In this inspiring episode of the Artist Recovery Podcast, we sit down with Emi Matsushita — international performer, creative director, entrepreneur, and educator.
Emi’s story is raw, moving, and full of lessons for creatives navigating identity, trauma, and the pursuit of an authentic career in the arts. From growing up in Japan as mixed race, to experiencing culture shock in the U.S., to discovering freedom through hip hop, Emi reveals how art became her survival and her empowerment.

Highlights You Can’t Miss:
Identity & Belonging: Emi opens up about navigating childhood in Japan and America, facing racism, and being labeled “different” from an early age.
Overcoming Family Trauma: She shares candid reflections on growing up in a turbulent household, surviving abuse, and finding ways to ground herself through nature, faith, and dance.
The Power of Movement: From gymnastics to drill team, to discovering hip hop at Purdue, Emi describes how dance gave her both freedom and community.
Blending Science & Art: With a BS in Biology and an MFA in Dance Science, Emi bridges the worlds of science and creativity, proving that structure and expression can coexist.
Faith, Deconstruction & Healing: Emi dives into her complicated relationship with Christianity, religious trauma, and how she reshaped her spirituality on her own terms.
From Performer to Educator & Coach: Learn how Emi built a career as a dancer, director, and mentor — founding collectives, teaching at UNT and Dallas College, and creating arts entrepreneurship programs.
Money & Sustainability in the Arts: Emi shares strategies for artists to make a living from their craft, including workshops on “How to Make Money as a Dancer” and building sustainable creative careers.
Viral Moments: Hear Emi’s first shocking experience freestyling in hip hop, her vulnerable story about marriage and divorce reshaping her identity, and her reflections on how hip hop culture literally helped save her life.

📈 Why This Episode Matters
If you’ve ever wondered:
“Am I on the right path as an artist?”
“How do I turn my creativity into a sustainable career?”
“How do I heal and find my voice through art?”
…this episode will give you tools, validation, and courage. Emi’s journey is proof that your story matters, your path doesn’t have to be linear, and art can be your recovery.

Connect with Emi:
https://linkin.bio/levelup_emilou
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emi-matsushita

#EmiMatsushita, #ArtistRecoveryPodcast, #DanceAndHealing, #HipHopSavedMyLife, #MixedRaceIdentity, #GrowingUpInJapan, #CulturalIdentity, #CreativeResilience, #HealingThroughArt, #TraumaAndCreativity, #HipHopCulture, #FreestyleDance, #ArtAsSurvival, #LeavingReligionFindingSelf, #MakingMoneyAsADancer, #SustainableCreativeCareer, #EmbodiedEntrepreneurCoach, #DallasArtsCommunity, #BalancingScienceAndArt, #CreativeEntrepreneurship, #ArtistsRecoveryJourney #richwrightartist #richwrightunltd

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Always remember, Listen to your Heart and Be Kind to Your Mind! -Rich Wright

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