My Musical Journey
Overview:
I've been singing my entire life; in middle and high school I dove into musical theatre to find a community and a stage that let my voice matter. That world sparked a deeper curiosity about making music, so I picked up guitar and piano and started shaping songs instead of just performing them. Since attending JMU, I’ve joined an a cappella group to sharpen my vocal skills, build tighter musical bonds, and keep creating with others — a continuation of the same drive that pushed me from high school musicals to teaching myself instruments to ensemble performance.
Recording
Recording an EP with my a cappella group plunged me into the mechanics of making music shareable. Hearing our raw takes revealed artistry beyond performance: mic placement, reverb shaping space, subtle EQ to lift a lead without drowning harmonies — each choice a new language.
I learned to listen: breaths as rhythm, consonants tightening the blend, tiny timing shifts creating groove. Testing mixes on headphones, speakers, and in the car taught me how context alters a mix and why recording is translation as much as capture.
Working with an engineer showed me tools and their logic — compression for consistency, automation for expression, layering for depth — and the thrill of collaborative problem-solving: perform, critique, tweak, repeat. That loop revealed the craft and patience behind effortlessness.
Mostly, I’m grateful — for the chance to document our voices, teammates who experiment, mentors who taught, and an EP that’s a beginning: a spark driving my creative learning.
Check Out “CUFF IT” by Low Key Acapella featuring me on solo!
Performing
Being able to perform live has pushed me beyond the safety of rehearsals with my friends and forced me to become a more fearless, immediate artist — I learn in front of people, adapt in real time, and discover what truly resonates. The stage sharpens my craft: pacing, dynamics, and presence become tools and teaches me lessons no recording session could replicate. Live shows have strengthened my confidence, revealed weaknesses to fix, and opened unexpected creative paths through collaboration and improvisation.