my story...

I was born & raised in Detroit's East side on Waltham & 6 mile. Life was interesting on that block. A lot of things happened in that span. That was late 80s/early 90s.  Michigan summers got pretty hot! I'll never forget this one day I was walking home from school & being laser focused on the pleasant beat I was hearing (yeah, it was still safe to do that back then). The neighbors across the street from us were blasting a song on their boom box.  I could never forget that moment. It's unforgettable! Had me hooked at 'rollin down the street, smokin indo, sippin on Gin & Juice, laid back, got my mind on my money & my money on my mind (why does this sound like the opening to Fresh Off the Boat Season 2, except we owned an oriental grocery store at one point and my dad was a truck driver while my mom recorded 3 solo albums in the basement and raised me + 4 my sibs). Yeah, that part! Which part? The part where my mom made music in the basement. Yeah, inspiring! And it took me years to get a song out. SMH.

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Anyway, before I made it to the 3rd grade, my parents moved us out to the boonies to Imlay City to avoid gang recruitment LOL. I laugh but its the truth. It was my first time ever being exposed to country music and I loved it! My favorite song was 'Check Yes or No' by George Straight. It was a cute country song. Perfect for the bus rides home down long lonely dirt roads.  Also, Imlay City was where I learned how to smile at people. It never occurred to me that smiling at others was a polite thing to do.  I still don't do it as much as I should but that was one level of 'woke' for me as a 4th grader. Wild! Lol

 

After just a few years, my parents realized we were always spending our weekends at my uncle's for their basement band practice — so we eventually moved to Warren, right on 8 mile & Panama.  A semi-diverse part of the city. It was good times during the late 90's/early 2000's. By then my music taste ranged mainly from Brandy to Monica, Aaliyah, Britney, Beyonce, NSync/BSB, TLC, Shania Twain, Savage Garden and all the alternative music during that era.  Britney & Boy Band posters covered my green floral wallpaper & clothes adorned my 1960's extra furry green carpet.  I was a hoarder!

 

At 13, I got into modeling, fashion and really grew a mindset of working hard. I was focused and had always been invested in my goals! Then I started dating boys which led to broken hearts & realizing early on that I could put my thoughts onto paper & create songs. They were all real corny though.  I started keeping a journal and had numerous binders of songs I'd typed + printed out. I lightly studied how songs were structured & writing down lyrics in album booklets so I could read them easier.  And if you grew up during these times, you might remember recording songs off the radio with  cassette tapes, accidentally recording over someone's mix tape too LOL. Resourceful & Willing!  

 

To go back and be worry free so that I can sleep with headphones on again would be a nice change. Nowadays, you have to be half asleep incase the kids wake up.  I would listen to all Boys II Men songs and Brandy's Have You Ever just to ease the feelings of teenage luv and then birthed was the hopeless romantic. Me.

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Fifteen years later; college, marriage, kids, work, etc. and there I was, digging back into old poetry notebooks and trying to login to old Penzu posts (does anyone else know what I'm talking about? lol).  

 

In 2019, I met a friend who took me in. He continues to pour his knowledge, positivity and his heart out to me. I made many other connections throughout that has gotten me here.  It's not where I'd like to be but then again, all I want to be is here making music, learning, meeting new people who are also passionate and have this burning drive to create.  

 

It's as if I picked up where I left off. My writing and vocals were rusty as can be and my writing was cornier reading it 15-20 years later LOL.  So, here I am, 2022...knocking on doors, right in the thick of industry changes. It sorta feels like they were waiting for me to come out of my cocoon and fly.  But, here I am. I have arrived — w/a whole lot of material, more heartache and growth to work with. I am not sure I would have had it any other way. Tada!

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