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Success Story with Scott D. Clary
Nutsa Buzaladze - Eurovision & American Idol | From Georgia to Hollywood Against All Odds
00:53:12
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- [00:00]
Interviewer
With the American Express Gold card, I.
- [00:02]
Nutsa Buzaladze
Can earn four times membership rewards points at US Supermarkets. So with all these groceries, I'm also getting points.
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Interviewer
Learn more@americanexpress.com US Explore Gold terms and points cap apply.
- [00:15]
Nutsa Buzaladze
My first performance, it was in Hollywood Week. Nobody would expect me to win. That contest was international. I was the youngest and I won When I was that young, it kind of got to my head. Then I broke my leg. I thought I was winning that and that I couldn't dance anymore. Realized, oh my God, look what God gave me. And then he took away everything.
- [00:37]
Interviewer
What if your dream was so powerful that no stage in the world could contain it? Nutsa Bouziladzi grew up in Georgia, a small country with a big spirit. But her voice carried far beyond its borders. From small competitions to America's biggest stages.
- [00:49]
Nutsa Buzaladze
We can have a lot of goals and a lot of dreams, but we don't have to forget what we live it for. There's certain things that you can buy with money, but there's so many things that you cannot buy with money. That's what people forget. When I say something, I make myself believe that, that it' possible. When you believe that it's possible, then it's just the matter of time. It's so important to be kind and caring and loving towards yourself. I do feel like that if person doesn't love herself, then she cannot love anybody. So it's the all starts from within.
- [01:20]
Interviewer
She turned rejection into resilience and resilience into success. Her story is about chasing the impossible and proving the world wrong. One performance at a time. This is Nutsa Bouzaladze. Nutsa. How did it feel to get a standing ovation from Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie?
- [01:46]
Nutsa Buzaladze
It felt like a dream come true. Definitely. Because I've been dreaming to be on this show since I was like 8 years old. So for a very long time. And the jury, they were like really, really iconic people that I, I admired for a very long time. And I would never in a million years imagined while I was performing that song for the first time. So in the, in the live shows, on the live shows, I got standing ovations on every performance. But my first performance, what I did, it was in Hollywood Week and when what I saw Lionel Richie, like, doing wow. Things like that. And then I saw all of them start standing up and, and, and giving me like, yeah, standing ovations. I was crying the whole day. I couldn't stop because I, I felt so such. I felt like such a big gratitude because of this moment. Because one thing is when. When somebody does something to you, right. Or like, or like somebody calls you that. But the second is when you reach out to every single person and you do everything on your own, it feels different than like every success, every small step, even feels different.
- [03:04]
Interviewer
Well, I was going to say that moment, listen, when I saw. I was watching that moment on YouTube and that was wild because, listen, I've seen American Idol, and not everybody gets that kind of reception from the judges. Right. But that moment, the more I learned about your life and how long you've sort of been pursuing this dream. This was the culmination of years and years and years of work towards this goal.
- [03:29]
Nutsa Buzaladze
Yes.
- [03:30]
Interviewer
And I'm assuming, like, when you, for you started very, very young. Yeah, when you were what, 8, 5 or so?
- [03:37]
Nutsa Buzaladze
I was 8 when I first time went on a TV show.
- [03:41]
Interviewer
I was just insanely young.
- [03:42]
Nutsa Buzaladze
I was very young. Yeah, I was 8 years old. But I knew that, that, that time that I wanted to be a singer all my life, and it never changed ever. Like, there is not a single profession that I would trade in to. To have like singing as my first priority. Oh, I can be actress, I can be dancer. I can, I can be entrepreneur. I can be producer. I can be songwriter. But performing is something that I, I love to do.
- [04:13]
Interviewer
Back eight years old. How did you know that this is what you wanted to do? How did you know that this was your obsession and your focus and just what you were put on this earth to do?
- [04:21]
Nutsa Buzaladze
Oh, well, because I had a lot of energy since I was a little, little kid. A lot of energy. And I would, like, I. When I would look at the singers on tv, we had mtv, right? So when I would look at this music videos and just like, I would always act as if I was on that music video or if I was given an interviews or if I was putting. And I would. Every week I would put a show for my family and for my neighbors since I was like six years old. So. And like, for two hours, like, I would. I was not getting tired. And my mom was always very concerned about my health because she, she was like, no, like, she's good. Like, she's gonna, like, she's like breathing like that. Like she's getting tired. But like, I'm like, mom, no, stop it. I love it. I want to continue singing. So it was like they couldn't stop me from singing since I was a little girl. I was like, I have to finish my concert.
- [05:16]
Interviewer
Did your, did your parents ever. Because I Know that your mom early on was supportive, obviously, but were they ever concerned that you didn't have a backup plan, that there was nothing else that you were really interested in? Was that ever a concern or. No?
