Within my view of the human experience and embarking on this thing we call life each and every day, I have found that art, or more specifically, music, is the purest lens to perceive it through. At least once throughout our day, we all express ourselves in one way or another, ultimately proving we are experiencing a one of one perception of this world. But to possess the ability to take account of these expressions and transform them into an even bigger and bolder statement, it is almost a responsibility. An oath to follow through on the questions we have of our world and the curiosities of the unknown, in whatever medium it may mold into. This is the role I am manifesting I will hold for the years to come and how I will make a positive impact on our world through both my art and the art I assist others to make come to life. Like Gandalf to the fellowship or Yoda to a young Luke Skywalker, I have never been able to see myself as the main front and center star, but rather, have preferred to embrace the idea of being a counselor and technician amongst creatives. I thrive in my ability to help others access wavelengths and perceptions they may not have questioned otherwise, and my keen eye for the points of ambitious vulnerability and truth. I have to acknowledge that I do hold real world and industry related skills such as audio engineer, audio technician, and music producer, but those are all secondary to my mission of helping others discover deeper perception. Art starts with soul, and only then is it executed by technicality. Thus, this role I am manifesting will be double sided. On one half I am the counselor, conjuring questions and realities from the deep abyss of the artist's mind, but then transitioning to the latter half of the technician, to lay down tangible material and proof of the respective expression and perception that occurred. I believe it is between these two fields I will find the ultimate equilibrium to bestow the most fruitful supply of positivity and lasting impact on our world. Within this equilibrium my passion and purpose hold domain.

My relationship with music throughout life has been mystical to say the least. Born two generations too late for any chance to connect with the rich musicianship and songwriting that once poured from my mother's side of the Coleman family tree, odds favored that I would join in with the rest of the gang and only enjoy and view music for its entertainment value. Yet, despite any form of guidance or instruction to lead me down a path focused toward music, there has always seemed to be an energy, some sort of internal spirit enacting cues of love and pure passion for the life I feel when I am a part of it. To begin, around the time I was eight years old, I got the sudden urge to play the drums. I had participated in an elementary school percussion group; however, becoming consumed by the sweet nectar that was classic and modern heavy metal, I needed something louder, something fiercer, and the drums provided me with all the capacity in the world to release my emotions into the music. So, from about eight to eleven years old, I cycled through whatever garage sale parts I could to assemble myself a full kit and taught myself how to play the drums. Empty of shame because of the love I have for the music, I am proud to say there was even a point in the beginning where I was using an empty cat litter container as a floor tom, making the best of what I could! The passion was instilled within me from that point on, and my destiny was established. Music was the answer. Thus, in the time since that soul-pioneering discovery of my love for music and the drums, I have continued to do whatever it takes to teach myself how to play, record, mix, and engineer the beautiful sounds I hear in my mind and in the world around me. It has always just been my own process, entirely oriented to the mold of my brain, and I now understand it is my mission to prove to both me and those in a similar boat that music is for anyone with an open set of ears. It does not require years of classical training, a tutor, or a lineage of past generations filled with talent and knowledge to pick up and start playing. It is a will to do what it takes to make those sweet soothing blues carry you home. And that is exactly where I am. Acknowledging that my background with music has been a dominantly informal and unconventional process, filled with periods of stagnation due to loss of direction, but ultimately, it has never stopped. No matter which period of life or how invested I was, it has been my consistent factor, the foundation to my being. So, from here, I only see it fit to continue doing what I know how to do: keep working on being involved in the world of music. The next two years of my life will be spent finishing my degree in Audio Engineering Technology at Belmont University, working in studio environments executing roles such as student engineer and student engineer tech, and working on my own time to become a professional virtual plug-in programmer as well. Ultimately, I wish to be the “engineer's engineer”. Recording music, building cool equipment, preserving analog equipment, designing and programming wicked effects, but most importantly, always rocking on!

