing of it. I just don't see the point. Like, it was never a thing of I need to come out or do anything. It's just, this is it. Like, you know, like someone paints their nails. they're green today!
Shayla Tharp (28:47)
Mm -hmm.
Mm -hmm.
Myla Carmen (29:05)
Like, you know, I, yeah. I like, that's probably not the answer you want.
Shayla Tharp (29:06)
Yeah.
No, no, it's that makes sense. And I think it's also kind of a little bit cult, not cultural, but I mean, in UK, it seemed like people were much more accepting than here in the States. Yeah, when I was in the UK and I think I remember getting the call from you and Adam was like, Mila is going to be using they them pronouns now. And we were all just like, okay, like, cool. Great.
Myla Carmen (29:25)
really okay.
Hmm.
Alright. Yeah. Yeah.
Shayla Tharp (29:43)
And here, the states you mention, and it could be just where I live, which is the horrible Midwestern ideal, you know, and people, they don't like that. They do not like that. I don't know if they're threatened by it or what, but yeah, it's a very different vibe and I really appreciate it in the UK, just no one cared.
Myla Carmen (29:50)
Right. Right.
Really?
Okay.
Yeah, this is the thing, think like, I'm so very much of that mindset of like, alright, like, when people make such a big thing of it, I'm really, I'm sorry, in the most respectful way, I do not care.
Shayla Tharp (30:22)
Yeah, like, I don't understand why it's, why does it matter to you? Why, wha -
Myla Carmen (30:27)
Like, as long as it's a good description of how, like, you're comfortable with a description of yourself and that's how you want to be present yourself and that's what makes you happy, that's the only, that's the main thing. Like, otherwise we don't need to make a big thing about it, you know? So, I don't know, maybe like in the States it's more, like, maybe like New York might be a bit different. I mean, I've never been there.
Shayla Tharp (30:38)
Mm
Mm -hmm.
think New York, LA, they're probably on board. But yeah, in the middle, they still need some work. They need some work. Like I'll figure it out.
Myla Carmen (30:59)
Right. I mean, also, I would say London is not a good representation of the rest of the UK. Like, especially after touring for the last year, London is its own country. Like, honestly, it's its own country. It does not, even like the main cities, no more functions like London. Like, I love going to like Bristol, Manchester, Birmingham. Like, they were nice cities to go to, but
Shayla Tharp (31:07)
yeah, that's very true. Yeah.
Myla Carmen (31:29)
Like for me, it was transport. That was the stress because I'm so used to being like, I need to go now. And I don't need to check when the train or when the bus is coming because they come every few minutes. Even when I'm in like Manchester or like those cities, Scotland, like Edinburgh, love Edinburgh. Like you have to check and
Shayla Tharp (31:33)
Yeah.
Hop on
Mm -hmm.
You gotta plan it out.
Yeah.
Myla Carmen (31:59)
I remember when I was in Liverpool, I was a bit far out from the centre and the buses only came every half hour. I didn't realise that because I was like, I'll go now. I saw that the bus... It's like, it's not going until... I just missed one, so it's not coming for another. I'm going to be late to work. That was totally my fault. I should have checked right before, not like...
Shayla Tharp (32:08)
Ugh.
Myla Carmen (32:27)
before I was heading out the door. So I had to get an Uber.
Shayla Tharp (32:28)
Yeah.
It even kind of, once you get like past zone six even in London, the transport, you're like,
Myla Carmen (32:35)
Right? Yeah, yeah. No, exactly. Like, yeah, London, think it's great because it's so, so diverse, very accepting. It's just a melting pot of cultures and wonderful people. You know, there really is good, bad, in London, like everywhere. But in terms of like, you know, the queer community, it's very, it's very accepting. That's sort of the overall, overall.
Shayla Tharp (32:50)
I loved it.
Yeah.
Myla Carmen (33:05)
I mean everywhere has got its problems, but yeah, I definitely wouldn't say London speaks for the rest of the UK because Hull, let me tell you that's like wow. Wow, that's the best way to describe it. No hate on anyone from Hull, but it ain't London. That's not London.
Shayla Tharp (33:08)
Yeah.
That's true. That's like, wow.
Yeah.
