Mina Tobias

If anyone knows about royalty, it would be Mina Tobias- Hollywood royalty that is! Born the daughter of songwriter David Alexis, and actress bombshell Mädchen Amick, the talented and exotic beauty seemed destined for stardom- even though her parents insisted she was raised with wholesome and grounded values. Ensuring not to push her into the business, the power couple brought Tobias up with quality morals, intelligence, well-spoken grace and an eagerness to give back- which is precisely why her first major venture into the music business is devoted to two causes she cares about greatly.

On Instagram @minatobias_, Mina can be quoted saying;

“When I wrote #kingsandqueens and decided to fundraise to make a video, I wanted to simultaneously give back to @bringchange2mind and #ThriveSidebySide - two groups that are so amazing, impactful, and important. Thank you for your donations that helped make this music video possible for me and director @madchenamick, while also supporting #BC2M and #thrive. As an independent artist, your contributions create opportunities for me to put these projects together, and I truly believe art is supposed to make a difference! #yourock #mentalhealth #youtheducation”

For those not familiar with these amazing organizations, Thrive Side By Side helps students thrive and find their purpose, helping to connect them with top professionals, while BringChange2Mind, a charity spearheaded by the phenomenal Glenn Close, takes on the extremely important task of helping to eliminate mental illness stigmas in society. There aren’t enough charities to help raise awareness for the fact that mental illness is so often poorly depicted in media, and the stigmas that go along with being diagnosed, and Amick and Tobias got on board after having experienced mental illness within their own family as Mina’s brother, Sylvester, had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Now, Sylvester bravely helps fight with BringChange2Mind to rearrange the way people think about mental illness, and his fabulous and supportive family are eagerly along on that journey, doing everything they can as they parlay their art into raising funds and awareness for the important cause.

And with Mina’s new music video, she is sure to get some attention. Proving she is just as talented a songwriter as her father, and just as much of a knockout as her mother, the sizzling starlet dances her way through sequins and smoke as she lights up the screen. Catch her at just the right glimpse, and Tobias is literally the doppelganger of her drop-dead gorgeous mother- who is truly one of the most beautiful women of all time, possessing an exciting set of features that when blended together make for an interesting work of art that you simply can’t stop staring at. Her beauty is far from conventional, cookie-cutter or basic and it never has been- and Tobias offers the same kind of intriguing attributes, and yet, both are undeniably spectacular and easily channel what a “true beauty” should be. However, Tobias proves to be more than simply eye-candy and a good performer as she doesn’t just sing and dance- she writes, records and produces her own material as well. As much as she could easily rest assured on famous parents and a beautiful face, this smart songstress made sure she had the talent and work ethic to back it up- and that’s exactly what her mother always wanted from her upon deciding on entering the business.

And that’s probably because Amick holds herself to the same high standards. Again, easily one of the sexiest women in Hollywood for two and a half decades now, the actress could have just as easily relied on her sex appeal and great beauty to do the work for her, rather than sought work that challenged her over the years. But, having a very long line of impressive credits that range from titles such as Damages and Mad Men, Amick has shown that she really had whatever it was David Lynch saw in her when she first auditioned for Twin Peaks. And now, she continues to challenge herself as she takes on an even bigger role- being one of the many actresses to step behind the camera for the Women Behind The Lens movement. Amick acts as the director on her daughters music video, “Kings and Queens,” and she does a great job with her directorial debut- proving once again that she really learned from the best so many years ago when in the hands of David Lynch, adopting many surrealist tricks and capturing clever beautiful frames.

And with the music video being so awesome, Tobias clearly poised for super-stardom, the Twin Peaks reboot on its way, and Riverdale on The CW about to break on to the scene, it goes without saying that both Tobias and Amick will surely be the mother-daughter team that everyone can’t shut up about in 2017. In the interview below, the brainy beauties sit down to talk about all the great things they have coming up, and the fantastic charities they work with! Read on for more, and check below for the music video for “Kings And Queens!”

So, Mina, talk a little bit about “Kings and Queens.” What inspired the song and what inspired the music video?

MINA TOBIAS: I wrote “Kings and Queens” last October. I’m on the board of an organization called Thrive Side By Side, and we had just done a bunch of video interviews with entrepreneurs. So, we all went out that night and it was a really fun experience. I had this moment at the end of the night where we got caught in this dance battle with real dancers! So, it just inspired me to write about having this moment with this person you don’t know and having the best time within that moment. So, I sat down and started writing on it the next day and kept working on it for about a week after that. There was a visual aspect that I certainly wanted to expand on since it was based off this real experience, so I knew I wanted to do a music video for it. So, I start working with Go Fund Me, and I wanted to donate a percentage of the proceeds to Thrive Side By Side, but also BringChange2Mind- which is Glenn Close’s mental health organization. So, finally I asked my mom to join on and direct around April, and then from there we started assembling a really cool cast and crew. It was a long process- but really fun!

