An autobiography
Born June 9 1996
Like a lot of people, I have a natural attraction to both music and entertaining. These interests stem all the way back to my babyhood. My mom says I would hum myself to sleep as a baby. I would swing around in my playpen putting on shows for my grandpa, knowing what to do to make him laugh. As the youngest child, I definitely sought attention and felt fulfilled by being an active and equal member of my family. My grandma said I was "a 30 year old in a baby's body" and my dad said that even from a young age, I demanded respect. In the sixth grade "Character Kid Awards", I was proud to receive the "Respecting Others" award. It goes both ways!
My brother and I had a long-running off-the-air radio show spanning roughly from ages 5-14. Russell, my brother, is three years older than me. Our show was titled "The Stoopid Sloop--- Russell loves pirates and planes and all the fun things...I added "stoopid" probably.
This is relevant because Russ had a little electronic keyboard with built-in beats. I would "write" songs on the spot: lyrics, melody, structure and all. My biggest hits were "Racing Through My Brain," "My Black Suit," "I Really Gotta Pee," and "Like A Wolf."
None of those have been heard by more than 4 people, but those 4 people seemed very amused and impacted. I still sing the songs in my head. So, I believe that is the origin of me experimenting with songwriting.
Note: "The Stoopid Sloop" is housed on tapes recorded on a Barbie karaoke machine. I think there are 20+ hours of Russell and I doing interviews, arguing, creating advertisements for fake products, and bantering.
My uncle Jim bought me my beloved Barbie karaoke machine. It was sufficient for me to perform music with through my 8 year old-12 year old age range, but somewhere in that time, I started playing Guitar Hero and air guitar (while walking through Target...or school...or any public place). I wanted a real guitar.
Teaching myself guitar (with dad)
I insisted that I really wanted a guitar and that it was not a phase. So my dad bought me my first guitar: a Fender Starcaster. I received this baby on December 27th, 2008. I strummed it once and it sat in my room sadly until April 1st, 2009...the night I first learned a song.
It was late, and a school night, and my middle school's first day of map-testing. Dad had learned four chords on guitar himself first so he could teach me. To supplement that, he pulled up an instruction video I could use on my own so I could play "Our Song" by Taylor Swift. That was the night I could play Em, G, D, and A continuously with two beats between each chord change. I was hooked, and dad was proud.
I became obsessed with learning chords and experimenting with finger-picking. In two weeks I learned "You Were Meant for Me," "Wonderwall," "These Four Walls," and "Free Fallin'." I would play each song loudly in my room and hope my mom would stop and listen by the door. She did, and I was so proud.
Then I worked up the courage to bring my show out into the living room. My mom and I have spent hours sitting together in the living room: me singing every new song I wrote and every new song I learned and taking requests of her favorites.
Also, we made comedy videos of me performing parodies of songs...the photograph of me in the cowboy hat is evidence of that.
First original song
I would sing my first original song, titled "When It's Over," over and over using my $20 microphone in my room with the door shut. I hoped my mom would come ask me what song that was and tell me it was genius (12 year old expectations).
My mom did love the song. I was so proud, and felt braver all the time with sharing my music. My mom has a wonderful taste in music: Foreigner, Journey, Phil Collins, 38 Special, Tears for Fears, Hall & Oates, Joni Mitchell, Gin Blossoms, James Taylor, Carly Simon, and the list goes on. My dad has a wonderful taste in music too, so I grew up researching and loving classic musicians.
Mom is also very honest, so having her love my music meant that maybe other people may love my music, too.
My mom instills confidence in me that I can create melodies people may want to sing with and lyrics people can relate to (she knows all the words to my songs. It is pretty flattering. If nothing else, at least I have sung my mom to sleep for a lot of nights).
Her support has been unwavering for 15 years now, so if that is my gift in return, it is the least I can do.
Real performances
I performed my first talent show in 6th grade with my friend Amanda. Amanda and I would sing Taylor Swift songs on the swing sets, and after years of being at the swing sets alone (I was shy and a little odd), it was so nice to have a friend to sing with. We performed "Stay Beautiful" by Taylor Swift. To this day, I sing that song loudly and proudly in my car.
In 8th grade I performed at my 2nd talent show with the song "Untouchable" by ---you guessed it--- Taylor Swift. I knew how much I loved singing for people after that.
I used to visit Lanham Music and sing while I walked around with my family. My future boss, Aaron, overheard and invited me to join Lanham's "Rock Camp" 2012. At this time I had a perm, and I wore an 80's style long dark lion shirt to perform in, and I had the time of my life. Our band "Tredz" performed "Sweet Child O' Mine" and "Eye of the Tiger." I had never played with a band before!
