My Story

At the age of 2, I was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. It is a disability that affected my social, communication, and developmental skills. Not to say I was unable to learn anything, I just had to learn things a different way from most people. I also used to outburst a lot more often because I didn’t know how to empathize with other people. My parents did their absolute best to get me to socialize and eventually, when I was 5, I was singing hymns at my local church. My mom knew it was the perfect opportunity. I joined a private youth choir program called Young Voices of Colorado where they taught kids from kindergarten to 12th grade how to sing and perform professionally. I was there where I learned several skills like learning how to be humble and how to have empathy for others. There was one time in that choir where I got a solo part I really wanted and gloated for the rest of the rehearsal. I did not realize it made the other kids feel terrible. When my parents told me what I did, I contemplated and burst into tears. It was that single moment where I finally understood empathy and I thrived in that choir ever since.

Ever since my time at Young Voices of Colorado, I performed at several events like church services, musical productions, other choirs, and competed in state-wide competitions. Another huge part of my growth as a person was my love for entertainment. I grew up with many TV shows, Movies, Books, and Video Games. I still recite many quotes because I’ve watched them so much! There was an artist that stuck with me was a person named Adam Lambert. He first appeared as a contestant for American Idol. His voice was so impressive and powerful, it inspired me to pursue a career in being a pop star. For a while, I tried to imitate his vocal style. This practice honestly helped me extend my vocal range. Adam Taught me to stand out in the crowd and don’t listen to the haters. It is something I still live by.

Another piece of entertainment has stuck with me for all my life and that was the Nintendo video game, Super Mario Galaxy. It was my first experience of euphoria because the game’s soundtrack is one of the most epic and grand soundtracks I’ve heard. I stand by that statement to this day. It showed me that music can make people happy, sad, terrified, and hopeful. That was the moment I knew; music has immense power. Music can influence so much in a person. It can make them dance, laugh, cry, entrance, entertain, and inspire. When I performed my music at these events, I always see so many people come to me and say that I did a wonderful job. If I made a stranger happy because of my voice, I know I did something right. I recently graduated from the University of Northern Colorado with Music Business as my major. I want to share my love of music and my success story to as many people as possible.