How Music Has Changed My Life Aidan Daniel I don’t want to speak for everyone, but I believe that throughout my childhood and adolescence, I witnessed an entire generation being told to play it safe. My fellow Gen Z’ers and I have been plagued by over two decades of pressure to conform to the man and do what we must to make sure those bills get paid. But who was there to tell us to search for self-love and acceptance? To inspire us to find true inner passion and meaning? Not that this is supposed to be some assigned role or anything, but I have always felt that my environment has pushed my peers and I in a direction of complacency. More specifically, I have always felt discouraged towards the idea of pursuing creative outlets as a professional career. I won’t be one to deny that there certainly are unfavorable odds that dominate all creative industries, but that does not make it some imaginary, unattainable fairytale. There are so many success stories through all fields of art and creation, and I have made it my mission to prove to myself that through passion, hard work, and the pure tenacity and perseverance of the love I have for my craft, I can be one too. All of this love and passion does not stem from nothing, though. It is an extensive and pure chain of events that have naturally played out throughout my life, and even through confusing and dangerous times, have managed to land me in a spot where I am ironically heading toward doing what my nine-year-old drummer self said his dream was: Working as an audio engineer in the heart of Nashville. It’s something mystical, really. Whether it was the positively reinforcing part from my mother's side of the family, influencing me to play, write, and perform music from the get go, or, if it was the rather discouraging but truthfully spitefully inspiring part from my father's side, deeming any creative outlet a hobby meant to be accessed once the real work has been done, there always seemed to be points and events of inspiration that pushed me to continue on a track towards the music. Ultimately, all of those events would end up paying off when I needed them most. Stuck in one of the shallowest points of my adolescent journey, and only a year before it was my time to be welcomed to the “real world”, I was approached with a question by someone I hold dearest to me. “What makes you happy”? Simple and concise, but it looped in my head like a broken record. I had no answer. The latter half of my middle school and high school journey had eaten me whole and spit me out on the other side, a shell of the confident boy with the drumsticks I had known years prior. But that memory was still with me, burning as my last guiding light. And in a moment where I was to decide between leading down that road of complacency, I had felt pushed to, or breaking on through to the other side, my gut decided for me, and I realized, music has not changed my life. Things in life have changed my life. Music has been a deeply rooted foundation that I have needed the support of in my darkest of times, and, blessingly, has become my mountain top in my times of thriving. It does not change. It is always there. Music is life. Fluid.

It is funny how things work out sometimes. As a child, I had a pair of drumsticks glued to my hands at all times. From participating in talent shows, to playing with friends, and even organizing a night of "chili and music", alongside my fourth-grade buddies at our elementary school, music was one of my roots from the start. As every ten-year-old does, I found my niche and made it my entire personality. I was the "rockstar" and had my vision set on being a music producer from the get-go. However, as my final childhood years became "Dust In the Wind" and the pre-teen to teenage years commenced, the fire inside me for playing music kind of just died away. I became consumed by the adolescent bubble of playing sports, beginning first jobs, participating in the painfully awkward journey of teenage social life, and simply trying to fit in. I am sad to say, but there was a portion of my life where music was secondary. Understandably, that was the period of my life that I felt the emptiest. Yet, there seemed to always be some driving force in the background. Now that I look back, those moments like receiving my great grand-father's acoustic guitar at the peak of covid, getting my grand-mothers classic rock record collection, or even just the nights I spent staring at the ceiling while listening to Nutshell by Alice in Chains, they were all necessary moments that led me to the breakthrough. For when my adolescent journey was reaching its climax point, burning with anxiety, depression, and insecurities of the future, music was waiting for me with open arms, offering the same innocent warmth it had provided to me those many years prior. My love for music never left me, but the day it hit me just how much it mattered and was the driving force to my life, the love I felt before was child's play. I became overwhelmed with an appreciation, pure and unconditional, for the guidance music offered me. I realized just how much of a guiding light it had been in my darkest moments, and for that my commitment was settled. By the time I reached the beginning of my senior year of high school, my eyes had been opened, and I was back on track, working to become a professional audio engineer. In the four years since my awakening, I have traversed a bumpy path, taking on the real world and embracing adulthood. I have certainly made mistakes and poor decisions, but no matter the shortcoming or hole I put myself in, I have kept to my truth and passion. I am proud to say that I am coming up on beginning my junior year at Belmont University this upcoming fall. I am pursuing a Bachelor of Science in audio engineering technology, as well as a minor in computer science. I have narrowed my focus to studying music recording, recording technology and equipment, and programming audio software and effects. On top of that, this summer I will be working as a student engineer in one of our school recording studios! I cannot explain the amount of love and passion I have for the field of audio, and I cannot wait to contribute my part to the effort of making excellent music and sound.