How do I even begin to tell you 'the story' of how my life has been
forever changed? Well... {laughing}, it all began with an e-mail that
Chris Monteleone from SoundBox Records - where I record my tunes - sent
me. In the subject line of the message he had written: Gig for You. I
opened it up and read the intro about 'The Voice': No age limit AND they
don't look at you, either??? SIGN ME UP! LOL. While I had absolutely no expectations, something told me I couldn't pass up this opportunity to audition.
I've been living and supporting myself as a full-time musician in Fort Lauderdale for nearly two decades. My first childhood memories and the beginning of my musical journey are the same: I was first influenced by my Mother and Grandmother's own musical abilities and encouragement respectively. The piano and guitar are my solace spots on stage, but I'll eagerly dabble with any other instrument given the opportunity. I've never been formally instructed to read music; it's always been from ear: I just feel it. I've not frequently stepped beyond local bars and festival stages, and even less so in the last several years. When I received Chris' e-mail, I had already been recognizing a stirring to push myself for more: to listen to my roots, my intuition, and the encouragement of my people to share my music with the world. I took it upon myself to send the production coordinators two YouTube videos of my life performances and I soon got a telephone call from Courtney Burnes saying I had an appointment in Miami for January 21 at noon! Crazy stuff. I was pumped for once in my life to feel like maybe my time had come to leave my comfort zone.
When I arrived - it's a LONG story, haha - at the music studio where the auditions were being held, it became all too real that maybe, just maybe, this was really FOR REAL! They called a group of us into a very large room where the stage was set-up and I was one of the last ones, with my guitar in hand, that walked in. They were out of seats after the group had piled into the room, so I sat over on a couch off to the side and listened to each singer do their thing. It was awesome to witness! When I got called, my mouth was dry and my palms were sweaty from nerves, but I played so hard I broke a string on my Guild and sang so hard that I got an appointment for the next day to come and sing for the production staff again! Yeehaw! What?!?! I was in excited disbelief.
When I arrived at the same Miami studio for the second appointment, I saw it was a smaller, but more intense crowd. It seemed like some pretty important folks I was about to sing for... I did some Akon/Mary J. Blidge for them and put my own spin on it. Also, a little Gnarls Barkley and Eric Clapton. They responded to my performance and said I was in and to soon expect confirmation of the upcoming details! We (my girl, Daron; my best friend, Haney; my LouLou and I) waited patiently for the much anticipated e-mail to support this excitement! I remained in a state of elation and disbelief from that day forward. It would be weeks before I heard from production - I received a telephone call to further remind me that they were still interested in me! The e-mails soon after began to trickle in. The anticipation and inkling of fear for the unknown enlivened me. I embraced myself for a sort-of transition, adapting to a different state of mind. Daring to dream, if you will: I was on a mission to change my stars. All I knew for certain was that this was going to be a wildly mind-opening experience that I couldn't deny, nor could I wait to begin, despite all hesitant fears! Who wanted want to go to LA?!?
When I arrived - it's a LONG story, haha - at the music studio where the auditions were being held, it became all too real that maybe, just maybe, this was really FOR REAL! They called a group of us into a very large room where the stage was set-up and I was one of the last ones, with my guitar in hand, that walked in. They were out of seats after the group had piled into the room, so I sat over on a couch off to the side and listened to each singer do their thing. It was awesome to witness! When I got called, my mouth was dry and my palms were sweaty from nerves, but I played so hard I broke a string on my Guild and sang so hard that I got an appointment for the next day to come and sing for the production staff again! Yeehaw! What?!?! I was in excited disbelief.
When I arrived at the same Miami studio for the second appointment, I saw it was a smaller, but more intense crowd. It seemed like some pretty important folks I was about to sing for... I did some Akon/Mary J. Blidge for them and put my own spin on it. Also, a little Gnarls Barkley and Eric Clapton. They responded to my performance and said I was in and to soon expect confirmation of the upcoming details! We (my girl, Daron; my best friend, Haney; my LouLou and I) waited patiently for the much anticipated e-mail to support this excitement! I remained in a state of elation and disbelief from that day forward. It would be weeks before I heard from production - I received a telephone call to further remind me that they were still interested in me! The e-mails soon after began to trickle in. The anticipation and inkling of fear for the unknown enlivened me. I embraced myself for a sort-of transition, adapting to a different state of mind. Daring to dream, if you will: I was on a mission to change my stars. All I knew for certain was that this was going to be a wildly mind-opening experience that I couldn't deny, nor could I wait to begin, despite all hesitant fears! Who wanted want to go to LA?!?