- [05:31]
Nutsa Buzaladze
It was never a concern, to be honest. Well, I had big support from my aunt and from my mom, so my even bigger from my aunt. My aunt would always call me a Hollywood star. Like even when I was six years old, she would see that energy. She was like, you are born to be a leader. You're born to shine and you're born to be on a stage. And she would also tell to my mom, my mom would say, oh come on. Like, like. Because my mom was not that big of a dreamer as my aunt. But, but then my mom also became very sure of whatever my aunt would say because like, she was all the way with me with all this, this baby steps we did together, me and my mom. And she was always there and she saw every struggle, every win that I had and everything that I was telling her that I would do, I did. So my mom is my biggest. And my mom and my aunt, they are my biggest supporters ever.
- [06:30]
Interviewer
Is so that's so important.
- [06:31]
Nutsa Buzaladze
It's very important.
- [06:32]
Interviewer
It's like I think that a takeaway just for parents is like the, the, the ideas that you put into your kids.
- [06:41]
Nutsa Buzaladze
Yes.
- [06:42]
Interviewer
That forms their whole life for good or bad.
- [06:44]
Nutsa Buzaladze
Yes, yes, yes, 100%. It's so important. Well, I had a great relationship with my father and, but, but I never spent so much time with my father that I would have his thoughts about, about my, my career when I was growing up. But when I was like 18 or 19, he would also tell me, like, do whatever it takes to, to pursue your career because you have God given talent. So my father was always also supporting me. Well, he's not a fan of me dressing up, you know, with this like hot outfits on a stage. He doesn't love to watch that, but he is proud of, of the things that I did for my country and the success that I bring to my country. So it's also nice to have support from both of your parents and your family because then it affects your mental health a lot.
- [07:40]
Interviewer
So obviously your, your aunt, your mom, super supportive. But when was the moment in your life because you've had so many wins along the way, like you mentioned before, like every time you set your mind to something, you just sort of accomplish it. And I don't want to gloss over the fact that there was an insane amount of hard work behind accomplishing each One of those things, nothing came easy. But when was the moment when you, you in your mind, what was the thing, the competition you won, the TV spot you booked when you were like, singing is my life. I have unbelievable trust in myself now to do this.
- [08:09]
Nutsa Buzaladze
Yes, it was when I was 17. It was that night when like, nobody would expect me to win that contest. Nobody ever would expect me to win that. I was 17, I was the youngest in that competition. It was international. It was like a lot of singers, like 33 singers. And I was the youngest. 17, because you were allowed to compete after you're 17. I was the youngest and, and I won that competition. And I was like, it was so unexpected. This was my first big win because I won €50,000.
- [08:48]
Interviewer
That's good for 17.
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Nutsa Buzaladze
17 years old. Yeah. So I kind of. This was my first time dealing with money that, that big of a money because I started earning money when I was 16. So I also won a TV show when I was 16. So like I won some money, but not that big. Well, well, I did birthday for my mom. I did birthday for my, you know, I, I did the small wins, but €50,000 for 17 years. I would still. I was still at school, so I. But you know what? I started. I kind of, I think that when I was that young, it kind of get to my head a little bit because I, I got so famous and I had money. I was famous, I was young. And then I wouldn't listen to my mom that much anymore. I'm like, mom, you don't know. You don't know. Like, let me do it. Let me think, like whatever advice she would give me. Then I kind of became, you know, a little bit aggressive to my mom. So we also, me and my mom, that one year we also had a little bit hard time because I thought that, oh, because I'm winning so much. And now I'm on Dancing with the Stars and you know, I'm dancing and I'm going to win that also. And then I broke my leg on the competition.
- [10:02]
Interviewer
Oh my God.
- [10:03]
Nutsa Buzaladze
So it was, I think, God telling me that you gotta stop because it was too much in my head. I was like, oh my God, I'm so good. You know? And when you say that I'm so good, you are done. You know, you never have to be satisfied with yourself or with your talent or what God gave you, because he can take it. And he did took from me. I got like. Then after that I broke my leg. So I. Dancing with the Stars. I thought I was winning that. And. And that I couldn't dance anymore because I was laying in bed for one month with my broken leg. So it was such a hard. And I realized, oh, my God, like, I was the kid going to church every Sunday and look what God gave me. And then he took away everything, you know, in that period when I broke my leg. And then I had to start over again.
- [10:54]
Interviewer
It humbles. It humbles you.
- [10:56]
Nutsa Buzaladze
It humbles you a lot.
- [10:57]
Interviewer
That's a wild timeline. It's so. That's almost a little bit spooky because the second you're successful, you get, like, the ego, like, get into your own head. And then all of a sudden, like, you're not, like, disrespecting your mom, but you're not, you know, the same level of relationship as you did.
- [11:14]
Nutsa Buzaladze
Yes. And it's so hard.
- [11:15]
Interviewer
And then break your leg and it's like God is just telling you, like, listen, you have to. You have to. Okay, this is what I gave you. Slow down. Don't disrespect the people that supported you on the way up.
- [11:28]
Nutsa Buzaladze
Yes, yes, that.
