School Years of Music and Writing: Middle School to College and the Demo Album.

From an early age, I displayed interests in singing, songwriting, and creative expression. At 12, I began receiving free vocal lessons from instructors who recognized my potential, continuing into college. I explored viola and piano, drawn to the textures of classical music and jazz, but ultimately found my greatest joy in the human voice.

I participated in women’s choirs, varsity choirs, show choirs, and regional choirs throughout her school years. During this time, I also gained hands-on experience with visual storytelling through my contributions to theater productions, working behind the scenes in lighting, costumes, and set building. These experiences deepened my understanding of how aesthetics and space shape an audience’s experience.

I later pursued Creative Writing and Music as a double major at Columbia College Chicago.

In my first year, I was accepted into an experimental live-in writing program, which exposed me to a diverse range of artistic perspectives. I became deeply aware of an artist’s role in the world—not just as a creator, but as a connector. Inspired by this, I dedicated myself to crafting works that explored the intersection of mind, body, and soul. My studies led me to Latin, Swahili, and French, deepening my understanding of language as both an art form and a tool for connection. It is for this reason, I still find myself gravitating more towards foreign films and international musicians over American ones, where I get to immerse myself in other cultures and their beautiful languages.

At University of North Texas, I continued language and added philosophy studies formally while pursuing music independently and pursuing higher education in Hospitality Management and Business. It was during these years that I collaborated with with the incredibly talented Michael Henry Tillman, who encouraged me to bring my music and writing together. We co-created a demo, The Pearl, under the duo name Calm Embrace. It was a fusion of my years of lyrical and melodic composition with his classical guitar and staccato style picking combined with minimal vocal harmonies. Though the project fizzled due to scheduling conflicts and limited resources, the experience solidified my desire to create deeply personal, meaningful work. I remain open to collaborations, so please reach out if you are interested on my PROJECTS home page.