Video of my song “Birthright”
According to my mother, I came out of the womb singing.
As a young child, I sang to bring comfort to the world around me. Singing felt natural, and I didn’t get hung up about what “the others” would think. It was a source of empowerment and pride for me.
However, by the age of 17, I began to feel pressure to pick a college and start thinking about a career. I began to hear messages from adults in my life about music not being a viable career. They insisted that pursuing singing would ultimately lead me to “the poor house,” and a life of struggle.
It was at that time that I noticed my voice start to shut down. I could feel tension in my vocal chords that had never been there before, and for the first time ever, I felt really nervous when asked to sing. As my singing voice shut down, my power diminished, and I started to secretly struggle with anxiety.
Fast forward to college, where I was surrounded by a group of eccentric artists, many of whom were pursuing degrees in music, art, and theater. Even though I had loved singing for much of my life, there was a voice of doubt that told me that my friends and boyfriend at the time were somehow more “deserving” or “worthy” of being a musician.
Eventually, I chose the path of becoming a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. I wanted to help bring voice to those who are rendered voiceless through systemic injustice and racism, and trauma. Looking back, it's now easy to see how in addition to wanting to help, I was trying to learn new skills and ways to reclaim my own power and voice.
I ended up dedicating 10+ years of my life to primarily supporting undocumented refugees and their families.
In 2012, and just months after finally obtaining my clinical license as a social worker, I experienced a great heartache. I was devastated when my marriage ended suddenly and unexpectedly. While I was going through the agony of divorce, I felt the lowest sense of self worth than ever before.
I felt not good enough at the core. I didn’t know who I was anymore.
What I didn’t know then, was that what I was experiencing was actually a blessing in disguise.
That the pain I was feeling would lead me on a profound healing journey.
One in which I would experience a spiritual awakening and transformation that led me to the discovery of my latent musical gifts.
Through the support of masterful somatic and energy healers, shamanic guides, intuition training, dance medicine, the practice of nonviolent communication, and sound healing, I was able to reclaim my power and reconnect to my singing voice.
The more I sang, the better I felt. It was clear in the midst of so much pain, that my voice WAS the medicine I was looking for.
A friend, who happens to be an epic visionary artist and musician, heard me sing, and decided to indefinitely loan me his ukulele.
He encouraged me to learn a few chords, and explore my voice with the sweet accompaniment of an instrument.
Within months of him loaning me his uke, I learned 5 chords, and began to receive songs that brought me deep healing.
Each song came to help me heal a different facet of pain and grief, and served as the perfect medicine to heal my heart.
Each song is a prayer for the earth, for humanity, for the Compassionate Self within every living being. Each one is a love song in dedication to the divine.
I am Began RECORding my first album, “Worthy,” in the Fall of 2020, and it was released on all the major streaming platforms in december of 2021.
My dream is that these songs that have helped me heal my self worth issues, and have brought empowerment and joy in my life, will serve to bring love and healing to all who listen.
I hope that these songs honoring our infinite worth will teach every child, AND the child inside every adult that who you are at the core is good, and the world needs You.
I also have a secret fantasy that my music will lead to opportunities to raise large amounts of money to give back to save the amazon, to the Community Health Center and communities I previously served when I was a full time Clinical Social Worker.
I am eternally grateful for the healing journey I have been on, and for the honor and privilege of being someone who carries and shares the gift of singing and playing music.
May we claim our worth as our birthright!
