Taylor Mackenzie Mieszkuc on Anxiety, Authenticity, and Trusting Your Own Voice

In Part 2 of our conversation with 19-year-old singer-songwriter Taylor Mackenzie Mieszkuc, Jessica Curtis and Rob Sermerano go deeper into the story behind the songs — and the lessons Taylor has learned along the way.

Taylor opens up about the hardest chapter of her musical journey so far: a senior year of high school marked by a friendship that unraveled, targeted mind games, and the panic attacks that came with it. She shares how that experience triggered her anxiety disorder, how she worked through it with the help of family, and how it ultimately led her to the best friend she still talks to almost every day — plus the song "Glimmering Gold," which she recorded as part of her current release.

Rob offers a ballplayer's take on being targeted ("the louder you get booed on the road, the more of a threat you are"), Jessica reflects on her own journey of shedding other people's perceptions, and Taylor talks about finally finding her people in college — five roommates who show up to every open mic, know the words to songs that haven't even come out yet, and post her music on TikTok.

For anyone sitting on a creative project they're afraid isn't "perfect" enough to share, Taylor has simple advice: just do it. (Yes, even if the cover art came from ChatGPT in the car with your mom.) She also gives us a peek at what's next, including a song called "Calendar Years" built around her college friends' birthdays.

Whether you're a young artist hesitant to hit publish, someone working through anxiety, or anyone who's ever felt targeted for simply being on your own path — this one's for you.

🎵 Find Taylor on Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube Music as Taylor Mackenzie Mieszkuc (M-I-E-S-Z-K-U-C) 📱 Instagram: @taymackenziemieszkuc | TikTok: @taylormackenziemieszkuc

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:07

Welcome back to the Progress Report. I'm Jessica Curtis, joined by my lovely co-host, Rob Samorano. We're joined by the ever-talented Taylor McKenzie Mies Kutch. Thank you for sticking with us. We had such a great conversation in that first episode. Um super excited to dive back in and dig a little bit more. And and Rob, I know you have a few questions you want to throw at Taylor. So let's just pick up right where we left off.

SPEAKER_03 0:40

You know, it's funny. I I found myself to be kind of a loner in high school as well. But again, got along with everyone and didn't really have any, you know, uh enemies enemies or anything like that. But I think what happens is sometimes when you have a true passion for something, you're on that path. And if people can meet you on that path, and sometimes people meet you on that path, they stay on that path with you for a little bit, and then they veer off because they but you're gonna stay on that path. And I think sometimes people, you know, if their main mission is to have friends, they're gonna have their focus is gonna be on let's just do whatever we have to keep the friendship. But when you have a passion like this and a real calling and mission, it's kind of like, guys, this is what I'm doing. If you can come with me on this, you know, I could still we could still be friends, but you gotta understand there's gonna be times when I have to work on my crafts or I need time for this, and um you know, and it takes a special friend to really be able to appreciate that. And and I think also it helps if you have someone who also has a passion, doesn't have to be the same passion, but they understand they understand that path that you're on. And I think for some people, um, if they don't understand that path, that can lead to, you know, negative talk about the other person because it's kind of like they don't they don't get it, they don't understand it, or maybe they're just jealous of it. Maybe they're jealous of the fact that they see, you know, Taylor's got this this passion in her life, she's got this calling. I wish I had that, and that can sometimes lead to to bad feelings. And it's it's it's cool though that um I I love it when I see a person who stays true to that passion, you know, that God, God put these desires and passions in us for a reason, and I think we're all supposed to listen to them and follow those, you know, those calling the same, you know, I still throw a baseball because I love it, you know, in the same way you said you love it with your music. Um there's something I think in all of us that we are born to love, to have passion about. And whether you can monetize that passion or not, I think we all need to do that thing. That's that's what that's what really makes us who we are. And and you know, I don't think um that you know, social uh relationships should get in the way of those things. If they're either gonna be on board with them or you're gonna realize that that that maybe that relationship has kind of, you know, this the ship has sailed, so to speak, on it. And that's cool that you've stayed stayed uh true to that because I think that's gonna uh it's gonna lead to a lot more fulfillment for you because you're gonna know that you stayed true to that and you're gonna end up probably meeting the friends and the person in your life that that can really uh help nurture that for you too.

SPEAKER_02 3:33

Yeah, and I really truly have in college. I have met the most amazing people, all I uh live with five other girls, actually. Live with five other girls on campus, and they are my best friends. And they none of them have anything to do with music, but they show up to every single one of my shows. They want me, they they if I have an open mic, they're there in the front row. If I I told them about this and they were like, Text the group chat as soon as it's done, tell us how it went. Like they are truly the most supportive people. They're posting on TikTok my song. They've been, they know all the words, and that hasn't even come out. Like, truly, the people that I've met in college are the most amazing people, and I found my place that I didn't have back in high school, middle school, but of course, I still have my amazing friends from high school that I still talk to.