But yeah, yeah. I mean, yeah, I lived in Essex for a little bit as well and that was even a struggle. I was like, I need to get in further and closer to my peeps.
Myla Carmen (33:32)
Okay. Really okay. Yeah, I I've been through some areas of Essex. My aunt and uncle live in a nice part of it. And I just know, so I just sort of see it as a really pretty place. But I know that's not, yeah, I know that's not all of Essex, but I'm always like, it's pretty. It's a nice little bit away.
Shayla Tharp (33:50)
It was pretty. Absolutely. Yeah. Yup. Absolutely. Yeah. I love London and I would love to move back, but the country wouldn't give me another visa. So I know. I know. I tried for the, the, what is it? The talent one, but like not the exceptional talent, but like
Myla Carmen (34:07)
Yeah! What do you think? man.
Right.
Shayla Tharp (34:18)
the one before that, a promising talent. And I was literally on a West End show and they denied me. And I was like, but it was called Tony and Tina. It was like at Wonderville, yeah. And yeah, I was literally like, what do you mean? What do you mean? I'm on the stage. What? I've literally...
Myla Carmen (34:20)
I'm missing down K.
I'm showing one.
man.
Yeah! I've won the work! I've worked! Like, you must be!
Shayla Tharp (34:46)
And I had already lived there for like four years. I'd got my masters there. I've worked, I've paid taxes. I was like, what do you...
Myla Carmen (34:53)
That's the bit where we're angry. I pay taxes! I pay my money! That's wild. No. Yeah.
Shayla Tharp (34:57)
I paid my taxes. You let me in. And so they were like, no, get out. Yeah, get out. So I got out. Now I'm going to go to LA. Give that a go, you know, but my heart is still London. Yeah, I don't know. mean, I wasn't raised there, but for some reason.
Myla Carmen (35:11)
Yeah. Ooh, how fun there!
Hmm.
It hurts London.
Shayla Tharp (35:24)
Those four to five years I spent there were just, it changes you there. I think it's just the culmination of all the diverse people and just everyone's going. It's a lively place and the transport's lovely. I didn't have to have a car and pay for gas. I just loved.
Myla Carmen (35:28)
Yeah? What's favorite part of London?
Wonderful.
See you.
Shayla Tharp (35:50)
everything and it's so beautiful and I just felt so free. It was just a lovely place. I absolutely loved it.
Myla Carmen (35:55)
Mm.
Yeah, that's good to hear. mean, I'm sure down the line at some point you'll be able to come and live here again. Because surely, like, if you can get, like, a working permit. I don't know how it works, but...
Shayla Tharp (36:05)
I'll probably be back.
Yeah, I don't either. I just figured I'll have to marry someone at this point.
Myla Carmen (36:17)
Yeah, yeah, okay, I'll help you on that quest. I mean, big bonus.
Shayla Tharp (36:20)
thanks. Thanks. Yeah, I'm not above it. I will do it. Yeah. So I would love to ask you some rapid fire questions if you're
Myla Carmen (36:34)
gosh, Hey
Shayla Tharp (36:35)
Alrighty. What is something people get wrong about you?
Myla Carmen (36:39)
gosh, rapid fire.
Shayla Tharp (36:42)
You can go into as much detail as you want. I always say rapid fire and then I spend like an hour talking.
Myla Carmen (36:46)
And I'm like, I don't know. One thing people get wrong... you know what? Everyone thinks I'm a vegan.
Shayla Tharp (36:58)
Okay, honestly, I was gonna ask you that earlier and then I forgot about it, so. Just kidding.
Myla Carmen (37:03)
Just to to just to make people slightly uncomfortable in a way because they go I was like, are you? Everyone is always like, are you vegan? I go why because I'm I didn't I just I'm like No, I'm not vegan I mean, I don't eat a lot of meat. I like my fish. I love prawns. love prawns
Shayla Tharp (37:09)
I could have sworn you were vegan.
They go hand in hand.
Yeah. Love a good prawn.
Myla Carmen (37:32)
But I really respect all the vegans out there because they are doing a solid for climate change.
Shayla Tharp (37:38)
Yeah, I tried it and I was like, alright, I tried.
