Passion For Singing As a child, I grew up in a household that constantly played music. I would wake up in the morning to my dad jamming out to Kings of Leon in the basement, the bass rattling the floor. My mom would play her 90s pop while cooking breakfast, occasionally, you could hear them singing along with it. With this came a lasting effect; I became obsessed with music. My mom grew up in the best time, the 80s and 90s. I have been so lucky to have the mother I do for showing me the musicals from those times. There was Grease and Grease 2, Little Shop Of Horrors, Annie, Footloose, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and Hairspray. I lived off of these musicals, consistently going to the Video Warehouse and renting them. Something inside me sparked as I saw the singing, dancing, and acting being put into them. I knew that this was what I was to do with my life. Going into elementary and middle school, I would go out for solos, pushing my barriers. Being on stage was frightening, but this is where I wanted to be. Even though my singing would be too bright and have no vibrato whatsoever, I still did it. There was something so ethereal about it, leading me to pursue piano lessons and dance. As I got older, I began to decline from piano and dance. Singing stayed with me until the end. Going into my high school years, I immediately signed up for Choir. I am so grateful for the opportunities that this small act has led me to. High school choir was a whole different ball park. I got to work with directors such as Theodore Brimeyer and Jon Edgeton, who consistently pushed me to be the best. The choir implemented singing techniques that made me sound mature and use my voice appropriately. This gave me enough confidence to audition for solos. Being able to sing in front of older students was surreal, and now being the one people look up to is so special. Choir isn’t the only thing that I am involved in. I am also involved in the musical department. Being a member of the musical Little Women in my sophomore year and now Mamma Mia in my senior year has been a dream come true. Choir and theater can be a balancing act. As my parents say, “academics come first”, and they are right. The amount of work you have to do outside of practice can be a lot, but I am so grateful to have the system I do. My family is my support system, they are there when I need a shoulder to lean on. Growing into a college student, I can’t always rely on them, so I take the opportunities to get my work done in class. Waking up early to get work done before school is also beneficial, as practice often gets in the way after school. Learning to use my resources and help from teachers has made me successful in singing, school work, and being more organized. Growing up as I did has made me develop such love for music and the art of making it with my voice. The many opportunities I have to showcase my singing, the directors I work with, and balancing it with school work have made me believe I can make it big. Never once would I think about how far I have come. Little Kendall would be immensely proud of what I have accomplished.