- [11:29]
Interviewer
Which competition was that? Because obviously that was still in that. No, that was still in Georgia.
- [11:34]
Nutsa Buzaladze
Yes.
- [11:35]
Interviewer
And it's interesting how at that moment, obviously, you're probably second guessing, like, okay, so what am I going to do? I broke my leg. I'm out of the game for a little bit. You're not obviously completely out of the game, but what I find interesting is right after that, or closely after that, is when you took your biggest sort of career leap.
- [11:51]
Nutsa Buzaladze
Yeah.
- [11:51]
Interviewer
And you're killing it in Georgia. And for everybody that is listening, this is Georgia. That's very close to Russia. Not obviously Georgia. Georgia and the US and you're killing it in Georgia. But then you're like, I'm sort of a big fish in a small pond. Yeah, that's probably the best analogy. I'm going to restart and figure out how to dominate in the U.S. yes. What makes you want to take that move after such a major setback?
- [12:18]
Nutsa Buzaladze
After that step back. First, I went to Turkey because I know Turkish also. I can sing in Turkish also because I grew up there also. My aunt was living there, so I was, like spending my holidays always in Turkey. So I went to Turkey and I went also to finals of the Voice of Turkey. So I was 18. That was after that setback, and I was kind of a little bit chubby that time, so I was not really feeling so confident. But I did my best in that competition. After that competition, I went to Russia's Competition. Competition again. And then I went to Albania's competition. So I was, like, always, like, trying to showcase my talent and. And trying to, you know, get the. Get the. The deal with the producer and do my album and do my songs, because in Georgia, it was impossible. I couldn't find anybody. But I still produced my album in Georgia, and I released it when I was 22. But. But I knew that with this baby steps in this countries, my neighbor countries, I would get to the. And after Dubai, after I was living in Dubai, Dubai was my last stop, I could say, before coming to us. So after Dubai, I decided that it is. I was telling to my friends also when I was in Dubai next year, I said, I'm gonna go to US And I'm gonna stay there. That's what I was saying.
- [13:40]
Interviewer
You just said it. You just, like, spoke it into existence.
- [13:43]
Nutsa Buzaladze
Yeah, well, because when I say something, I make myself believe that. That it's possible. So when you believe that it's possible, then it's just the matter of time.
- [13:53]
Interviewer
So I. I learned that you are, I think, one of the only. Definitely the first non Americans to get onto American Idol.
- [14:02]
Nutsa Buzaladze
Yes.
- [14:03]
Interviewer
I didn't. I guess, like, it makes sense that they don't look at a lot of non Americans. It is called American Idol, so. And I would only assume that it's a difficult thing because, like, now there's, like, work visas and issues, like, with that. Because.
- [14:16]
Nutsa Buzaladze
Yes. If you had. So. So if you want to go and work in America as a singer, you have to get extraordinary visa, which is. Yeah. Which is called, like, alien visa. So if you have some extraordinary talent, then. And you're gonna show them. This is what I've done. This is what I've done, and I want to do the same in America. And so it's like, you're. You want to do good in the country. Right. You want to create some music or you want to do concerts or you want to perform. Whatever you want to do, you have to have that vision. Visa.
- [14:47]
Interviewer
Yeah. So this is actually the same visa I had to get to come down from Canada. But it's. It's a lot of work to get that, and.
- [14:52]
Nutsa Buzaladze
I know, but I got it so quickly and easily. I thank God every day. It was meant to be. It was.
- [14:58]
Interviewer
You say quickly and easily, but also, you've been doing the work since you were 8 years old.
- [15:04]
Nutsa Buzaladze
That's true also. But I do feel that everything I do, if I do it the right way and if I do it with my humble self and. And. And with good intentions, then God really helps me. You know, I do, I do have that feeling a lot because there are some things that happened into my life. Even that visa thing, it was like I got the answer. So I had very short period of time and American Idol wouldn't allow me to compete if I didn't have that visa. So I had the tickets booked. I had everything booked already. And they were like, if you. We don't have the answer that you have it now, you cannot come the live show. You cannot. We are not allowed.
- [15:48]
Interviewer
No. They'd be in trouble.
- [15:49]
Nutsa Buzaladze
So I, I literally had that one night to. Because the next day I had the flight. So that same night when it was like coming morning already when it was like the coming the next day, I got the email confirmation while I was speaking to my friend and nagging that oh my God, if I'm going to lose this opportunity, I'm going to die. And I get the email confirmation. It was the, the quickest the visa answer that I've ever received I think in my life. And they were even shocked. And I'm like. And that's what I had this thought. Oh my God. This is I think destiny. Like this is meant to be. I have to do this.
- [16:28]
Interviewer
There has to. That's wild. That's, that's, that's wild. So there's been a lot of very like interesting like serendipitous God moments in your life.
