Corners Of My Mind

I'm still on the mend and reminiscing about CalArts' recital season. Two years ago, I was busy making set lists, music charts and rehearsing diligently for my April recital. Now I'm busy being a content creator, working on an album and somehow managing three jobs. Time is fleeting. 

Nikka Costa is one of my favorite vocalists and when I performed this song, I dedicated it to my mom who is also one of my favorite vocalists. What I love most about my mom's voice is how strong it is. It can fill a room and resonate in your bones. I learned mostly everything I know about singing from listening to my mom indirectly for years. I say indirectly because I wasn't intentionally trying to emulate or sound like her. I was just a little sponge soaking up everything I was exposed to growing up. 

One day, she encouraged me to add dynamics to my singing. I was really good at imitating singers but hadn't developed my own unique style. She told me to practice belting in the car where no one could hear me. She told me to always have water, honey, a cough drop, to make sure to breathe and to never push too hard if my throat hurt or if I was sick. Essentially, she was my first vocal teacher. 

So I sang and cracked and sang bad ass notes and cracked again and again and again until I discovered how to push my voice further until I could feel it in my bones. I probably looked crazy belting at the top of my lungs in rush-hour Los Angeles traffic over the years. 

I will never forget the day after my recital when my mom told me how proud she was of me. As tears rolled down my face, she hugged me tightly and I felt the full circle moment of when the apprentice becomes the master. 

Literally though because I did get a Master's degree, right??!! Bahahahahahahahah

The Anomaly