As a child, I was brought up in the church around gospel greats such as Yolanda Adams, Kim Burrell, the Clark sisters, and so many more. I always loved the sound of soul. Inspired by the sounds of Bobby Womack when he talked, the hurt in Otis Redding when he sung and the conviction of Marvin Gaye as he captivated anyone who listened to his voice.
My mother surrounded me with eccentricity. Although the predominant influence was gospel during my childhood, with age, my choice of music became very diverse. I started to play the piano at the age of 4. Due to my melodic roots from the piano, I developed a love for strong harmonies. As a result, I grew to the likings of artist such as the great Lauryn Hill, Bilal and D' Angelo, but never limited my ear to the diversified sound of Bach or Beethoven (thanks mom)
At the age of 10, my influence on my peers inspired me to perform for large crowds at church events, talent shows, etc. I loved that the passionate sound of music had the powerful capability of bringing tears to your eyes and conviction to your gut. You know, the kind of sound that made you feel in love, when it's a love song and angry when it's a song in malice.
My mother (who as by now you should know, is my greatest inspiration) always instilled in me to dare to be different. She taught me that hard work really does pay off, if you just dedicate your passion to something tangible and obvious to the eye. Much like the musically known term "grinding".
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