SPEAKER_01 4:35

I have about uh I have a couple of them that I still talk to, but well, and if you're incredible, if you're lucky enough to have, you know, one or two friends from like each generation, you're right. So I I think about me with with my friend group, and it is a um, I have a a core group of girls that I'm I'm um super close with, and it is through all different stages of life, but my three closest friends, one I've known since we were like eight, the other one I've known since I was 30, and oh, and the the my my like ride or die best friend is uh someone that I met when I was in my 20s. So um I I'm pretty fortunate. And and you are too with your with your your girls in your corner. Um so so you know, the our our podcast, The Progress Reports about overcoming challenges and you know, kind of positivity and and being the the best person you can be and and inspiring other people, all of which is why I thought you'd be fantastic as a bad. So, you know, uh as far as your musical journey, what's been the biggest challenge that you have faced so far? And walk us through kind of how how you worked through it and you know uh over overcame whatever that challenge was.

SPEAKER_02 6:05

So I would probably say my senior year of high school, it was a time to say the least. I was very good friends with these two girls. Um and by the end of we were very close at the beginning of the year, by the end of the year, they were not my friends, and it really took a toll on me, like a lot, very emotionally. Um it was probably one of the hardest times of my life, just period. Um I remember the senior prank was they were locking all of the juniors out of the parking lot, and these two girls were like letting people in and letting people out. I was the only senior that they did not let into the parking lot that day.

SPEAKER_03 7:05

Wow.

SPEAKER_02 7:06

So it was it was things like that where it was it felt so targeted and directed. Yeah. And I it was really like mind games. Like one day we were fine, and then the next day something was wrong, and nobody would tell me what I did. And I would sit there and I would grovel, and I would be like, I I I'm so sorry, like I'm sorry if I did something. And it really made me into the person that I am now. I am much more confident, and I am very um I guess you would say I'm I guess I'm more outgoing now than I used to be, but um I couldn't grasp like why it was happening. And I'm like, oh my god, something's wrong with me. Like it incited panic attacks. I would have panic attacks, uh just freaking out, hyperventilating. Like it was really the surge of my personal anxiety because I do have an anxiety disorder. So it was something that just really elevated what didn't need to be elevated, and that makes sense. So I had never really experienced anxiety like I experienced when I was in my senior year of high school, and really working through that uh with help of friends and family, and uh that actually, if I did not have that situation, I would not have met my best friend now. Um she and she's still my best friend to this day. I talk to her almost every day. Every time that we're both home from school, we go out and we hang out together. But if I did not have this experience, I wouldn't have had her. So that's what came out of it. But uh, and I feel like I got some good music out of it because a song that was also recorded, um, Glimmer and Gold that situation, pretty much, and I just feel as though even if I didn't go through that, I feel like I wouldn't be where I am right now, especially like in the way that I look at relationships with friends, I put in effort, and for all these different things that I now do, uh, I don't think that I would be that person if I didn't go through what I went through.

SPEAKER_03 9:45

Well, just to comment on a few of those things, you know, as a as a ball player, um we have an expression that the louder you get booed on the road, the more of a threat you are. And that means you're just that much better of a player. You know, they they don't they don't boo the guy that's uh you know the utility player off the bench that barely plays and comes into the game, but they will boo the guy that's leading the league in home runs, or that's the you know, strikeout artist that comes in to close out the game at the end, they're gonna be all over that guy. So I think for those out there that are listening that have been targeted before, like you have. Um, if I could give a piece of advice is take that ball player approach that wow, I must be I must be quite a threat. Yeah, I must be, I must be pretty powerful and pretty important that they feel like they need to go out of their way to try to hurt me. And and we because we don't understand that with people that are on a mission that have a calling, we don't understand that type of treatment because we're so engrossed in what we're doing, right? Um, and we love seeing other people do that, we love seeing other people succeed and do well. So we think that when someone acts like that towards us, that what did I do wrong? What did I do? No, you're not doing anything wrong, you're doing everything right. You're doing it's a threat to them, and you know, as a man of faith, um one of the things I always heard was, you know, you hear a lot of Christians say, Why do I feel like I'm so under attack? You know, I'm I I I pray, I go to church, I I have such strong faith. Why do I have uh this anxiety? Why do I have this depression? Or why am I dealing with this? And again, it's that you know God kind of allows the enemy to go after you because he knows you're one of his stronger soldiers that can handle it. And uh I think that's an important thing for listeners to to hear. And I think it's also very inspiring that you that you were so candid about your anxiety disorder. Yeah, because I I think sometimes people think that it's a um you know a death sentence for dreams, so to speak, and it's not uh anxiety, depression, sadness. I've I've said a lot that if you can learn how to turn those things into fuel, it's a it's an amazing uh creative, you know, uh gasoline for you, so to speak, that that really helps that creative car run. And the fact that you've learned that and learned how to direct that into that. I hope a lot of listeners that that may be dealing with some of those targeting bullying things or anxiety, I hope they're listening to this and seeing, you know, living proof of someone who is still at an age, really, where you where you may not have learned that yet. You know, I think sometimes it takes people longer to learn those things, and then they look back and say, man, I wish I knew that when I was that age. And it's really cool to see someone your age, and and I'm hoping even some people younger than you are listening that can benefit from this because that's that truly is inspiring. It's inspiring to me. So I thank you for that.

