Becoming an Artist: What pushed me to start
Music is the powerful force that has been pulling and tugging on me for as long as I can remember. It all began with elementary school choir and then choosing music as an elective in middle school. I remember getting my first solo and even passing up an audition because I was embarrassed by how much I loved choir. It became clear that everything else was an afterthought, maybe just a side quest in the grand adventure of my musical journey. While other pursuits held value, I had one ultimate goal in mind.
My first memory of my very first song dates back to when I was 10 years old, and I still believe to this day that it was pretty good. I’m convinced that even Disney Channel would've ate it up. My songs have always had elements of fantasy and reality, with hooks about experiences I had never encountered, yet they carried a genuine emotion. I credit my vivid imagination for that. I remember using my sister's old blue chocolate phone to record 15-second hook ideas that popped into my head. I would rush to my room or step outside to ensure that every word was captured as perfectly as possible in 2010. Music was my everything. I made music not because I wanted to, but because I had to. Even without that chocolate phone, hooks would’ve still popped into my brain, and I would’ve still gone through a poetry phase in my 7th-grade algebra class, scribbling hearts and poems amidst equations. It was ingrained in me, a part of me.
So, you might think that after over 10 years of being immersed in all things music, I would have a clear path for my future. Well, if you think that, you'd be wrong, sorry! Did I mention I was also extremely passionate about fashion? I'd watch shows like "Kimora: Life in the Fab Lane" and "Project Runway," dreaming of becoming the world's biggest fashion designer. I call it the constant battle between my heart and my mind. Spoiler alert: it's a battle I'll probably be fighting for the rest of my life, and to be honest, I love it.
Being a fashion designer sounded great, but I had spent my entire childhood gaining experience in music. So, how was I going to pivot and become all about fashion? Well, with me, it's always been "don't ask, just do," and that's exactly what I did. I went to school and majored in fashion merchandising. I couldn't even pursue fashion design because I had no portfolio; it was all a vision in my head. Funny how I thought being a fashion designer was somehow a more practical path than music. I had convinced myself that I could never excel in music because I didn't possess a voice like Mariah Carey, Brandy, or Whitney Houston. I believed that if I wanted to be a big star, my voice would never get me there. Sure, I could hit some high notes and impress my choir teacher, but there was no way, right?
This is where your perspective on the world becomes so vital. My perspective began to shift during my senior year of high school when I met my first "Alysse" (the significance of the name will become clear later). While it seemed like everyone, including me, was listening to mainstream music, Alysse was into alternative music. I hadn't really explored alternative music before, aside from Paramore, of course. There was something intriguing about it, and it made her the coolest person I knew.
Fast forward to my freshman year of college, and I met my second "Alyse" (this time with only one 'S'). It felt like destiny that we crossed paths – two random girls in need of a roommate and both wanting a say in that choice. Alyse completely shifted my perspective, leading me to embark on my own deep dive to discover many artists who have successful careers today. She introduced me to artists no one else knew and others who were on the rise, but I might have only discovered when they became mainstream years later. That's when everything changed. A music career looked entirely different from what I had previously envisioned. There were people with millions of fans whom I had never heard of, and I began to believe that could be me. I could focus on the creation of music and the sound rather than striving for the perfect voice.
So, I started, and I haven't stopped since. Don't let your perspective on things make you think that what you truly desire is not possible for you. You can achieve anything you set your mind to – you just have to put in the work.