Then, in high school, I performed at the celebration called "Festivus" for 3 years, participated in a local talent show a few times, and did "Joestock" for the first time. The local radio station guys who run "Joestock" are the people who suggested I try out for American Idol and said they would recommend me for an expedited audition. On a whim, I decided to audition. I was in UPCO with my mom buying horse feed when we decided it would be a neat idea.
American Idol
American Idol is the bravest thing I have done thus far. During high school, my friends would say it would be cool if I auditioned for American Idol, but I never really saw that as a realistic or fruitful opportunity for me. I don't have a stereotypically powerhouse voice, and my main love is lyrically driven, soft singing.
I also don't know what to do with my hands when I am not holding a guitar. The producers absolutely noticed this when I made it to the second audition and they asked me to sing guitar-less.
American Idol has you fill out a pamphlet about yourself and there was space for a biography. I wrote 4 pages (front and back...in tiny writing), and this was the first reason they wanted to keep me around. I was (and am) so flattered that they appreciated my writing and my story.
Jennifer Lopez, Harry Connick Jr., and Keith Urban let me go to Hollywood, and the experience was wonderful, through and through. I even sang an original for the audition, so my original, "Chore," had amazing exposure.
When I was eliminated, nothing catastrophic happened; I didn't hit a wrong note, or freeze on stage, or run off crying. I played simply and naturally for 40 seconds, and they just did not call my name to go forward with the process.
I was just grateful to make it to the top 200 at all. I still am so grateful.
Before I was eliminated, one of the producers (the one who first put me through to the next round and who discovered Savage Garden!) came up to me when all the contestants were eating a buffet dinner and said: "No matter what happens here, don't ever change what you do."
The contacting producer called me and said they were going to air my audition, even after they knew I was eliminated. That 4 minutes on national television was truly a gift. The judges were kind to me, I was true to myself, and the process opened me up to so many opportunities.
Graduating College
American Idol happened during my very first semester of college, so after I returned home, I continued working at Lanham Music, attending classes, leading worship and performing music. I had a really wonderful concert in March of 2015 to celebrate American Idol. I got to perform at the then Paradox Theatre with my musician friends and even my older sister, Bethany, who has a very beautiful voice!
I graduated college in May 2018 with an English (technical writing degree) and a minor in computer programming. Dad bought me my Taylor 310E as a graduation gift (in addition to the black & white Fender my mom bought me) and I named her "Babyangel."
I write every day. Other than songs, I write small entries (and long entries), that I share on my Instagram. I also love photography. I take photographs whenever I see something beautiful (which is often).
Currently (and for the last 11 years), I am a solo musician who plays at events, wineries, fundraisers, and restaurants. I have performed hundreds of times since age 17 and stay very active in my local music scene.
First album "Chore"
I recorded my first album at Spot-On Recording with Mark Elting from July-September of 2018. This debut album, "Chore," contains 16 of my original songs (spanning songs I wrote from ages 12-21) that I thought, compiled, would create a balanced, well-rounded album.
My musician friends played beautifully on my album and truly understood what my songs desired. Mark stayed very true to how I want to deliver these songs, and painted them so clearly and meticulously through both his mixing and drum additions.
Career & personal life
I am currently in my 5th year of digital/print advertising operations for the St. Joseph News-Press. News-Press has always very kindly promoted my music/shows. My oldest sister, Emily, worked as a copy editor at the News-Press 10 years ago (Emily also could always spot hit songs long before they were hit songs. A talent.) We joke that we are twins born 8 years apart and this rings true as I ended up building a career years later where she had built one, too!
I love my current career in digital advertising. I worked at Lanham Music from April 2014-August 2019 and those were some of my most wonderful, fulfilling, and musical years. I met and performed with amazing musicians. I could not have completed my album "Chore" or known of as many opportunities as I have without the people I met because of Lanham's.
I adopted my dog "Deputy" in November 2019, "Shiro" in January 2021, & "Penny" in December 2022. Please see below for dog photos! I am a happy dog mom working full time - both remotely and in office. I continue to perform music, but for a year it had slowed down in light of 2020 events! Late spring, summer, and early fall are normally my seasons full of music and community.
"Chore" was received exactly as I had hoped - sharing my music created connections, encouraged conversations, and I was told it brought happiness to people. That is all I want! I am very grateful to my friends, family, and all the people I have crossed paths with because I make music. When I first began selling "Chore" I even kept a notebook of names and circumstance each time somebody "adopted" my CD. It has meant the world to me, and each person who has felt validated or hopeful or relaxed or anything because of "Chore" (hahaha) is all I wanted.
What's next? I'd love to record another album as I have dozens of unheard songs I love just as much as the tracks in my first album. I would also love to be a part of a movie soundtrack.