- [16:36]
Nutsa Buzaladze
A lot. I had a lot. Yes, I had a lot. And when I disconnect and when I start acting. Oh yeah, I deserved it. Oh yeah. I'm so great. Oh, I'm so good. Oh, I'm such an amazing. After I have this thoughts in my. Because we are all human. I'm. We might have this, this thoughts in our heads all the time or judging some other people or you know, having this like not a like negative thoughts as I call it. Right?
- [17:05]
Interviewer
It's, it's. It's your ego. It's thinking that you're better than ego thoughts.
- [17:10]
Nutsa Buzaladze
I immediately disconnect with that power of, of miracles and with that power of God and with that power of love. So I'm learning a lot on the way and on the journey of my life that as humble as I stay and as grounded as I stay, it's better for my soul and it's better for my well being and it's better for to keep the love inside of my heart.
- [17:35]
Interviewer
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- [20:01]
Nutsa Buzaladze
Ego and something happens, then and humbles you.
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Interviewer
It always does.
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Nutsa Buzaladze
Always.
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Interviewer
It always does.
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Nutsa Buzaladze
And then you gotta wake up and see what really matters. And you have to really see that we are all equal. We have to treat each other with respect and with love. And we don't have to think that we are better than somebody else just because we had this opportunity. And, you know, we have to try to help them to get that, you know, because one time somebody helped us, you know, so it's some. It's a lot of things, definitely that I'm learning every day.
- [20:40]
Interviewer
So this is why I hate the idea of self made. I don't like the idea of self made because it doesn't matter what you've accomplished, doesn't matter how hard you've worked, whether or not it's your parents, your friends, customers, investors. Like there's always somebody helping. Helping someone helped you in some way.
- [20:59]
Nutsa Buzaladze
Yes.
- [21:00]
Interviewer
It's impossible to do anything without other people.
- [21:02]
Nutsa Buzaladze
Exactly. But also I think that you cannot really preach that because then people gonna get lazy. So I always say that I had the initiative first to go for it, you know, like, you have to have that motivation to go for it and try it out and ask for help. I asked so many help and in my life, so many. It's crazy. Some people would be shy to ask. But, you know, I'm not shy because I'm like, why should I be shy? Because of something that I feel like is right and I feel like it has to happen. You know, so many helps. I asked.
- [21:40]
Interviewer
I love it. I. So the reason why I mentioned that you called yourself a workaholic is because I don't want somebody to just think that things were handed to you at all. Because that's like, I've seen, like now I've sort of like gone down the rabbit hole and I've learned your story. You work so hard, and I think that that's the other half of it. Right. So there's opportunity, say there's miracles, say there's things that are. That just seem to work out. But on the other side of that, like you mentioned before, you asked for a lot of help, but also you put in the reps yourself. What is your thought about, like workaholism or just putting in the work? Like, how do you look at if I want to accomplish something, what are the steps that I'm going to take to get there? Like, how do you look at. I want to win, you know, America. Well, you didn't win American Idol, but you got on American Idol and you got to the Final, even for Eurovision, like, you have a project, you have something in your sights, and there's a whole bunch. I have a whole bunch of places where you've performed, which is just like, fucking phenomenal. Lakers games, Times Square, Eurovision we mentioned. So when you set your sights on something, how do you deconstruct, how to get from where you are right now to the point where you can actually be successful at that thing?
- [23:02]
Nutsa Buzaladze
I write down. I have journals in my room, and if you see my journals in Georgia, since I was a little girl, and the things I wrote down and how many of them came to reality, you're gonna be shocked. I was crying when I read that because I was like, oh, my God, like, look at that little girl. I was writing it, even not believing that, oh, my God, I'm gonna write it, you know, because I want it, I'm gonna write it. Maybe it's not gonna happen now, but, you know, I'm gonna write it. Writing and journaling really helps me a lot because it helps my. My mind to kinda come down and. And write a plan how to do it. Obviously, I don't have the 100 plan. I don't know how to achieve that thing exactly. But I know that if I'm gonna be feeling my 100 energy, which is working out, eating well, dancing, keeping myself busy and. And working on myself, because I feel like that if I'm not working on myself, then I lose the fire inside of me. So it's very important for me on myself, to work on my vocals, to work on my dance moves, to, like. I also started taking acting classes, so I have to be learning something.
- [24:18]
Interviewer
So you're constantly upstart.
- [24:20]
Nutsa Buzaladze
I constantly have to do that. And, And I don't want to show it to people. Like, I. I don't like to, like, show off or brag about it because it's something that you have to do in, In. In the backstage, you know, and if I don't do that, I. I really feel like that I am, like, becoming very hard to say. Like, not so. Like, I'm not shining from.
- [24:45]
Interviewer
Yeah, you're not at your best.
- [24:47]
Nutsa Buzaladze
I'm not at my best anymore. And I feel like, oh, like, I don't like this. This feeling. I have to start moving. I have to do something.
- [24:55]
Interviewer
But it's good because the work that you do and the practice that you do is aligned with what you love.
- [24:59]
Nutsa Buzaladze
Yes.
- [25:00]
Interviewer
So it's not working.