Myla Carmen (37:42)
Yeah, yeah, I mean, there's enough meat alternatives, so I'm kind of like, I don't see the point eating meat.
Shayla Tharp (37:48)
Well, especially in the UK, that's another thing I loved. The alternatives for food were so nice. Like, I actually ate a lot more vegan foods, just because of the options.
Myla Carmen (38:00)
Well, it is so good. Like, if you find the right places, like, there's so many good places that are vegan or vegetarian and the options are brilliant. it's like, yeah. But outside of London, different story.
Shayla Tharp (38:10)
Yeah. And here that's like.
That's what I'm saying. Like I've been back in the Midwest and I gained all this weight just because I don't have any like the healthy options anymore. I'm just like, what's going on? I miss it. What is your guilty pleasure TV show?
Myla Carmen (38:25)
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
Brooklyn Nine -Nine. Yeah. you see the vampire diaries during lockdown, I will binge the whole series. All of them. All of them. I'm sure it be the last.
Shayla Tharp (38:33)
Okay, solid. Solid.
You are not the first person to come on here and say vampire diaries.
That's true. I feel like I gotta watch it now because now yeah now you're just backing it up
Myla Carmen (38:52)
Honestly, you'll be hooked. You get invested. It's worth it in a guilty pleasure way.
Shayla Tharp (38:59)
Yeah. What was your favorite childhood movie?
Myla Carmen (39:03)
language in the wardrobe. I kid you not, cannot, yeah, no, I remember sitting in front of the TV, rewinding again and again when Lucy steps through the wardrobe and I got to do that as well. What?
Shayla Tharp (39:04)
Which is so sweet!
Eww, my cold heart.
Myla Carmen (39:22)
Yeah, yeah,
Shayla Tharp (39:25)
That's so sweet. full circle for you. I love that. What was your last Google search?
Myla Carmen (39:34)
who is Rob Brydon? think his name is. He's a Welsh actor, comedian. I think, like, stand up, like, host or something as well. Yeah. I'm sorry, but now I know who he is. So yeah, it's all good.
Shayla Tharp (39:38)
And who is Rob?
I'm sorry, Rob. Sorry about it. Yeah, go to karaoke song.
Myla Carmen (39:59)
Probably for non -blondes, what's up?
Shayla Tharp (40:01)
I don't even know what that is. Yeah, give me a little, give me a little. yeah.
Myla Carmen (40:03)
No, no, you do. You do. You just don't know. I said, hey, there you go. Yeah.
Shayla Tharp (40:11)
I said hey! We're known! That's perfect, perfect. What's one thing you're exceptionally bad at?
Myla Carmen (40:23)
numbers any honestly if it's not one two three four five six seven eight forget it forget it honestly like genuinely people like people god yeah so i'm gonna get eight of these but okay eight times eight was eight i'm like don't look at me don't look at me i dropped that shit the minute i like yeah like you know what was that find x i'm like
Shayla Tharp (40:26)
Also not the first person to say that.
You're out.
Mmm.
Yeah.
Myla Carmen (40:53)
Mate X is right there, I don't know what you want me to do. Or, nah, none of it, none of it, nah, I can't, can't. And I never will, and that's fine by me.
Shayla Tharp (40:54)
It's gone. Yeah.
Yeah, no, I'm right there with ya. What's one thing you're exceptionally good at?
Myla Carmen (41:07)
I mean
Shayla Tharp (41:08)
Ha!
Myla Carmen (41:11)
job you know.
Shayla Tharp (41:13)
No, I think you're Yeah.
Myla Carmen (41:16)
I'm quite good at it.
Maybe outside of my job. Nah, I don't know, man. I'm really good at my job. I mean, you know, I've been working for a while now, so it's good. But I'm good at clicking my knuckles.
Shayla Tharp (41:27)
then that's great.
Myla Carmen (41:33)
I do that a lot. Yeah. I'm sorry to whoever does not like that sound. I know my uncle hates it. anytime. Yeah, like my uncle, honestly hates it. Like I will do it because I just do it. I don't even realize I'm doing it and he'll literally like stop. Like he hates it.
Shayla Tharp (41:35)
Right on, so do I. I should have a degree in that, honestly.
