Ever since I was a child I’ve been completely surrounded by music. My grandfather, a classical music lover, always played one record or another when I was a baby to begin what he called our “music education”. My mother used to rock me to sleep with Bach's Brandenburg Concerts and used to sing the Beatles, Abba and even old Hollywood songs to me and my siblings. She also played the piano and, if I wasn’t dancing along to a Chopin Waltz while she was playing, I was improvising all kinds of tunes to show her that I could play as well. When I was seven years old, my sister and I were enrolled in a youth orchestra called Kol Shalom and during this time, I had the opportunity to take a closer look at all types of music; from popular cartoon music, to classical music, to traditional Mexican and Jewish-European music, which made me realize that beautiful music was not only in my surroundings, but also within my own history. My interest in music grew as my skills did too. I didn’t want to play music only within the scope of my community, I wanted to broaden my experiences. Taking private lessons was very fruitful for my development as a violinist, but it helped me realize that I didn’t want to be a performer; I didn’t want to miss out on trying out new instruments and performing all genres of music. I started composing and using DAWs to record and edit my songs. That's when I realized that the essence of music, especially in modern times, is divided between many aspects of its development. Though the main idea of the song is what should be transmitted by the artist to their audience, the act of how it is transmitted goes beyond what the public sees. The key components to being able to convey an intended message in a recording come from the studio. The main elements that transform a piece are determined once it’s recorded, then it’s impregnated forever that way. So, for me, the act of being part of the recording process is being the deliverer of the intended message and forming part of how the audience perceives what they hear. By being part of that process, I can bring a part of my Mexican and Jewish culture into today's music. I can learn from many other groups and cultures to ensure that the music industry represents every culture in their own way. Music should be a gift to all.

I remember being half asleep during the bus ride to school an early winter morning. My mind, already exhausted as though it hadn't barely been an hour or so since I woke up. I had already grown accustomed to feeling completely drained from all energy, to a point where the sensation of numbness was a place where I could finally rest, and I would rarely come out and let myself feel anything. That morning while I was shuffling through my playlist, I found a song that I've never heard before; the coziness and ease with which John Lennon strummed the main guitar riff to the tune captured my attention, but the sweet lyrics "the sun is up, the sky is blue, it's beautiful, and so are you" were what finally broke my feeling-less shell and exposed a frightened and confused little girl beneath it. I remember crying for the first time in a long time. That song comforted me every morning I went to school, and helped me overcome my mental state. I felt as though the Beatles wrote that song specifically to me and suddenly, I wasn't alone anymore. Now that I'm older, I've come to notice that music, although wonderful and aesthetic, can also be a vessel to transmit sensations. I started writing lyrics with the intent of being heard. With the intent of having at least one person who hears my lyrics and woven into the words, finds their own story. Who finally feels heard and accepted even if its through song. I believe that music is a powerful tool to understand oneself, and by accepting yourself, you can change the world.

"I didn't even notice the bassline," I thought as I was trying to make myself feel better for not understanding the words to the song playing through the car's speakers. It wasn't in English and, it certainly wasn't in Spanish either. The singer's rich romantic voice spread itself all over the car as I tried to make up the words: "Je t'aimais, je t'aime, je t'aimerai" It was a love song. But I'd already made that conclusion when I started noticing the melancholy of the guitar or the swiftness of the tender violins every time the singer repeated that line. I've always been lucky when it came to my preparation for adult life; Ever since I was young, my parents would make sure that I understood everything I learned at school, they would teach me the basics for doing mundane tasks and they also taught me English. I grew up speaking Spanish and English interchangeably because my parents knew that being fluent in the later one would enable me to one day leave my country to pursue opportunities that are not available here. This statement became especially true when I decided to pursue a career in music. But why music? Well, returning to that romantic french song- I may not have understood every word that Francis Cabrel sang, but I did experience his journey. I treaded along the lonesome path with the melancholic guitar, rediscovering passion when the gentle vocals started arousing the melody, lifting it so rapidly that it created tension, tension in desperate need of resolution. A tension that recklessly grew and grew, awaiting the fullness of the orchestra to join them in song, to beautifully catch the melody on its descent from the climax. I consider what happens underneath the lyrics to be a whole incredible experience on its own. I believe that music is the only language innate to everybody, regardless of your ability to understand French, Spanish, or even English. Music serves as a vessel to carry countless messages that speak to people's emotions and transmit fantastic stories that one would have never known if they weren't paying attention to the right places. As an aspiring Music Producer, I want to be part of the beautiful concept of creating a story that everyone can understand. Although it is the artist's responsibility to convey a message to their audience through song, it is the studio's promise to impregnate those emotions forever in a recording. Nikole Kaim