- [25:01]
Nutsa Buzaladze
I hate doing. If I. If I do something I don't love, I hate it. I. But there Are some things that you have to do that you don't love in order to get something that you never had. Right. So when I realized that, that newts are. You cannot be doing everything you love every day and living in this pink bubble. So, for example, like I started pushing myself more in fitness because obviously I see that the fitness routine I had was not working. Then I started pushing myself in eating habits too, because I had bad eating habits. And I'm like, noods are. You cannot call this a healthy lifestyle. And don't lie to yourself or to anybody else because this is not. So I wrote down my reality what I was lying to myself and I said I have to improve in those things. And, and then let me see if I can achieve or not. Because, for example, I've been writing for like nine years or eight years. I want to have this like perfect body, my dream body that I have. But guess what? I was not making any steps consistently. I would take steps for one month and then give up, then second two months and then give up. And it's not like I've realized that in order for me to get something, it's so important for me to stay consistent and never lose. Spark.
- [26:22]
Interviewer
I was going to say also, like one thing that I love that you're saying is yes, you have your, your craft, which is singing, but you also understand that like you're trying to sort of master all the other aspects of your life.
- [26:34]
Nutsa Buzaladze
Yes.
- [26:35]
Interviewer
Like I think a lot of people, what I, I don't think is good is when they only focus on that one area of their life. I see it a lot with entrepreneurs. So they're very good at making money, they're very good at building a business. And then their physical health declines and their mental health declines and they have no spirituality in their life. They have poor relationships. Like, you know, three ex wives, you know, they don't talk to their kids. They're like, well, I see some of them on the show. There's like two versions of exited entrepreneur on the show. Right. People that have sold companies that are sort of living their best life, healthy, great family. One of my favorite stories is Mark Randolph, who's a co founder of Netflix. And he every single Tuesday when he was building Netflix, he stopped working at 5 o' clock and went on date night with his wife. That's how much he honored that relationship.
- [27:17]
Nutsa Buzaladze
Very important.
- [27:17]
Interviewer
I also know guys that are worth, you know, a lot of money, that are single and still acting single when they're like 55, 60 and there's nothing Wrong with that. But I'm just saying, like, some people lose themselves in the process of only focusing on one thing.
- [27:30]
Nutsa Buzaladze
Yes.
- [27:31]
Interviewer
You're young, objectively young, compared to some of the people that I've spoken to on this show. And you already understand the power in not letting one part of your life fall apart in pursuit of everything else.
- [27:42]
Nutsa Buzaladze
Yes, yes. It's very. It's very important because we can have a lot of goals and a lot of dreams, but we don't have to forget what we live it for. I mean, the money, the obsession about money that people have. Yes. Us, it's good because we want to. To have a good life. And we. There's certain things that you can buy with money, but there's so many things that you cannot buy with money. That's what people forget because they become so obsessive about it. For me, the biggest foundation is the family, and that's why I'm 28. And last year I said that next year I'm gonna get married because I already felt that I'm ready to create a family. I partied a lot. I've seen, you know, a lot of countries. I've traveled alone or with boyfriend or. But I felt that, oh, now I'm ready to take next step in my life. And. And. And I got engaged.
- [28:35]
Interviewer
I saw that. Congratulations.
- [28:36]
Nutsa Buzaladze
Thank you so much. So we. We got engaged. And, you know, it's very important then to find a partner. And also the thing that you said to go on date nights is also very important. But for me, the. The biggest foundation is to take care of your soul, because I feel like that it's great to live your legacy, obviously, and to change other people's lives, but what you have to take care of is your soul, because that's eternal. Your soul never dies, and you have to nurture that. And as. As you brush your teeth every morning, you have to take the same care about your spiritual life and about your mental health.
- [29:18]
Interviewer
When you talk about not losing your soul, not losing your mental health is definitely part of this whole equation, for sure. What does that really mean to you? And then how. Because you mentioned before you. You got 50 grand when you were 17 years old.
- [29:29]
Nutsa Buzaladze
Yeah, I.
- [29:30]
Interviewer
How did you not let this happen to you?
- [29:32]
Nutsa Buzaladze
Well, it's very. I think you have to kind of experience it on your own, because when you experience it on your own, that's when you take action. And. Because you want to get out from that state of. Of mental health or whatever is going on in your life. And. And I've Spoken into my friends, a lot of things I could say do this or do that or do that, but they wouldn't listen until they gonna experience it on their own. So I feel like that if young people gonna study some biography of like successful people and successful entrepreneurs, how they started, what happened to them in their lives, it's gonna help much more people to not have the same issues. To have the, for example, mentor that's gonna tell you, you know, I've been through, I've been there and this is how it happened to me and this is how I felt. Don't do that if you don't want to go through that hell again. So influence of other people that went through the same thing is so important. But, but I feel like that you have to be seeking to have that knowledge and have a mentor. I think having a mentor is super important having some someone that you can call and ask for advice. Because if, if for example, when I was 17, I would have a person that, when I was going through that thoughts in my mind, I would like openly tell to other person that been through that and has more experience than I had. Definitely would have.