I'll never understand that, because I love it. I'm like, hmm.
-huh.
Do you have any regrets? Nar. Good. Why would ya? No, I wouldn't say regrets. I would have done some things differently, but like... Meh.
Myla Carmen (41:59)
No, no, I don't think you do. No. Do?
Yeah, that's a good way to put it. There's things I would have done differently, that's I wouldn't I wouldn't know I should have done them differently if I didn't go through that experience. So I'm like, no, I don't regret it. Yeah.
Shayla Tharp (42:14)
Yeah.
hindsight.
Exactly. Yeah. Do you have a favorite celebrity you've ever encountered?
Myla Carmen (42:27)
Celeste. Celeste was really nice. Little me. Little must have been 16 year old me. Me and my mate stumbled onto her doing like a, must have been like some sort of live recording concert kind of thing under a bridge somewhere. I honestly couldn't tell you where.
Shayla Tharp (42:33)
Where did you see them?
Of course.
Myla Carmen (42:55)
sort of like, I think just after her sort of come up, so she was sort of gaining traction. And we stumbled across her and I was like, this person's, I didn't know who she was at the time, bear in mind. So I was like, this person's awesome. This is really cool. I really like her music. So I fully went up to her and was like, hey, you're really cool. Can I work with you?
Shayla Tharp (42:58)
Mm -hmm.
Mm -hmm.
Sleigh.
like
Myla Carmen (43:23)
Obviously, there's security guards galore around her. And she's like, yeah, sure. She dealt with that situation so well. And I really respect her for that. Because me, if I was in that position, I would have been like, mate, Go away, I don't know who you are. She was like, yeah, sure. What's your email? I gave her my Instagram because I think my email's been dodgy. I remember my email having issues at that time. So I gave her my Instagram. Obviously, never heard from her.
Shayla Tharp (43:37)
Back up.
Mm
Myla Carmen (43:51)
But the way she dealt with that situation, I really appreciated it. She was just like, sure, thanks so much for saying my music's good and stuff, take care. And me being like, I did so good, we're gonna work together, it's gonna be so cool. And then obviously, I must've been like six months, a year late or something, she's on BBC News, she's on the Jules Holland show. And I'm like, shit, that's her? Damn, wow.
Shayla Tharp (43:54)
Yeah.
And you're just like, whoops.
Right on.
Myla Carmen (44:21)
Little me, come on. I would not have the balls or the gut to do that now.
Shayla Tharp (44:28)
Aww, yeah, no, once you get a little older you realize you're like, that was... Yeah.
Myla Carmen (44:32)
Yeah, that's a little wild. You know, I met Stormzy as well and he was really sweet. mean, briefly, but he seemed, you know, chill. Like he was, he didn't have that air, he was like, I'm a big deal, don't touch me. Like he was just like, He came to Lion Witch. came to Lion Witch. There's a photo of me with, next to him, like the whole, where he took a picture of the cast. He's got his arm around me, he's like,
Shayla Tharp (44:36)
how was that?
Mm
Yeah.
Aww, that's crazy!
It's so weird.
Myla Carmen (45:01)
I'm tall, I'm five foot ten. But this guy's a giant. He must have been about six foot. He must have about six foot. Because he's like, his shoulder, like that's where his shoulder was. And my head was like here. And he his arm around me. And I was there my little mouse costume like, what? I could have been Moulin Rouge. I could have been in something. And I could have been look so good. I'm in a kilt with a tail and ears on my head.
Shayla Tharp (45:06)
Izzy!
Darn!
Okay, Shaq.
What?
and you're just a mouse.
Myla Carmen (45:31)
Like, you know, it's not the getup I wanted to meet Stormzy in, but what can you do? He was nice, he was good.
Shayla Tharp (45:33)
That's so funny.
No, not ideal. Not ideal. I've been trying to show my American friends some Stormzy, but they're just like, okay. And I'm like, come on.
Myla Carmen (45:47)
Right. No, I, yeah, I feel like it's especially because of like the slang and stuff. He's always showing, I was showing a comedian, this Moe Gilligan, I don't know if you've heard of him. He's this British comedian from London. And obviously he uses a lot of like London slang, very like Rhodes. He's like, so yeah, I'm not gonna try and impersonate Like that would offend a lot of people.
