Billie Eilish’s first song Ocean Eyes, I Love You, and Happier Than Ever are my top three songs that resonate with me very deeply. My name is Amani Anderson and I’m a second year student at UMass Lowell studying Music Business with voice as my primary instrument. Ocean Eyes resonates with me because it was the first song of Billie’s I’d ever heard and from that moment I was in complete awe of her and have been ever since. Billie is two years older than me and when I first heard that song I was so taken aback by someone so young being so talented. Additionally, her being young and a woman has been so inspiring I decided to major in music being I look up to her so much. The song Happier Than Ever I resonate with because of the multi-genre aspect of the song. It starts off as a slow pop ballad then end with a captivating edgy-rock sound, its genius. I even sang it when I auditioned to get into UMass Lowell and was excepted for performing it and making the song my own. Lastly, the song I Love You; I Love You is a song myself and I am sure many others resonate with because it is so beautifully and painfully relatable. I listen to I Love You more times than I can count when I dealt with a very hurtful heartbreak. The lyrics and simple melody captivate the experience that is heartbreak and loving someone so deeply and got me through to a brighter side. In conclusion, Billie Eilish is a powerhouse artist that I look up to and aspire to be like one day. I appreciate her so much as an artist and she has definitely changed my life and many others for the better.

1. Why do you deserve this scholarship? I, Amani Anderson, deserve this scholarship, (laughing out loud). I am the best applicant there ever was. I am like so cool, funny, and just overall the best! 2. What are your academic and/or career goals? My academic/career goal is actually to make as little money as possible so that I may live in my parents' basement forever. I shall earn a world record for earnest as little money! I'll just play video games all day long and have absolutely no responsibility for the rest of my life. 3. Tell me about a time you’ve overcome an obstacle. Woe is me, woe is me. The pressures of life overwhelm me. I lie awake at night for the fear of anything other than everything being given to me. What is so wrong with being entitled in this life?!

The legacy I want to leave behind when I pass is first and for most a legacy of love and kindness. I want my future family, myself and generations to come to be people that are just known for loving others unconditionally regardless of race, age, sexual orientation, and religion. Everyone on earth no matter who they are and what they have done deserves to be loved and treated kindly. Knowing how important and valuable their life is and they should live it too the fullest. I want people to know that regardless of where you've been, what you've done, how you are, you are worthy of love. Human life is so easily taken for granted and is wasted, but that does not have to be the case. Also, I want my legacy to be one that is of hardworking passionate people. You can't achieve anything unless you put work into it. And why put hard work into something you are not passionate about? Life is for the living and people should not simply survive and try to get by but really live! Do what makes you have and be most confident while doing it. Love life, appreciate it, and be passionate about.

Having a career in the arts is important to me for the reasons that follow; To start off, having a career in the arts is important to me because as a young black African American women, I am apart of two demographics that have been historically oppressed against. So for me personally, becoming a vessel and being able to represent women, African American, and people of color is very important. Being able to speak through these people groups and allowing their voices to be heard is both a privilege and an honor. Secondly, music have been a very big and important aspect of my life and my families life as well. My grandfather on my mothers side sang back for Chaka Khan in the 1960s. One of my aunts on my mothers side is a song writers. While another on of my aunts of my mothers side is a singer, song writer, and is the executive assistant for Claude Kelly and Chuck Harmony. My mom sang on the worship team with me at our former church, Great Rock Church in Danvers MA. Also, my stepfathers father Roy McMillan owned a Rock and Roll label. With all these different genres of music being exposed to be all my life, I too learned to love, appreciate, and value music as my loved ones have before me. Furthermore, throughout my high school career I took part in the musical productions annually, and participated in both the chorus and acapella choir. Attending school in predominantly white neighborhoods I was more often than not the only person of color that engaged in the music activities at school. This did not bother me but it was somewhat discouraging. Being apart of the arts was an incredible experience, but it would have been all the better sharing my experiences with people that resembled me. I recently have been accepted to Berklee College of Music in Boston Massachusetts, where I hopefully will be able to advance my musical career as a technical producer and song writer. With the diverse atmosphere Berklee provides I could have the opportunity to connect with other students of color. Learning and sharing our experiences and culture to further promote representation within arts of minority. To sum, having a career in the arts is important to because music is one of the most important things to me. Music brings people together, inspires and changes lives. And I would love to take part in in creating experiences for myself and others that embody those powerful passions