- [31:04]
Interviewer
Also not just mentors, not just mentors in like a business context, like mentors and like, how do I, I approach life? How do I find the right people to spend time around? How do I, how do I not lose myself? How do I not let my ego get out of control?
- [31:15]
Nutsa Buzaladze
Yes, but, but always when I have even small problems in my life or something that it's hard for me to deal, you know, in the family or outside of the family or my career or sometimes I feel stuck, for example, sometimes I feel like I'm putting so much work, but you know, where is it going? I do have sometimes this, these questions. But then when I do have these questions and I ask them and I answer them, I spend time with myself. I call to my priest a lot. I spoke with my priest, I spoke with my fiance, I spoke with my mom. So I have this people around me that I can open up to and then I find my questions. So it. You. We, we have to realize that this is not an evil world. There are so many kind and good people. There's so many kindness and goodness around us. Just we have to be open to let them in and open to ask for help. Also, like, because some people have such a big ego, they don't want to ask for help. They want to say, oh, everything is good. Everything is good. Always. There's no way that all your life, everything is like this because it has to be, it has to be like sometimes low, sometimes highs, but you have to, I think, learn how to deal with it.
- [32:30]
Interviewer
What was a point in your life where you did have some sort of doubt about what to do and, and you sort of pushed your ego aside and asked for help from somebody and that sort of like, put you on the right track. What's a, what's a moment that you can remember? That was a major inflection point.
- [32:47]
Nutsa Buzaladze
I think the fact that I was going to church since I was 11 and my religion really helped me and my priest really helped me because, because God says, like, you have to ask for, for help. I'm not, I'm not telling you that. Ask for millions or something like small help, whatever you need in life, in different parts of your life. Yeah, it really helped me. But my biggest motivation, to be honest, was my mother. So she gave me the biggest. Because when I was growing up, you know, my mother was a single mom, my aunt was helping us a lot, my grandfather, my uncle, and everybody. Right. But since I saw like how good of a person she was and she would always do so good and so kind for other people, my biggest motivation was to make her proud and to make her happy and to do everything for her that, so that she has the life that she wanted to have. And that was my biggest motivation, to be honest, to, you know, do everything in my power to have that life that we dreamed of. Because me and my mom, we were like a team.
- [33:58]
Interviewer
I love that.
- [33:59]
Nutsa Buzaladze
And we were always going everywhere together. And she, she was my biggest inspiration and my biggest motivation to do whatever I did in life.
- [34:09]
Interviewer
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- [36:21]
Nutsa Buzaladze
I think also the fact that I worked so hard and I've been through so many things that gives me motivation to keep going to my goal because I always think, oh my God, I always go back and think where I started and then when I feel and see where I am right now, this gives me the biggest motivation to never give up because I was like oh my God nutsa. You've been through so many things and you passed that so now you're even stronger. Now you're even smarter so you can do it like I had two times the setbacks, the biggest setbacks after I had this periods when I was at my highest and the next day at my lowest.
- [37:07]
Interviewer
Like when you broke your leg.
- [37:09]
Nutsa Buzaladze
The broke your leg was first one and the second one was when I finished American Idol and and I went to Library of Congress in, in Washington and then I came back to Georgia. I I had the biggest show there and everything and then I had some performance to do for my friend's birthday party and I went to Russia and people were hating on me so much. Because of going to my friend's birthday that the next day, literally, I received so much hate I've never received in my entire life. Because of going to Russia.
- [37:47]
Interviewer
That was. It was because of going to Russia.
- [37:49]
Nutsa Buzaladze
Yes. Yes. Just because of that. Yeah.
- [37:52]
Interviewer
So the hate is coming from the fact that, like, you are now representing your country.
- [37:57]
Nutsa Buzaladze
Yes.
- [37:58]
Interviewer
I'm assuming that there are not a lot of huge singers that have now built a massive name globally coming out of Georgia. So you're like a big deal coming out of Georgia. People are looking up to you. Obviously there's some animosity if you're going to Russia and Georgia's.
- [38:13]
Nutsa Buzaladze
Yes, because Russia occupied my country and, like, we have big history, so of course.
- [38:17]
Interviewer
So that's what they hate.
- [38:19]
Nutsa Buzaladze
Now I understand the hate.
- [38:21]
Interviewer
The lesson is. Or the thing that I would love to understand is how do you deal with pressure? Because you've dealt with pressure on a stage in front of, like, celebrity. A list, celebrity judges, some of them being like the people that you idolized growing up and you look up to. You deal with pressure because you represent your country, you deal with pressure when you sing in front of thousands and tens of thousands of people.
- [38:43]
Nutsa Buzaladze
Yes.
- [38:45]
Interviewer
How do you manage pressure?