Shayla Tharp (45:55)
Yeah.
That's fine.
Myla Carmen (46:16)
And he's brilliant. He's so funny. But obviously, I've grown up with this slang. My friends, like me and my mates, like I understand it. I've been surrounded by it high school, all of that. So I get it. And to my ear, it's normal. But then I was showing it to my uncle and my cousins in Canada. And I was like, this guy is so funny. I showing them a sketch of him. They're like, what is he saying? Because he's like, man's big bad.
Shayla Tharp (46:29)
Mm -hmm.
Myla Carmen (46:43)
And I was like, and I, that's hilarious. Like, I get that. But they were like, they were like, what? What is this thing? Like, can we get English translation? And I was like, no, no, no, no. Yeah, but if you, if you need good entertainment, Mo Gilligan talking about the apocalypse, because this is like just before COVID became like a thing.
Shayla Tharp (46:49)
Maybe.
They're like, can we get subtitles?
No. You either get it or you don't.
spot on.
Myla Carmen (47:12)
It was hilarious. It's just him, you know, talking about like, you know, when like toilet paper, all the toilet paper like disappears. And he was like, why is everyone taking toilet paper above? You know, yeah, it was, yeah. man, people left, right and center taking toilet paper, man.
Shayla Tharp (47:19)
Yeah. Yeah.
Bruv? Bruv? Yeah. I was there during COVID. That was a wild time in the UK. I mean...
Taking toilet paper, toilet roll, everything, everything. I felt like our rules also in the UK were much stricter than so many other places. Like here, like when I came back, I was like, what do mean y 'all haven't been locked down for like a year and haven't seen anybody? What do you mean?
Myla Carmen (47:47)
Really?
What do you mean you've been enjoying your life?
Shayla Tharp (47:58)
Yeah, my mom was like, I haven't isolated a day at all. And I was like, I've been alone for like a year.
Myla Carmen (48:06)
But I mean, it was a thing. yeah. But I think that's funny because I feel like the government took it seriously but not took it seriously because me and my mom were looking at the world news. So we're looking at how they were dealing with it in like Asia, so like China and Japan. they were so strict, and like Australia as well. They were so strict with it. Like I can remember reading about Australia and they were...
Shayla Tharp (48:10)
It was rough.
yeah.
Mm
Yes.
Myla Carmen (48:35)
they dealt with it I think quite well because they just dealt with it really quickly like right this is gonna become a big problem if we don't deal with the smaller but still big problem now. So yeah, they dealt with it a lot better than the UK. Yeah, was part of the problem.
Shayla Tharp (48:46)
huh.
Well, we had Boris, so... Yeah, I mean...
Myla Carmen (49:01)
What? Yeah, yeah, in a nutshell.
Shayla Tharp (49:04)
Yeah, pretty much. What is your favorite hobby?
Myla Carmen (49:08)
Favorite hobby? Outside of my house? No, besides drinking tea, darling. Probably reading. It's quite basic, but it's... I like it. I mean, I read a lot. Everything. Honey, everything.
Shayla Tharp (49:10)
besides drinking tea.
Darling
No, that's a good thing. You learn. What kind of books? Like fiction? Everything. I'm an autobiography salute. I love an autobiography. Love it.
Myla Carmen (49:32)
really? Okay, I'm gonna view out of my own group. I love Agatha Christie. That's her. Like a good choice but random choice for this day and age but I do love her.
Shayla Tharp (49:38)
okay. Good mystery.
No, I think she's making a comeback. my gosh, yes. And there's Agatha Christie plays and movies and everywhere.
Myla Carmen (49:47)
Really?
Yeah, that's true. I still need to go and see Witness for the Prosecution. Me too. Yeah. Me too. I was gonna go and see it last week, but I literally got back from Canada the day of and my body was like, no, that's not happening. Like I literally fell asleep. I got home, fell asleep, woke up. It was like midnight. I was like,
Shayla Tharp (50:00)
Is that Agatha? Yes it is, I saw that. It was very good. It's fun, you should go see it, because you get to sit in the... thing.