Hello! My name is Amani Hasten Anderson. I'm a 18 year old African American female from a low income family. I'm the third eldest of eight children, six girls and two boys. I was raised by a single mother and help out as best as I could with my younger siblings. Throughout my high school career I have upheld varsity positions in sports such as Track and Field and Field Hockey. I've also been involved in theater production, step team, and acapella choir. I have passion for music that runs very deep. I sing, song write, and sing in my churches worship team. In addition, I volunteer for The Taking It To The Streets non-profit organization the clothes and feeds the homeless, am I am a staff member at the Great Rock Thrift Store that all proceeds go to families in Haiti. I would be a great candidate for this scholarship because I am hardworking, passionate, charismatic, dedicated and strive to leave a positive impact on the world. Recently, I was accepted to Berklee College of Music for the Fall 2022 semester, and receiving this scholarships would be an extreme blessing as tuition for the school is quite expensive. I would be the first in my family to receive a college degree if my dreams were able to become a reality.

My definition of Black Excellence would be superseding expectations, loving the cultural, and digging deep within the cultural for inspiration. Truly learning to love and respect who I am in this world, despite dealing with societies stereotypical box Black girls, women, and men have been made to confined to. Learning about the history of our ancestors, remembering but never forgetting the past. Taking those hardships and turning them into something beautiful and positive. The beauty being overcoming in extraordinary ways the worlds never before seen. I empower others in my everyday life through my music and my representation through social media platforms. With music I find so much passion, joy and strength by reclaiming my voice that's been taken away. Because of the lack of representation and equality. As a woman and as a black women, I'm apart of two demographics that have been historically oppressed. So something that has been really important to me in reclaiming my voice in making sure that I can be a vessel and inspiration for young black girls that look up to me. Not just black people but also other people of color and majority groups alike. By educating and informing others of such a rich and powerful culture, we can prevent history from repeating itself.

Music has the power to bring people together, modify perceptions, and inspire change. Music has also become such a large and important factor of my life. I come from a long line of musicians and entertainers in my family. My grandfather sang back ground vocals for Chaka Khan in the 1960s, two of my aunts are songwriters, while another is a singer, song writer and executive assistant for Claude Kelly and Chuck Harmony. Through my music I plan on positively impacting the world by being a vessel and safe space for young black women and people of color, using my voice so theirs can be heard. I've recently been accepted to Berklee College of Music for the Fall 2022 semester. There I will hopefully be able pursuing my musical career through a standard of excellence therefore being able to achieve my goals to impact the world. Coming from a low income family my dreams unfortunately may not become a reality as the tuition Berklee is quite expensive. This scholarship would be an extreme blessing to receive as it will aid in tuition costs.

A song that inspires me is Revelation Song by Gateway Worship. I’ve heard many renditions of this song, but every version makes me emotion. I can still remember listening to the song for the first time. My family and I were attending our former church Pentecostal Tabernacle in Boston Massachusetts like we usually would on a early Sunday morning. We had found a place to sit and prepared our hearts to worship with prayer. I was around six or seven and I had a good understanding of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, but this song made comprehension very real with the lyrics… “Holy Holy Holy! Is the Lord God almighty, who was and is and is to come. With all creation I sing, praise to the Kings of Kings. You are my everything and I will adore you.” The beautiful lyrics interwoven with the melody still inspires me to this day firstly by helping me understand the Gospel. Secondly, with this comprehension it further pushed me to realize my purpose. Which is to spread my message to the world and praising God with music. Coming from a African American Christian background music has always been apart of my life, and Revelation Song inspired me how to pursue my life and hopefully one day my story can inspire others.