- [38:46]
Nutsa Buzaladze
It's stressful, to be honest, but I. Praying definitely helps me a lot. And meditation and working hard. So when I. When I'm under pressure, I can rehearse the same song for a hundred times. I'm not kidding. So when I was on revision, that song with my dancers, my dancers were joking on me. They were like, are we going to dance for a hundred times? Really? Because when I'm under distress, I just like to work hard so that I'm not. When I'm on stage, I'm not thinking about anything, but I'm in that zone of. And, And. And if I know that I rehearsed well, if I know that I put a lot of work into my performance, doesn't matter where I'm performing. You know, that's the thing. People. People think that I'm performing differently. If I'm in front of. In the millions or if I'm front of five people, it's the same. Performance for me is the same. Because I need to touch even one. I. My goal is to touch even one person. So it doesn't matter if. If I'm singing for millions and I. And nobody's touched. I didn't do my job. So I love to put a lot of work when I'm under stress and also pray.
- [39:59]
Interviewer
So it's all. It's Preparation?
- [40:01]
Nutsa Buzaladze
Yes, preparation, Prayer. And the thing that I started working on is also when I'm stressed, I would have. Before, I would have give it to other people also. So, for example, I would scream or I would be anxious or angry, like, don't talk to me or something like that. So now I changed that. So I. I started to. Whatever's gonna happen, you have to be nice. When you are stressed, you'll have to be nice to the people that helped you all the way and they want the best for you. So that. That thing. I was guilty, and I realized that I was guilty for it. So now I change that.
- [40:42]
Interviewer
How do you. How do you. Outside of just, like, practicing, preparing. When you are in that moment, what's. Like, what's going through your head so that you aren't overthinking? You don't screw up, you don't fumble. Like, what's the thought?
- [40:55]
Nutsa Buzaladze
I don't have that thought. So I don't have negative. When I'm on stage, I never think that, oh, I'm gonna fall, or, oh, I cannot hit that note. Never. I never had that thought because, first of all, I worked so hard for it. I know that it's not gonna happen for sure. And that's why I work so hard, so that I don't have those thoughts. When I'm not so well prepared, that's when I might have these thoughts. Oh. Because I. Because I didn't practice that much. So practicing a lot allows me then to enjoy my performance. So on every performance that I'm having, I'm enjoying it. And when I'm on stage, I love it. When I'm not on stage and there is some period of my life when I'm not on stage, I really get, like, sad because this is what I'm live. I love to be on stage. So when I'm on stage, I'm the happiest excited. I like, this is what I was born to do, and all the thoughts are going to my head. So I'm actually very happy when I'm on stage. I love performing for people.
- [41:57]
Interviewer
Was there ever a moment where it didn't, like, work out where you didn't show up on stage?
- [42:03]
Nutsa Buzaladze
Yes, yes. I had. I had this moment, like, for. In front of 10,000 people.
- [42:09]
Interviewer
It's a big audience.
- [42:10]
Nutsa Buzaladze
It's big audience. Like, in this huge arena. Georgians did first time ever musical in this huge arena. And I was singing the lead. I was the lead. I was 20 years old. And there is, like, this biggest song for this musical, and there Is a light coming out and you have to be already standing there to start singing. So light comes out and light comes in and I'm not there. I was on my backstage room because I forgot that it was my time to sing. So it was so, like, I was so ashamed. And then people are coming to me nuts. So where are you? Then I run into stage. It was really, really bad moment. And funny, obviously.
- [42:55]
Interviewer
Funny, but obviously stressful. And that. That doesn't happen anymore. No, no. When you prep for an event, how many hours, how many days, weeks, months do you put into that?
- [43:05]
Nutsa Buzaladze
It depends on a show. For example, for Eurovision, I was preparing for three months because I needed to come up with the idea, with staging and with everything. Well, I definitely needed three months because it's this big production for American Idol, one week. Because we have one week to prepare another. So it's wild. Yes, it's wild. But for my shows and if I'm planning, like my solo concert in Georgia, I definitely need two, three months to get ready for it and to start and plan it. If there is, like, a small gig, I need 10 days to get ready. So I could say for small gigs, I could say 10 days.
- [43:51]
Interviewer
That's not bad. So you do have. But that's after years of actually putting in the work so that you can only put 10 days towards something and so succeed.
- [43:57]
Nutsa Buzaladze
Yes, yes. And. And once the band is built and once Bed knows your songs and everything, then if you have some gigs and concerts, you don't really. You really need like two rehearsal and that's it.
- [44:08]
Interviewer
Last thing that I think you've done exceptionally well is just overcome a lot of rejection because you've asked for help multiple times. I mean, you've.
- [44:15]
Nutsa Buzaladze
Yeah, a lot of people told me no.
- [44:17]
Interviewer
Multiple languages.
- [44:18]
Nutsa Buzaladze
Yes. Yes.
- [44:19]
Interviewer
When you think about. When you think about overcoming rejection, how when you are told no, or you're told like, this isn't going to work out or we don't want you to perform or whatever that rejection is. How do you sort of stay in the game? How do you, like, get excited about the next opportunity?
