I was born in the basket of privilege and indulgence but never realized it until later in life. With a family consisting of the most supportive parents and amazing siblings, I have always believed that life has a ton of things in store for each and every person; granted, that they do their best to grasp every opportunity. Admittedly, life treated me considerably better than most, and I am extremely grateful for that. But it didn’t, and still doesn’t, save me from enduring life’s high demand for constant changes and obstacles. At times, there were household crises that paid no mind to my own internal struggles; this was especially bothersome during my family’s sudden and immediate decision to migrate to the U.S. It wasn’t exactly what I had in mind when it came to the American Dream. But even though such big changes as moving to a new country, one thing remained constant – my relationship with music. From the moment I first held a microphone, I knew that this was something I needed to hold on to. From familial challenges to personal endeavors, I found myself humming to the tune of life. Soon, as life continued its barrage of unexpected schemes, I developed an invigorating, new relationship with my guitar. It continues today to be my trusty companion; college, yet another big shift in my life, would not be as bearable without it. From heartbreaks to high school angst, my guitar and I have composed songs that I hope will someday speak to others as they have spoken to me. I hope that I will inspire others to build relationships with something meaningful to help them experience life in a more positive light, be it through sports, food, music, or whatever and whoever. Because life brings constant change, and it’s nice to have an internal relationship that will always be there to help one cope. If someone were to ask me about my inspiration for music, I’d respond with a simple, “time and change,” because I’ve seen time and change pass by, and I’ve seen the limitless possibilities of what a person can choose to be during the course of it, and I believe that it is these choices that define one’s life. I believe that that’s what is so beautiful about music; it is what a musician chooses to be. And as cliché, as it may sound, for me, music is my life.
