What? “I’m a recording artist?” The exact same lines I said while facing a tall shabby mirror. Don’t get me wrong, but life a year ago was way different than how things are now. Let me give you a back story. So I’m literally one of the small town girls, small dreams, short term goals, and the like. Started going to college, got a science course, Biology for that matter, because who doesn’t love nature? I’m guessing you’re already assuming that I’ll be proceeding to medicine once I’m done – Gotcha. That was the original plan.
For me, music is more than listening, it’s an intangible feeling that makes or breaks you. It transmits a hue of emotions that carry this ball of energy that gives you an animate vibe. While singing is more than expressing, it is a way of feeling without any physical interaction, a never ending routine but not irksome, an addicting habit but not harmful. In my younger years, my Dad introduced me and my brother to a guitar teacher. I remember the first time I held one, the leftie in me, of course, tried to hold it my way. Endless complaints of how my fingers hurt, strumming and strumming until pain was the last thing I felt. But, once you get the hang of it, you can’t stop – you-just-can’t. One of the first songs I learned was “Blackbird” from The Beatles and guess what, I just knew it was from them when I started listening and becoming an official Beatle freak. But it only lasted for a week, then we got another teacher, and surprise, I guess it lasted for approximately for 4 sessions, pretty much 4 days. Growing up, I was pretty much hooked up with my guitar and playing outdoors until I get my bones broken. To sum it up, I relied so much in YouTube.
I started performing in school events back in Elementary and High school. And in my later years In College, I discovered the beauty of gigs and bars and musician friends. One night of sometime around November, I went to a local bar alone, to unwind from school and clear up my head. While enjoying myself with a beer on hand, I was minding my own business and enjoying the performer on stage. It was a queer night, I exactly remember that it was a Thursday and it was one of my friends who usually play. I saw a poster and got curious so I came nearer. It said “Dragonfly Collector”. The Biologist in me thought there was an exhibit of different kinds of Dragonfly species, I was excited that I’ll finally get to see one. But then again, what would a Dragonfly Collector be doing in a bar? Little did I know it was better than a collection of dragonflies, it was a collection of beautiful songs! I met him and Ian Penn, an indie folk singer songwriter from Pampanga.
Through Clem, I got acquainted with Lilystars Records and I tried sending my demos. These songs were one of my first compositions on the ukulele and I also used them to audition for BellTower Project, a local organization in Dumaguete that helps young artists grow in the music scene. My songs didn’t make it to to BellTower, nor to Lilystars at that time, but they both encouraged me to write more. Still, I sent demos to Lilystars until they found a promising one, discussed it, agreed on terms, and got the privilege to work with them.
I found the last missing puzzle piece of my life, and it is to believe that dreams will come true if you work hard enough. Failure is inevitable, but as long as you remain calm, focused, and determined, you can achieve anything. My next mission, is to make more “roadtrip” music and inject smiles to the listeners. Sprinkle life with some positivity dust!
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