Let’s talk a bit about BringChange2Mind - a cause that everyone should know more about, as it helps fight stigmas in mental illness. The cause is so important. Please tell people more about it and how you got involved.

MINA TOBIAS: Absolutely! It’s definitely been a big part of our lives. In college I studied psychology, and we have mental health issues in our family, so it’s a big part of who we are at this point. So, I knew if I was going to be fundraising in anyway, there was always going to be some sort of giving back involved- and I knew I wanted to include them.

MÄDCHEN AMICK: So, my son- Mina’s brother- is living with bipolar disorder. It came to the attention of our family about four years ago, and we went into it without any knowledge of knowing really how to handle it as a strong family unit. So, once he got the proper diagnosis and a therapy program, I immediately wanted to reach out to any other family that might be going through the same thing because there’s no road map. There’s so much stigma attached to it. So, I had worked with Glenn Close on Damages a few years back and I noticed the work she was doing, so we reached out to each other, and she asked me to help with the publicity side and being a spokesperson for it. I think it’s always important that we are always incorporating that bigger meaning into the work that we do.

And Mädchen, it must have been really exciting stepping behind the lens for the project. You got your start learning from some of the best obviously with David Lynch. How was the experience directing, and were you influenced by David Lynch at all?

MÄDCHEN AMICK: Absolutely. I was so lucky that Twin Peaks was the first thing I did- so my introduction to film and television was through David Lynch’s imagination. And I then went out into the real world and got to see how people worked very differently than David, and he is very brilliant to me, so I really credit him my success and blame him for setting the bar so high that I’m constantly expecting that from every project I do! [Cracks up] So, directing is something I’ve been wanting to do for over twenty years now. In my mid-twenties, I really wanted to get behind the camera- but I really never found the time. So, Mina finally kicked me in the butt and pushed me behind the camera and I loved it! It was such hard work, but it was really satisfying! And so great!

As far as directing goes, right now has really been an exciting time where people are really celebrating the Woman Behind The Lens movement, and really trying to get more actresses to come behind the camera to create quality content for women. Can you speak on the importance of that, and are you looking to direct more?

MÄDCHEN AMICK: Of course! It’s important for women to have a say and have prominent roles in any careers that they have! As far as film, we need more women voices. There’s been this stronghold of men making films, and there’s this facade that it’s because there are more male audiences- but that’s not true. It’s actually proven that there are higher number of female audiences that go to see movies and watch television shows. So, I think it’s really important for actresses to do their part, since we’ve seen the other side of it. We have seen how a lot of female roles are still written gratuitously. And it’s a way for us to still create strong, sexy, beautiful female roles, but show them the way that everyone wants to see- including women, In ways they won’t feel ashamed of. My whole career I’ve fought against simply being cast as a piece of jewelry on some action star’s arm- and I’ve had a lot of offers I’ve turned down, that in hindsight I think to myself that maybe I should have taken that role [chuckles.] But, at the same time, I was challenged by David Lynch to really search out more complex roles- and if that meant a little independent film here, or a smaller role on television that might have been more interesting, that’s what I’ve focused on. So, getting behind the camera, I have another project in mind that I want to develop and it would be from my point of view. So, I’m setting my sights on even more in the future.

Mina, this isn’t your first music video. How long have you been pursuing music? You write, produce and perform all your own music- that is very impressive! Is there an album or a tour in the horizon?

MINA TOBIAS: So, my interest in music started really young since my dad was an artist, and songwriter, and producer- and just an all-around really talented guy! We’ve always had studios in the house, and he has always recorded. He would always let me in the studios and let me play around. I’ve always been interested in recording. I started writing and producing my own material around high school, and I’ve been getting even more serious about it for the past seven years. And then I started using social media and SoundCloud to start getting my music out there and share it with people, and I really appreciate that factor of the music industry that we now have all these streaming devices as this was a huge player in how I started distributing my music. So, I think I’ll start putting together a full album really soon. I just have a few singles on Spotify and iTunes that I’ve been expanding on- but I’m sure I’ll put something together and make an album. As far as touring, I would love to! That’s one of my major goals; to open up for somebody. That would be awesome!

And let’s talk about the boy in the video. Very hot! Who is he, and whose idea was he?

MÄDCHEN AMICK: His name is Wally Sam. Our amazing choreographer found him and all the dancers. Our choreographer was so great, her name is Ingrid Graham- she just recently produced the documentary on Misty Copeland, the first African-American Ballerina. But Wally, he was just so adorable! He was really great!

