Music has an impact on personal perception
People do not always understand the great effects music can have on us. Music offers expressesion for things that cannot be put into words but that also cannot remain silent like dancing, singing, acting, painting, eating and exercising. A simple melody can change the mood of any environment. Music is a healing power, it is such an amazing form of expression and something that everyone can relate to regardless of race, sex or anything else.
For me, music has had a huge impact on my personal perception. I grew up acting, singing and dancing but little did I know that throughout this time, music was helping to shape the person I was becoming.
Unfortunately, when I reached my teens, my voice had gotten deeper and my confidence sank. I stopped playing my instruments and disconnected myself from music for a while. The urge to make music stayed with me but at this time, I did nothing about it.
Progression through music
I started playing and singing in my room again in 2014. I kept to myself a lot during this time dealing with my own issues and struggles. Nobody had the slightest idea that I was teaching myself how to produce and edit audio while also learning how to record myself with my laptop. My time was spent progressing and bettering myself in any way I could and over time my confidence and love for music began to show again.
My best friend is an amazing guitarist and we would always jam out at random times when we hung out and this inspired me to get my brother’s old guitar out. I spent weeks learning how to play songs by watching other guitarists on YouTube before I began to create my own melodies.
Inspiration through music
I have found most of my life inspiration through music. I spent most of my days watching videos and listening to songs of all genres. Listening to music in bed at night with my earphones in was my favourite thing to do, hearing the way people expressed their feelings and thoughts through sound was something that I could easily relate to.
Listening to music helped me to feel at home and to be at one with myself. I knew from this point on that music was going to shape my life and would be something that I could always relate to and someday share with the world.
Confidence and self-belief
Like many other teens, I have faced struggles with confidence and self-belief. It seems clichéd to say but music has helped me overcome (for the most part) these struggles. Writing songs and singing allows me to reach deep inside myself and is a constant help in my search for who I am. I know that many teens share the feelings which I have felt and I hope that someday my music will help people to feel more confident and to know that it’s okay to not always know everything or where you’re going, it’s okay to just be.
The IYMAS – A Turning Point
I was casually scrolling through Facebook when I saw a post about the Irish Youth Music Awards. I had been working very hard on my own music for some time and so decided to enter not knowing too much about the programme. I got in contact with my local youth club Youth Work Ireland Louth who were doing the call out as they were the regional IYMAs hub for Louth and a few weeks later I had a full team of other young people behind me including a sound engineer, a stylist and even a stage manager. The IYMAs programme involved not only performing my own music but also performing a song written by another competitor Kate Rogers which pushed me out of my comfort zone completely.
Throughout the programme, I met so many talented people who also had a love for music that I am lucky to now call friends.
This challenging programme helped me to grow both musically and personally. I would encourage anyone with a love or even an interest in music to go forward and enter or attend remember ‘It’s your festival, be a part of it’.
The future
Since becoming the IYMAs recipient act in 2015 I feel the possibilities are limitless. I’m aiming for the stars and I’m going to push myself to be the best that I can be.
My life so far has been hugely influenced by music and my dream is that someday, I will help to shape other people’s lives with the music that I write. I’m blessed to have found something in this life that I love so much and something that can be used for so much good.
I recently signed with Believe Management, a music management company representing some of the best national and international talent. I’m so excited to have this great platform to share my music from and I can’t wait to do so. Stay tuned and follow my journey, it’s already off to a very exciting start.
Youth Work Ireland’s Irish Youth Music Awards (IYMAs) marks its ten-year anniversary this year and returns to Croke Park for its all ages National Day festival this Saturday April 22. The Irish Youth Music Awards will feature performances by young musicians, aged 12-19, performing across two stages throughout the day and connects ticket holders, and performers, with Ireland’s top music industry personnel at the IYMAs Education Hub via workshops and panels. Tickets which are available online here are priced at €20 or can be purchased at the ticket desk at Croke Park on the day.