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Upon leaving graduate school in 2003, Cialdella began as an entertainment lawyer in Los Angeles, but became bored with the job after only a few months. Unable to continue with work that he hated, he decided to deviate completely from what was expected of him.

Michael Cialdella’s self-titled album. Courtesy of Michael Cialdella.

“I realized that instead of spending 75 percent of the time I was awake staring at the walls of an office working on things I had no emotional investment in, I needed to shift gears and spend that time on something that would make me happy and fulfilled, and the thing that has consistently given me the most joy throughout my life is music, so why not spend all my waking hours on that,” he said.

The bold young man quit his job entirely, took up his trusty keyboard, and began writing songs. In a year, he had compiled enough material for a first album. Determined to share his innermost feelings and experiences with the world, and with the help of his friends, Cialdella was able to start co-producing and recording his music. He approached Grammy-award winning producer, Chris Brooke, who introduced him to renowned musicians Michael Landau, Lee Sklar, and Vinnie Colaiuta. Together they formed the team for Cialdella’s first album.

Michael Cialdella’s song, “Finally Free”. Courtesy of Michael Cialdella.

The aspiring artist had started living his dream, but for the dream to live, he realized he had to make some serious sacrifices.

“I was mid-way through recording my first album when it became apparent that I might have just enough money to finish the album, but there was no way I could finish the record and sustain some monthly expenses like rent, health insurance, three meals a day, etc,” he said. “So the choice was clear, I gave all those things up.”

And he did. Scraping by with little food, and relying on the hospitality of friends for the next few months, the album was completed. In its final form, the eight-track pop album combines infectious melodies with heartfelt lyrics, qualities which reflect on Cialdella’s personality.

“In general, I think my songs probably reflect my innate optimism and whatever the subject of the song, I hope they convey their emotion with sincerity,” he said. “I suppose they have the same mix of reflectivity and exuberance that I do, and hopefully their sincerity is a through-line that connects the songs on the album.”