From Nebraska to Beyoncé: The Delusional Belief That Changed Ezinma's Life

Send us Fan MailThis week on The Elevate Collection Podcast, we sit down with the incomparable Ezinma — a world-class violinist fresh off Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter tour. From growing up in Nebraska to performing for 90,000 fans across the globe, Ezinma shares how faith, discipline, and delusional belief shaped her path to the biggest stages in the world.She opens up about her early fears of failure, finding her sound in New York, the Facebook message that changed her life, and the deep purpose she carries into every performance.We talk genre-bending, representation in classical music, Black joy, and how artists like Beyoncé are reclaiming spaces and rewriting history for the next generation.Ezinma also reveals details about her upcoming classical album, Netflix project, and her nonprofit Strings by Heart, which introduces music education to underserved youth.🎻 This conversation is an ode to purpose, possibility, and the power of showing up — even when no one’s watching.🕰️ TIMESTAMPED SHOW NOTES00:00 – Intro: The woman who needs no introduction — fresh off tour with the Queen herself. 01:00 – The Cowboy Carter Experience: What it’s like performing classical violin for 90,000 fans. 02:10 – Behind the Tour: Lessons from performing with Beyoncé, discipline at the highest level, and connecting with young girls of color through representation. 03:45 – Legacy Through Art: How Beyoncé’s storytelling reclaims genres and redefines the Black experience in country and classical spaces. 05:30 – Getting the Call: The unexpected Facebook message that led to her first gig with Beyoncé. 07:00 – The Path Begins: Growing up in Nebraska, discovering violin at age 3, and the early love for music. 10:15 – Choosing Fear or Faith: How Ezima overcame fear of failure and embraced music fully. 11:45 – The New York Hustle: From symphony halls to jamming with DJs — finding her sound and her voice. 13:30 – Breaking Tradition: Facing backlash for blending genres and staying authentic anyway. 15:00 – Grounding in Faith & History: Remembering the Black violinists who paved the way and carrying their legacy forward. 17:00 – On Delusion & Destiny: Why “delusional” belief is the artist’s secret weapon. 18:30 – Defining Legacy: What impact really means — beyond awards and accolades. 20:00 – The Joy Factor: How Caribbean roots infuse joy and movement into her music. 22:00 – What’s Next: Her debut classical album, film scoring for Netflix, and dream to compose an opera or ballet. 24:00 – Giving Back: The mission of Strings by Heart and why music access for youth matters now more than ever. 25:30 – Closing Reflections: On gratitude, joy, and being the light in every room you enter.🎧 PODCAST TAGS / KEYWORDSBeyoncé, Cowboy Carter, Ezinma, Elevate Collection Podcast, Alexandria Reed, Jordan Hawkins, legacy, Black excellence, classical violinist, film scoring, music industry, representation, women in music, genre-bending, Cowboy Carter tour, inspiration, Strings by Heart, Black joy, creative faith, delusional belief, artists of color, music education, purpose, authenticityWe cover:How Ezinma joined Beyoncé’s team (yes, it started with a Facebook DM)Finding identity in classical spaces as a Black womanLessons from performing in front of 90,000 peopleOvercoming fear of failure and trusting your pathWhy delusional belief is the secret to successThe mission behind her nonprofit, Strings by Heart🌍 CONNECT WITH Ezinma Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ezinma/?hl=en Strings by Heart: https://www.instagram.com/stringsbyheart_nyc/?hl=enwww.createcultivate.comELEVATECC20 for 20% OFFSupport the showBefore you go - here are three ways to continue elevating your legacy & connect:1. Follow @ElevateCollection.co on Instagram along with your host, @alexandriareed.co & @Jordanhawkins.co2. Subscribe to never miss an episode and get exclusive content3. Share this trailer with three people who need to hear itRemember: Your influence is just the beginning. Your legacy is the destination.See you soon, where influence meets legacy.