No. No. No, no, no.
Myla Carmen (50:22)
my mom was in the slot instead so the ticket wasn't wasted. I was like, So I was flying from Vancouver, so that's like the further side of Canada. So it's like eight hours, eight, nine. It's not bad considering, you know, a flight to, compared to a flight to Australia.
Shayla Tharp (50:25)
Good. How far was the flight from Canada?
no. Okay. Yeah.
Yeah, to get here to the Midwest where I would visit my mom, would be like an eight hour flight to get to Chicago and then I'd have like a three hour drive to get to her. I know, so it's...
Myla Carmen (50:52)
great.
okay. See, I've only been to Seattle and that was a flight from Vancouver. So it wasn't bad at all. I have no idea, like geography wise and like getting to the States, just no idea what that's like.
Shayla Tharp (51:03)
Okay, yeah, no that's pretty pretty true
It was really difficult and really annoying unless you like live in New York where it was just like super easy to just get over the water. It's kind of hard and exhausting. So I don't blame you for not doing anything when you got home. But go see it because it is a fun show and you get to sit in the like courtroom. It's kind of fun.
Myla Carmen (51:20)
Yeah, right.
Yeah.
And no, I've rebooked my ticket for March next year.
Shayla Tharp (51:36)
Yeah, God, I can't believe it's still going. I'm surprised.
Myla Carmen (51:42)
It's been going for years. It's been going for a long, time. I'm pretty sure. I feel like it has anyway. I might be wrong. It's been going on only for two years. I feel like it's been going on for a while because there's even been like a tour of it, right? Yeah, I feel like I met someone that was on the tour, which is why I only know it was on tour.
Shayla Tharp (51:44)
Wow. Wow.
It probably has. I just didn't know.
I think so, yeah.
yeah, yeah, we had a client in it so I was lucky to go see it. Yeah. yeah, yeah. yeah, no big deal.
Myla Carmen (52:09)
nice. you probably had good seats then. yeah. yeah. No, don't.
Shayla Tharp (52:19)
And finally, what songs do you have on your playlist lately? Like, what are you listening to the most?
Myla Carmen (52:25)
I'm playing a lot of Leve. I really hope I said that right. Lave, Leve. So it's spelled L -A -U -F -E -Y. Say Leve. Leve, I think. Sorry, Leve, I'm saying it wrong. She's a really, really good jazz artist. She's an all -around multi -instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, producer, all the good stuff.
Shayla Tharp (52:31)
I don't know.
You. okay.
Livik? I'm sorry!
Ugh.
I'm gonna write that down.
Myla Carmen (52:54)
She's, her song from the start, I think went viral on TikTok. That was sort of like the song people associate with her on social media. Very jazzy. She is awesome. She studied at Berkeley and she was playing with the, she's originally from Iceland. She's Icelandic Chinese. She played with like the
Shayla Tharp (53:01)
No.
And it's jazzy. I'm a slut for jazz.
Ooh, love it.
Myla Carmen (53:21)
this Icelandic Philharmonic Orchestra when she was 15. She's originally, first and foremost a cellist, I believe. And then went and studied in China, I think, like classical music, and then went to Berkeley and studied there. she's just insane. Like she's worked with John Batiste, who's another artist that I'm very obsessed with, if people need.
new music inspo, listen to John Vettis, he went to Juilliard, believe. He's insane. He's still another sort of like jazzy R &B artist. He did the soundtrack for Soul, the Disney movie. Yeah, and I love his song Rain Dance, which I highly recommend. I'd say, yeah, those two. Someone I always go back to is Alanis Morissette.
Shayla Tharp (54:02)
beautiful.
you
Myla Carmen (54:16)
I mean, obviously obsessed with the musical, Jagged Little Pill, it's on the same, the album of the same name from the nineties. Being like sort of first and foremost a rock kind of person. yeah, someone introduced me to her when I was, have been about 14, 15. She gave me the album of her and I was like, where has this person been my whole life? And she's Canadian and she's Canadian.
Shayla Tharp (54:20)
Yeah.
Mm -hmm.
speaks. yeah! my god.
