Let Me Sing

For as long as I can remember I have loved to sing. When I was little I would pretend to be an opera singer or sing show tunes around the house. My love for singing is rooted in my love for old classic musicals. I grew up watching Gene Kelly and Judy Garland musicals. I would sing along, to the annoyance of my family, knowing every word by heart. Almost every week growing up, I would watch a different musical. My FAVORITE musical is by far, “Singin’ in the Rain.” The music, the lyrics, the romance and the actors (GENE KELLY AND DEBBIE REYNOLDS!) stole my heart from the beginning. One of my very first memories is of watching “Singin’ in the Rain.” A few of my other favorites include “The Wizard of Oz”, “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers”, “There’s No Business Like Show Business”, “The Sound of Music” and “White Christmas.” Not to mention my LOVE for Disney musicals.

"All I Do Is Dream Of You" from Singin' in the Rain.

All these musicals inspired me to want to perform. I would imagine myself dancing around with Gene Kelly or singing with Frank Sinatra. I would memorize the songs and I still know some of them (almost) by heart. I would dress up and perform them in my room, using my bed as a stage. Watching all those musicals made me want to sing; ALL the time. I would annoy my family with all my singing and dancing about the house. My dad would call me a diva, having no idea that I would be just that, a diva soprano.

“People? I ain’t people. I am a shimmering glowing star in the Cinema Firmament.” - Lina Lamount in Singin’ in the Rain.

As I grew up my parents helped kindle my love for music. Not only did they introduce me to musicals they encouraged, and still do, me to perform whenever I could. They let me sing for church events and my dad even had me sing with him for a Christmas C.D. he was making when I was twelve. My dad is also very musically gifted. A lot of my musical abilities come from him. I loved hearing him sing and play the guitar growing up. He is one of my biggest critics but also one of my biggest supporters. He pushed me to get out there and use my talents growing up and he continues to encourage me today.

Did I mention I also like Disney musicals?! I believe I am about five or six in this picture.

As I grew up, deep down I knew I wanted to perform, but did not have the nerve to go solo. Throughout high school I would help sing for church and sang in a small homeschool choir. I was very shy about singing. I remember doing a trio for church and I thought I was going to faint I was so nervous. As soon as we got done singing I RAN off of the stage and sat down; my heart racing a million miles an hour. I was so terrified of being in front of people, with all eyes on me. I have never been one to like being the center of attention. When I started college, I had NO idea what I wanted to do. I started at a community college, just to get my Gen Eds done. There, I got involved with the choir, and show choir, and my love for music blossomed into a career path. The more I did with music the more I fell in love with it. When I transferred to Wayne State College I knew I wanted to teach music lessons; BUT I was not too keen on performing.

As I said earlier, when I was younger, performing was not really my thing. I did not mind helping with church music or singing in a larger group of people but when it came to just me and one or two other voices, I was not to excited about it. Starting at WSC I had to quickly adjust to performing. I remember the first time I sang at a student recital. I was so nervous and I barely sang in the right key. It was terrifying, but I kept getting back on stage. I would practice and practice, getting extra prepared for performances. The more I performed the more comfortable I got and the more comfortable I have gotten the more I LOVE to perform. I still get incredibly nervous but instead of it being a “I am going to faint” kind of nerves it is more like “I am about to get an a fun and exciting roller coaster” kind of nerves.

I have found a love for being on stage that almost seems like an out of body experience. When I go out on stage to perform, it is like putting on different faces. I get to be a Countess or a servant girl in China or a love sick girl who is distraught. It is never just me on the stage, it is me getting to act and connect with the characters of the songs I am singing. The feeling of taking words from a page and turning them into music, is indescribable.

“Music unwraps the heart, sings out the prayer, dances the Spirit, and opens the soul” Mary Davis.

Sometimes I wish I could go back and tell my little eight year old self that one day she will be performing. Of course I would never have believed it and sometimes I still don’t. The fact that I am singing opera and art songs on a stage, in front of people, is a dream come true. It is one of those dreams you think will always stay just a dream, but it has become my reality. I am so excited to see where this dream takes me, and how I can share this dream with others.

I always wanted to sing on a stage in a beautiful dress and perform; and now here I am getting to do just that. It was not and has not been an easy process. It has taken a lot of hard work and countless hours of practice. I have had loads of help along the way from teachers, friends, and family. I did not let my doubts or fears stop me from pursuing my dream of singing. Now that I am older and getting ready to graduate, I am forming new dreams and setting new goals. I will always want to keep performing, but I also want to help others be able to sing and learn music. Teaching has become a new passion and I am so excited to share my love for music with all my students.

Don’t let anyone tell you, you can’t reach your dreams. If it is something, you truly want and love, you will get there. Let yourself sing!