Mina, obviously you are so lovely and really about to break on to the scene in a major way. Is there any chance we will see you in any acting roles as well?

MINA TOBIAS: That’s funny- that’s been a very internal battle. My parents were very anti-acting my entire life. [Laughs] And, I’ve always visited my mom on set since I was a baby, and I always loved everything that goes on regarding production. But, it has been kind of ingrained in my mind that I shouldn’t be acting [giggles.] But, since I’ve been in LA, I have caught the acting bug. I’ve been trying to work on my skills. I have an acting coach. So, the answer is I am considering it and I’m trying to see what my options are. I was in the NCAA at Cornell, and I have this athletic background, so I’m deciding what I want to go after- and once I do, I will really go all-in. So, we’ll see.

And what is some of the best advice your mom gave you about this business? Mädchen, same question for you, what would you really love for your daughter to know going into the industry?

MINA TOBIAS: Her best advice was probably along the lines of staying true to your voice- and that’s something that I’ve always considered and kept in mind when writing music. Sometimes, I write songs and I don’t always know how people will take it, and what is most popular- especially with female singers and actresses. When you’re in LA you’re so conscious of how people see you. So, I think the best advice is just to stay true to what you believe in, and that’s helped me tons. And the best part is that she doesn’t just say it, she embodies it- she has lived it out through her own career, so it really showed me first-hand and gave me something to believe in.

MÄDCHEN AMICK: My husband was a singer-songwriter, so he was on the music side, and I’ve been on the acting side, so our ideology for both our children was that it was fine and completely understandable to be an artist- it’s in our blood, but we always wanted it to be their choice. We never wanted them to get into it too young. We’ve seen parents that push their children into the entertainment business at too young of an age, and we couldn’t do that- the value system is too warped in the business. And I think you need a real solid set of morals before you jump into it. Our thing was always that they had to go out and get a college education, look at other things they want to do, and if they really still want to be an artist they can pursue it- but look at it not just as an artist, but also as a business. And I think that’s the one thing I would do differently. I went in as “actress-for-hire.” [laughs] If I would have started out more business savvy, I might have branched out more in different areas.

And of course, this will be an amazing year for you as well. I know it’s too early to say anything on your big projects; the subversive take on Archie for The CW called “Riverdale”, and of course the desperately awaited ”Twin Peaks” sequel, but, can you tease fans a little and say anything?

MÄDCHEN AMICK: It’s going to be so great! There’s actually a few things I can say! Number one, with Riverdale, they are doing such a good job with this dark, mysterious take on Archie Comics, and fans will fall in love with all the different characters. Everyone is just so juicy! And I love my character, Alice Cooper- I’m so happy! She’s one of my favorite characters to play! She’s complex! And, as for Twin Peaks, like I said before, David is such a unique filmmaker, and creates such a special environment on set that is so open for everyone involved- and I did that back when I was seventeen, now coming back twenty-five years later I got to appreciate him as a filmmaker even more this time around. Having gone out and experienced so many different things, to come back and see what a beautiful and loving environment he creates is just so special. And the only other thing I can say about Twin Peaks is that the way we broke the mold for television twenty-five years ago, it’s about to be broken again.

*****

Well, no spoiler warning there- any fan who sat on the edge of their seats the first time around already knew that. And the same way Twin Peaks and Riverdale will undoubtedly be the biggest shows of the new year, it’s safe to say that Mädchen Amick and daughter Mina Tobias will be the biggest superstars as well- Queen and Princess.

For more information about the causes that Mädchen and Mina support, log on to the websites http://bringchange2mind.org/ and http://capc.pe/ to learn more.

And of course, Check out more on “Kings And Queens” and Mina’s music on twitter for links to her Spotify and iTunes @minatobias! - Huffington Post

By: Briana Phipps
Singer/ songwriter Mina Tobias released a new music video this Monday morning, September 12th, for her single Kings and Queens. This highly anticipated video was crowdfunded and directed by actress Mädchen Amick (Twin Peaks) who can soon be seen in The CW’s Riverdale.
In addition to raising funds for the music video, Tobias donated a percentage of the crowdfunded proceeds to BringChange2Mind.org – – an organization that works to end the stigma around mental illness. This organization is important to Mina Tobias and Mädchen Amick who have a brother and a son, respectively, with Bipolar Disorder.
You can watch the video here: - Afterbuzz TV

Every aspect of [Mina]'s career she is in control of, from the music, to the videos and promotion. I'm a big fan [of Mina Tobias] work, taking the lead on everything. She's creating her own work and making her passions come true, all the while partnering with charities to help other people along the way. Very inspired. - Yael Tygiel