Myla Carmen (54:46)
So yeah, she's great, like a cool sort of alternate rock, angst person to listen to. Do you the sort of like pop mainstream? I don't really know, like probably, my God, I just had them in my head and I'm sure I forgot. Lil Nas, you know, like I'll randomly just go back to him every so often. And Stormzy, Stormzy too, like.
Shayla Tharp (54:54)
Mm -hmm.
Yeah.
Well, yeah, Stormzy's fab. Little Nausea's got a few slaps.
Myla Carmen (55:17)
Stormzy. Well, they just like, you immediately want to dance to them. You want to do choreography to his music. So I'm just like, yeah, this is good. But all in all, my playlist is everything from like Beethoven to even like Ariana Grande is in there a little bit.
Shayla Tharp (55:23)
Mm -hmm.
Yeah. I'm not usually an Ariana as well, but like sometimes I'm like, okay. I recognize talent. She has talent.
Myla Carmen (55:40)
Yeah, like here in the -
Yeah, like that girl's got range, especially now, you know, wicked coming out or is it out already?
Shayla Tharp (55:46)
Yeah.
no, I don't think it's out, but you can tell her voice has gotten a little better because of doing Wicked.
Myla Carmen (55:57)
Yeah, well, I mean obviously her her training was musical theater
Shayla Tharp (56:02)
Yeah, and I think you can tell the clarity is there a bit more and the strength behind the notes, which I like.
Myla Carmen (56:07)
Yeah.
Yeah, I like that word. I think it was when she was on SNL or something. I saw a clip of it randomly and she was doing like different impersonations and I think she was doing some more like MT stuff and she was bringing in her vib and her technique and I was like, because I didn't realize then, I didn't realize yet that she, her training was MT. So was like, this sounds like someone who's had MT training. So I went back and I was like, shit, no, she wanted to do MT. Okay.
Shayla Tharp (56:16)
Mm.
There it is.
Yeah.
Myla Carmen (56:38)
That makes sense. So yeah, that's, I say, say Lévé Jean -Baptiste are sort of the people, the newer people I've been listening to. And also randomly, Natalie in Bruglia, the person who sang Torn. I'm not afraid, this is how, yeah, that one.
Shayla Tharp (56:40)
Yeah.
okay.
I it.
Myla Carmen (57:04)
randomly, I'm like this song is a bop!
Shayla Tharp (57:07)
That song, yeah, I used to kind of like cry in my car to that song. This is how I feel.
Myla Carmen (57:13)
It's very much that, nothing's fine, I'm torn. I mean, very much that kind of song. Yeah, but I love, being, I'm a musician myself. So I do nerd out on people like John Batiste and Leve because like their musicianship and their skill is just on another level.
Shayla Tharp (57:18)
Bye!
Mm -hmm.
Myla Carmen (57:40)
No offense to someone like Dua Lipa and stuff, like she's got her own thing going and you know, jokes on us, she's doing great. But I mean, let's like, wow, like just, it's just the skill behind it all is insane. Or is, Meta, keep forgetting, Meta, -E -T -T -E. She's very much on the come up at the moment. She's a dancer, actor, singer, singer, all of it.
Shayla Tharp (57:47)
You're not kidding.
Yeah.
Mm -hmm.
never heard.
Ohhhh Triple threat
Myla Carmen (58:10)
And she's very much sort of R &B, dance, funk kind of vibe with like pop put in for the mix. But she's also very much like, it's just awesome because it's the creativity and artistry that's just so strong and prevalent. really, that's what I really love to see in artists and that's what I like listening to.
Shayla Tharp (58:16)
groove to it.
Mm
Yeah.
Myla Carmen (58:35)
So that's why I'm just like, those people are just on another level. yeah, it's just like, you can't compare them. can't compare them. can't be like, wow, yeah, yeah, we're mere peasants. Yeah, they are some good eggs. Meta, John Batiste, and Lightbear, for sure.
Shayla Tharp (58:38)
They are.
We are mere peasants.
I'm adding them to the playlist for season two. I can't wait to go listen to them. But thank you. You survived the whole thing and I know, super easy. I've enjoyed talking to you. Please come back anytime. Of course.
Myla Carmen (59:00)
Yeah! Awesome.
Thank
Thanks for having me, man.
