Show Notes
Mark Shiiba is a singer-songwriter, and Navy veteran who left a career supervising nuclear reactors to write songs full-time.
In today's episode, we sit down with Mark in Huntington Beach, California for a wide-ranging conversation about identity, grief, and the quiet whisper that pulls you toward your calling.
During the chat, Mark walks us through growing up one of five kids and building his early identity as a soccer player, following his brother to the Naval Academy, and supervising a nuclear reactor on an aircraft carrier in the South China Sea. He shares how getting out of the Navy at 28 to commit fully to songwriting led him to walk 90 miles down the California coast to release a single, and eventually onto the stage of The Voice, where he earned Michael Bublé's Coach Replay.
Throughout the conversation, he highlights the quiet "whisper" that's guided every version of his identity, how losing his mom reshaped his relationship with songwriting, and why he's come to see creativity less as a gift he was given and more as one he gets to give away.
Key Moments and Highlights:- Walking 90 miles down the California coast to release his song "Walking" - Growing up one of five kids and finding early identity through soccer - Playing youth soccer alongside future USMNT star Christian Pulisic - Following his brother to the Naval Academy to play college soccer - Supervising a nuclear reactor on an aircraft carrier in the South China Sea - The first time he ever played guitar for strangers, at a church camp - Leaving the Navy at 28 to commit fully to songwriting- Auditioning for The Voice and earning Michael Bublé's Coach Replay - Losing his mom to cancer, and turning to music to heal- Creating "Song Portraits," original songs written for one person at a time - Building Shiiba Village, the fan-supported home for his music - Redefining creativity as a gift you give, not one you're given
This was a deeply reflective conversation with one of the most intentional artists I've met. Hope you dig it. Thanks for listening. Be Where Your Feet Are.
Follow Mark Shiiba:Website: https://markshiiba.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markshiibamusic/ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4GwrlLHprqqy29GK9JnmY9 Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/mark-shiiba/1497421560
Follow Drew Korf:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drewkorf/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drew.korf
Follow The Garden:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thegarden.podcast/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thegarden.podcast
Mentioned in this episode:Mark's Walking Tour: https://markshiiba.com/walking-tour Song Portrait: https://markshiiba.com/song-portrait Shiiba Village (support Mark's music): https://markshiiba.com/shiiba-village
Episode Chapters:0:00 Intro0:22 The 90-mile walking tour down the coast 11:31 Growing up one of five, and finding identity through soccer 16:04 Following his brother to the Naval Academy 17:30 Supervising a nuclear reactor in the South China Sea 42:10 The first time he played guitar for strangers 59:14 Leaving structure behind: from athlete to full-time artist 1:05:46 Losing his mom, and healing through songwriting1:24:31 Auditioning for The Voice 1:27:35 Song Portraits: writing songs for one person at a time 1:44:00 Shiiba Village and creativity as a gift you give 1:59:03 Being "a crack in the door"
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