SPEAKER_01 13:02

Absolutely, absolutely. And I I think back like uh you you both kind of touched on it, but same situation for me in that I I left I left elementary school with a friend group, and um I started middle school and was like, who are you people? And I I mean honestly, like uh one summer changed a lot of people that I was really close friends with. And I left left my friend group really almost entirely and and made friends with with the the kids from Montague, New Jersey were my people. And and you know, it's funny to think about uh your your own journey and right, high school is hard and being a teenager is hard and figuring out who you are. And I I was always like my my parents would tell you that I I'd have teachers that were like, oh, you know, Jesse is so quiet and shy. And my mom and dad would be like, who are you talking to? Yeah, right. But when I got uh I I so I was I was pretty quiet um in high school, but when I got to my senior year and especially towards the end, and and I changed, you know, friend groups a lot, and I at that point in time was friends with a lot of people from Delaware Valley in Pennsylvania. And um I realized that I spent so much time worrying about what everybody else's perception of me was, and not enough time on me being me and and the the unique and special things that make me me. And when I went away to college, I was like what what other people think about me doesn't matter. And and and you have to just um put your eyes on the prize and blaze your own trail and and really be strong to stand up and passionate about what it is you're doing and do it with great vigor and and really just lean into it, right? You said that earlier, Taylor. Yeah. So perfectly said, yes. What what for for other in particular young artists um that like you who might be hesitant to um share their work or or you know, take take the the chance to jump into the deep end without swimmies on? What would you say to encourage them in pursuing, and maybe they're not songwriters, maybe, maybe they're you know, there's a myriad of other things they could be, but what would you say to someone who's hesitant to um go all in on something that they're passionate about, Taylor?

SPEAKER_02 15:51

Wow, I would probably say the first thing that comes to my mind is to just do it. Honestly, I have always been a kind of just do it kind of person. So especially with this release, like I wanted everything to be so perfect, and it was just delaying it and delaying it and delaying it because I wanted I needed this to be perfect, and I needed the perfect picture, and I needed this and I needed that, and I was like, you know what? I was sitting in the car with my mom, and I said, I'm gonna put this prompt into chat GBT and it's gonna make me a cover photo, and that's what it did, and that's the cover photo that is on matches right now. It is a chat GBT made cover photo, and it's the kind of thing where you could just get so overwhelmed into thinking that, oh well, this is imperfect and this could be tweaked, and this it's one thing to want to put out your best version of a project, right? And it's another to keep to let your self-criticism. I'm very I am my own biggest critic, I really truly am, um to let that get in the way of sharing something that you're so passionate about. So don't listen to that voice in your head that's saying, Oh, but this isn't perfect, oh, but this could be better. If you were proud of it five days ago, you're going, you will most definitely be at least somewhat proud of it in 10 years. And if that's something that you want to share, share it and just do it. Not everything has to be perfect, things happen, and don't let that self-deprecating voice get in the way.

SPEAKER_03 17:41

Great advice.

SPEAKER_01 17:43

Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely. So what what's uh what's next for Taylor and and where um, you know, beyond these three songs and and where can can people listening find your music and find find you?

SPEAKER_02 17:58

Yeah, so I'm on Instagram, I'm on TikTok. Um, my Instagram is Tay McKenzie Miaskitch, and my TikTok is Taylor McKenzie Miaskitch. Uh I love my middle name, so that's just I wanted to throw that in there to kind of set me apart a little bit um from everybody else, but it will be Taylor McKenzie Miescoach on all streaming, uh, Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube music, everything like that, um, as well as my social medias, which I just listed. Um hopefully I want to be able and have the opportunity to record some other songs. I have so many more written that I would love to share. Um, I actually, going on the time of creating different things based off of stories, I used all of my college friends' birthdays in a song. And I just had the idea and I sat down and I said, you know what, let's do it. And it's called calendar years. And it's something that I'm extremely proud of. I do really love that song, and it's one that I would love to put out in the future. Uh, but based off of the kind of success of these three songs and kind of getting my name out there will hopefully drive forward some progress for me in creating something more than what I have already, for sure.

SPEAKER_01 19:28

Good deal. Yeah. And and uh so just do us a favor and spell out your your social media account, right? Mies coach is something that is a tone computer to most of us that have shorter names. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 19:47

The spelling of Miyas Kutch is M-I-E-S-Z-K-U-C.

SPEAKER_03 19:54

That's exactly what I was thinking. I just kind of had it sounded out. I said that's pretty easy.

SPEAKER_01 19:58

Yeah, awesome. Well, thank you so much for for um spending your time with us this morning. And um, we're we're excited to to keep an eye on your progress. And um definitely would love to have you back at some point to to give us an update on um you know where things are at as as you keep rolling out songs and and um you you'll you're gonna do great things, Taylor. So I'm thank you so much. Thank you for watching.

SPEAKER_03 20:30

Keep it up, Taylor. Thank you for coming on the show.

SPEAKER_00 20:36

Thanks for joining us. Don't forget to notice the good, share the hope, and keep the progress going.