Shownotes
What if the very thing that makes you feel like you don't belong is actually your greatest creative gift?
In this moving conversation, I sit down with Amanda Pascali, a singer-songwriter, translator, and Fulbright Fellow who's turned the experience of never quite fitting in into her life's work. A Harrington Fellow at the University of Texas at Austin, she researches Italian studies and ethnomusicology while revitalizing centuries-old Sicilian folk songs for modern audiences. Having built a community of hundreds of thousands online, she's proven that the space between cultures isn't empty—it's where authentic connection is born.
Amanda translates and reinterprets the work of Rosa Balistreri, one of Italy's first women to publicly denounce social inequality through music, bringing women's perspectives to stories that have long been filtered through a male gaze. Her latest album, Roses and Basil, transforms ancient lullabies and protest songs into something that speaks to anyone who's ever felt like the outsider looking in.
What makes Amanda different—and why this conversation felt so essential—is that she's not here to tell you how to fit in. She's here to show you what becomes possible when you finally stop trying. She understands the exhaustion of pretending, the power of claiming your own space, and how the very thing that made you feel different can become your greatest source of strength.
In this episode, you'll discover:
- How feeling like the "weird girl" became the foundation for authentic artistry
- Why Amanda picked up a guitar at 12 and decided to create space for herself through music
- The story behind her Fulbright Fellowship translating Sicilian folk songs in a UNESCO-endangered language
- How she reinterprets centuries-old songs to center women's voices and experiences
- How to use ancient wisdom to speak to our most modern struggles
- What it's like to balance online visibility with real-life authenticity
- Why she believes music is how we say the things we can't say with spoken word
This conversation reminds us that our greatest challenges often hold our greatest gifts. When you stop pretending to fit in and start trusting who you really are, you create:
✨ Ease in finally letting go of the exhausting performance of trying to belong—which frees up energy to honor what matters most to you, pursue work that aligns with your values, and show up authentically in every space you enter
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Joy in discovering community with others who also don't fit the mold—in finding your unique voice when traditional paths don't serve you—and in creating rituals that ground you and reconnect you to what's meaningful
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Impact by centering voices and perspectives that have been marginalized or overlooked—by giving others permission to embrace what makes them different—and by proving that making people feel less alone is one of the most powerful things we can do
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Self-trust in believing your perspective has value even when it challenges convention—in choosing to reclaim parts of yourself on your own terms—and in knowing that the dreams your ancestors couldn't pursue are now yours to live
🔗 Get Amanda’s new album Roses and Basil (bilingual reinterpretations of Sicilian folk songs): https://amandapascali.bandcamp.com/album/roses-and-basil
✨ Experience the Power Up Workshop
"The wants felt frenzied. The desires felt calm. Like planting seeds." — Sarah, workshop participant
The Power Up Workshop happened on December 27th, and the feedback was incredible.
The replay is now available. Join Giovanna Rossi for 90 minutes to reflect, release, and ground yourself before moving forward.
This is the anti-hustle, anti-resolution approach. The work that comes before the goals.
Use it anytime you're in transition or ready to reset — not just for year-end.
Get instant access: https://wellwomanlife.com/powerupworkshop
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📅 Also happening this month,
100 Women Albuquerque will meet on January 28 at 5:30 pm in Albuquerque to amplify our impact and assist under-supported organizations. The WWS will continue its sponsorship of this great work in 2026. Come be inspired by the collective power of women. Join us to meet like-minded women committed to making a difference. Members can nominate local nonprofits and promote a business or event during our meeting. Click here!
http://100womenabq.org/
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📣 Nominate a remarkable woman (or women) for KRQE's Remarkable Women 2026 contest. It’s a chance to spotlight women whose dedication and community impact deserve to be celebrated. Click here to submit your nominations today: https://www.krqe.com/contests/remarkable-women-2026/
Resources Mentioned
Connect with Amanda
Website: https://www.amandapascali.com/
IG: https://www.instagram.com/amandinapascali
FB:
http://facebook.com/amandinapascali
Connect with Giovanna Rossi
Website: https://wellwomanlife.com/
IG: https://www.instagram.com/wellwomanlife
FB: https://www.facebook.com/TheWellWomanShow#
YT: https://www.youtube.com/@wellwomanlife128
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/giovannarossi/
The Well Woman Show is delighted to partner with the Work and Family Researchers Network and its next conference June 17-20, 2026 in Montreal, Canada. For more information, look to
https://wfrn.org/2026-work-and-family-researchers-network-conference/
If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the Well Woman Show on your favorite podcast platform and leave us a review. Share it with a woman who needs to hear this. Your support helps us continue bringing you conversations with incredible women leaders who are changing the world.
