DOLAPO
DOLAPO - The Union of Wealth and Prosperity--
It took me a really long time to get used to my name, but now I love it. Growing up in Brooklyn, NY. I always wanted a more common name like Tiffany, or Michelle, but thank God my parents are Nigerian, and names like that just are not common there. I was born in Nigeria, but raised in Brooklyn. I came here when I was about 4 years old. My parents like many others were in the pursuite of the American dream, which included a better life and greater opportunities for themselves and their children.
It was here that I fell in love with music. I remember being here at the age of 4 and not really speaking English, but whenever a song that I liked came on, I could recite it perfectly. I remember seeing Whitney Houston on television for the first time. That's when I can say that I fell in love. I could put a face to what it was that I wanted to do, to who I wanted to be. I remember telling my mother that I wanted to be her (Whitney Houston) when I grow up. My mother would just smile, I guess she didn't take me seriously at the time. But hey I don't blame her, how many 4 year olds do you know that can decide on what they want to do for the rest of their lives.
Then I fell in love much harder with the idol of millions of people at the time -Michael Jackson. I knew right away that he wasn't ordinary. That what he had was a great gift from God. The way that he moved, his lyrics, the way that he was able to impact so many people just by his presence. I was in awe, like many little children at my age at that time.
Growing up I sought out every opportunity I could find to be in some kind of musical program even though I was extremely shy. When I started kindergarten, I joined the kindergarten band, we would have little recitals in front of the whole school. I sang and played the triangle ;)
In elementary school, I joined the youth choir and attended the Walter Weaver Music Academy where I learned to play the piano for about 4 years. When I was in the 5th grade I auditioned for a prestigious choir in New York known as The Brooklyn Youth Chorus and took one of the 50 positions that they were filling out of many children that auditioned. That was when my whole perspective of music changed. I didn't just see it as entertainment, I saw it as art. With the chorus I was able to sing in front of many important political figures including Hillary Clinton, as well as travel for various choral competitions. Being in the Brooklyn Youth Chorus for 5 years of my life was a great education that I still benefit from today. I learned how to read music, train my ear, express emotions, sing in various languages, and build confidence performming live in front of a small group as well as a large group of people.
OK, OK, I gave yall a little bit of my past, so now let's focus on my present and the future. I want you all to not only know my music and be moved by it , but to know me as a person as well. To know what makes me happy and what makes me blue. I intend to share some of my passions with you besides music such as fashion, photography, and love. I have so many exciting things happening this year that I don't even know where to begin. If any one has anything that they have been hoping to do, but been putting off, I just feel like this is the year to go for your dreams.
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