- [44:36]
Nutsa Buzaladze
Well, they give me motivation, definitely. They give me motivation. And I'm like, you're gonna see. You're gonna see in couple years or in couple months that you were very wrong. That's what goes into my head all the time, because I've seen it. Like, there's so many people that didn't thought that I would. I would achieve so many things and, you know, I don't even remember them, to be honest. But they see me everywhere now. And you know, I truly believe that you have to have that attitude that. You know what, you are wrong. It's not that. No, you're right. I would say thank you. And it doesn't, it doesn't hurt my ego if, if somebody doesn't like me or doesn't like the idea or doesn't like what I'm asking. It doesn't hurt me at all. It's. It's their point of view. Everybody is different. You cannot have the same mindset as I have or you cannot believe the same things I believe in. And I'm totally okay with that. So if I'm going to ask you something and, and you're gonna say no, I'm fine with it. I understand you have different point of view. I have different point of view, but there are many people that, that's gonna like my idea and believe in me or like there's many other people. You connect with other people. I connect with other people. There's plenty of people in the world. There's nothing to get mad or sad about. I just move on.
- [46:00]
Interviewer
What would be the hardest lesson? That, that was a useful lesson for you to learn, but you would never wish that lesson on anyone else because it was so difficult.
- [46:09]
Nutsa Buzaladze
Yeah, I would say having an ego and after some success that you dreamed of thinking that you're on the top of the world and you are the best. It's. It's not good because it really. If something's going to get to your head and you're going to have those thoughts, it's, it's going to make you feel depressed and it's gonna make you. Life is gonna humble you really fast and, And I, I don't like that because something happens in your life so unexpectedly and, and nobody is guarded from, from that because God sees everything and your intentions, your thoughts and everything. And it's, it's kind of like spiritual battle in this world right now. I feel like, of bad and good. And we, we as humans, I think we always have to strive for kindness and love and, and, and goodness. It's hard in this time. It's really hard, especially with social media made people jealous and envy of each other. And I felt that. And also judgmental people are very judgmental. And I feel like that if. When I'm judging other people, me, myself, what I judge other people, I feel like that some joy from my life is, is taken away, you know, I agree. Like it goes. Some joy goes away and, and you kind of feel feed yourself and Your soul with some negativity before what. You know, why. And, and that's. I realized that one. And I. I don't want anybody to do that ever again because it's so easy. We see all these pictures and all these people around us and we always judge them. Yeah, why don't we stop judging?
- [47:55]
Interviewer
You've had tons of, like, mentors and people that have helped you along the way and whatnot. What would be one piece of advice from a mentor that's really, really changed your life?
- [48:05]
Nutsa Buzaladze
I would definitely say to. Well, my first mentor that I had told me that when you achieve your success, also help other people along the way. So I would say that, yes, because she told me, I remember. And I wouldn't see that because, oh, my God, like now I'm like, I'm struggling so much to achieve something. How am I going to be able to help other people along my way? Because I have so many things to do. But she was so right because she helped me in that. In that she was a very famous singer in Georgia and she helped me a lot in that period of my life. And she told me that. So, like, whatever has given to us, it's a blessing. But we don't have to forget also to share with others that that needs it.
- [48:55]
Interviewer
If you could only pass on one lesson that you've learned to your kids because it's the most important thing that you've ever, ever learned, what would that lesson be? And why?
- [49:04]
Nutsa Buzaladze
Be kind to other people and to be kind to yourself and not so strict. It's so important to be kind and, and caring and loving towards. Sometimes we want so much from ourselves. We put ourselves in this, like, bad mental situation that, oh, my God, I have to do this, I have to do that. If I don't do that, I'm not good enough. I'm not good enough. I'm not good enough. And. And it just like, you know, it takes away joy. And I. I would say definitely to be kind to. To yourself and to be loving to yourself because it's so important to. To have that love for yourself. It. Because then I do feel like that if a person doesn't love herself, then she can let. She cannot love anybody. So it's all starts from within. So I would definitely work on. On love with my kids.
- [50:01]
Interviewer
I love that. And last thing, please tell people where they can connect with you. But also in the future, what are you working on? What are they going to get excited about? I mean, you're working on new music, a whole bunch of new projects. So social media, where are they going? But also everything else.
- [50:16]
Nutsa Buzaladze
So I have Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Facebook and you can find me as Nutsa Buza. So Nutsa is my first name, Buzaladze is my surname, but I shorten it so it's Nutsa Booza. Now also on Spotify, you can listen to my songs, my music. By the way, a week ago my song Firefighter has reached 7 million streams. So I was, I was celebrating that. Yes. So now I'm working. So as I moved to la, I connected with amazing musicians and I'm formed my band already. And also I released my first single here in America All My Life it's called and it's performing really good. It's like very fun and very joyful song about love. And then the next song is also about love because I feel like I'm in my like love era now. It's then my next song is called Amen and it's going to be out for the end of August and it's also fun and very good vibe song.