Currently based in New York, Tobias's music is as eclectic as the state in which she inhabits. Not keeping herself in any one box, Tobias's sound is deep rooted across many genres, including Pop, Alternative, and Rhythm and Blues. Her enchanting voice along with her versatility as an artist has captured her ever growing fanbase. We are sure to be hearing great things from Mina Tobias. - Meka McLeod, Scream Loudly

The concert was opened by Mina Tobias, a phenomenal voice.. a huge star with a great future ahead of her. From beginning to end it was a fantastic event. - Entertainment Zone

If anyone knows about royalty, it would be Mina Tobias- Hollywood royalty that is! Born the daughter of songwriter David Alexis, and actress bombshell Mädchen Amick, the talented and exotic beauty seemed destined for stardom- even though her parents insisted she was raised with wholesome and grounded values. Ensuring not to push her into the business, the power couple brought Tobias up with quality morals, intelligence, well-spoken grace and an eagerness to give back- which is precisely why her first major venture into the music business is devoted to two causes she cares about greatly.

On Instagram @minatobias, Mina can be quoted saying:
“When I wrote #kingsandqueens and decided to fundraise to make a video, I wanted to simultaneously give back to @bringchange2mind and #ThriveSidebySide - two groups that are so amazing, impactful, and important. Thank you for your donations that helped make this music video possible for me and director @madchenamick, while also supporting #BC2M and #thrive. As an independent artist, your contributions create opportunities for me to put these projects together, and I truly believe art is supposed to make a difference! #yourock #mentalhealth #youtheducation”

For those not familiar with these amazing organizations, Thrive Side By Side helps students thrive and find their purpose, helping to connect them with top professionals, while BringChange2Mind, a charity spearheaded by the phenomenal Glenn Close, takes on the extremely important task of helping to eliminate mental illness stigmas in society. There aren’t enough charities to help raise awareness for the fact that mental illness is so often poorly depicted in media, and the stigmas that go along with being diagnosed, and Amick and Tobias got on board after having experienced mental illness within their own family as Mina’s brother, Sylvester, had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Now, Sylvester bravely helps fight with BringChange2Mind to rearrange the way people think about mental illness, and his fabulous and supportive family are eagerly along on that journey, doing everything they can as they parlay their art into raising funds and awareness for the important cause.

And with Mina’s new music video, she is sure to get some attention. Proving she is just as talented a songwriter as her father, and just as much of a knockout as her mother, the sizzling starlet dances her way through sequins and smoke as she lights up the screen. Catch her at just the right glimpse, and Tobias is literally the doppelganger of her drop-dead gorgeous mother- who is truly one of the most beautiful women of all time, possessing an exciting set of features that when blended together make for an interesting work of art that you simply can’t stop staring at. Her beauty is far from conventional, cookie-cutter or basic and it never has been- and Tobias offers the same kind of intriguing attributes, and yet, both are undeniably spectacular and easily channel what a “true beauty” should be. However, Tobias proves to be more than simply eye-candy and a good performer as she doesn’t just sing and dance- she writes, records and produces her own material as well. As much as she could easily rest assured on famous parents and a beautiful face, this smart songstress made sure she had the talent and work ethic to back it up- and that’s exactly what her mother always wanted from her upon deciding on entering the business.

And that’s probably because Amick holds herself to the same high standards. Again, easily one of the sexiest women in Hollywood for two and a half decades now, the actress could have just as easily relied on her sex appeal and great beauty to do the work for her, rather than sought work that challenged her over the years. But, having a very long line of impressive credits that range from titles such as Damages and Mad Men, Amick has shown that she really had whatever it was David Lynch saw in her when she first auditioned for Twin Peaks. And now, she continues to challenge herself as she takes on an even bigger role- being one of the many actresses to step behind the camera for the Women Behind The Lens movement. Amick acts as the director on her daughters music video, “Kings and Queens,” and she does a great job with her directorial debut- proving once again that she really learned from the best so many years ago when in the hands of David Lynch, adopting many surrealist tricks and capturing clever beautiful frames.

And with the music video being so awesome, Tobias clearly poised for super-stardom, the Twin Peaks reboot on its way, and Riverdale on The CW about to break on to the scene, it goes without saying that both Tobias and Amick will surely be the mother-daughter team that everyone can’t shut up about in 2017. In the interview below, the brainy beauties sit down to talk about all the great things they have coming up, and the fantastic charities they work with! Read on for more, and check below for the music video for “Kings And Queens!” - Huffington Post - by Andrew Cristii

Video only - FOX 11 News at Noon