Mandy Lee, the lead singer of Misterwives once sang, "Resilient little thing just like mama made you, no one needs to save you". This is exactly how my mother raised me to be, despite being a single mother of two kids. She has given my sister and I more than we could ever hope for. She has shown us what it truly is to be resilient and independent. The woman I am today is because of my mom. Growing up, I never felt that my family and I were lacking in any form. My mom made many sacrifices to keep my sister and I happy and safe. She made sure my sister and I had three full meals every day, even if she was working late at the office. She made sure to make it to every performance I had, even when she was undergoing chemotherapy and beating breast cancer twice. Even during her battle with cancer, she had a smile on her face. She is a prime example of how your reactions to situations define how it affects you. However, that didn't mean she only had good days. There were just as many days filled with sadness and frustration. From being laid off from her job to her brother passing away to undergoing surgery for her cancer. She showed me that being vulnerable is just as important as being strong. I am allowed to have bad days and be sad, but that doesn't mean it will last forever. I learned that I can grow from the dark times and be stronger for it, thanks to my mom. I put these lessons to work when I had jaw surgery a few months ago. It was the hardest thing I have ever had to go through and my mom was by my side through it all. She took time off of work to take me to and from the hospital, to give me my antibiotics and medication, to hold and take care of me. Her positive outlook through it all made it an easier recovery than it would have been without her. Through her lessons, my mom was also my biggest supporter. When I told her I wanted to pursue a career in music, she did not hesitate to help me. She enrolled me in vocal lessons and band practices, bought me instruments and music software, and promoted my music to all of her friends. She never once doubted my abilities even when I did. All of that support and encouragement gave me the confidence I needed to pursue my dreams and think of them as my reality. My dream is to open up my own studios around the world that provide a space to learn about music. It will include recording, producing, writing, and so much more. I believe that everyone should have access to an education, no matter what they want to learn. Where I am from, there weren't many opportunities to learn how to produce music or own a business in general. Winning this scholarship will bring me one step closer to making my dream a reality along with so many others. I want to inspire future musicians and change the music industry as we know it today. Music is something that brings people together but is difficult to make a career out of. I want to take down the roadblocks and give everyone the tools they need to be successful. My dreams would not be possible if it weren't for how my mother raised me. She helped me become the driven and independent woman I am today. I could never repay her for all of the things she has done for me but this scholarship is a step in that direction. Being able to pay for college will let me pursue my dreams and make all of her sacrifices worth it.

This is an original song I wrote called "Blue". I wrote it after moving to a different town where I didn't know anyone. I was young and still learning who I was. This is the first song I ever wrote and produced by myself! It composed it in a different genre than I was used to and had a lot of fun getting out of my comfort zone.

Music has been a part of my life as much as the hair on my head. It’s been there the whole time and continued to grow as I got older. My preferences changed as much as my hair color did. Similar to those times you impulsively cut your own bangs, sometimes I would get hopeless and defeated about pursuing a career in music. But eventually, they grow out to weird lengths, they never stay put, and you start to wonder why you did it in the first place. However, your roots will always come back (figuratively and literally), and at this point in my life mine have definitely grown back in for good. Throughout my teenage years, I dealt with depression, anxiety, self-esteem issues, and the overall weight of the social media wave just like everyone else. I felt isolated, alone, like no one understood what I was going through. The only outlet I had was writing music. I could write down every feeling I ever had and sing away the pain. Even when I felt so low that I left my high school to get my GED, music was still there. I spent my days inside of a band practice room, putting myself back together, rather than sitting in a cafeteria filled with kids who did not understand the drive or passion I had. Kids who thought my dreams and wishes were impossible and ridiculous. But instead of letting it deter me, I continued to grow even more passionate about the work I knew I had to do. Growing up, I didn't have the resources it would take to be successful in music, especially as a woman. All of the producers and local bands in my area were predominantly male. It made me angry and frustrated that I didn't have anyone to look up to or learn from. That anger soon turned to motivation and a thirst for change. Years later, I am in an all-female, pop-rock band, pursuing my dreams of being a singer-songwriter, music producer, and business owner. My overall goal is to provide an outlet for people who were struggling just as I was when I was younger. I want to build studios all over the world that provide classes on recording techniques, music production, songwriting, instrument lessons, and so much more. I want to create a space for anyone interested and driven by music because it is never too late to find your passion. At the end of the day, no matter how I cut or dye my hair, my roots will always come through. I am a determined, independent woman, fighting for a change in the music industry. I strongly believe that everyone should have the tools to make the art that they want to make.