Music has positively influenced my life since birth. Music always caught my attention, and I interacted by dancing, or singing to whichever song it was, or beat, since you know there is always instrumental music. Making music one of the most transformative forces in my life. From a young age, it gave me a second voice, when I wasn't able to use my own to express the way I felt about many things in life. Whether it was my emotions, trauma, anxiety, self-doubt, or personal hardship. Music has always offered comfort and clarity. It could have also been physical for example, playing my instruments, writing lyrics, creating instrumental beats myself, anything along both mentally and physically it has helped me in moments I have been overwhelmed. But, overall, it gave me a way to heal, and do a little self-discovery. Growing up, I often felt like an outsider, but music always welcomed me, and felt personal, because it could have my favorite songs, or just new tastes in different genres of music. Music has always helped me grow. Which taught me empathy, because it allowed me to step into the artists lives, by hearing their words, and really feeling and understanding their life stories. Learning to create music gave me a sense of direction and purpose, through self-teaching, along with lessons at school when I started my path of education. It has always challenged me to be vulnerable, because you can't fully or truly understand someone's words without having emotions deep down. Which also helps me commit to improving my skills, and mindset to better ideas. Another thing that makes a positive impact is the collaborating. Being able to form bonds with either friends, or other artists I have yet to meet, is an opening way to socialize and get along with people, especially with the same interests as me. As I move forward in my slow progress of a music career, I want to give back to others the way music has been given to me. The happiness music gives to me; I want to spread and give more to this world we live in. I don't want to use music as an entertainment like most, but as a change to spread love, and true happiness. Especially for kids, with similar tragic childhood stories. Going through neglect, abuse mentally and physically, trauma, memory loss, and the process of adoption. I've always written songs, that are either descriptions of my life, or my friends, or random people I've read about or just came across in life. I want justice for all of us who have struggled through crucial times. I want to help lower the rates of those with low mental health, and self-esteem. It's a non-violent way, nor a crime, so I feel the safest, and somewhat confident in doing this task. A nice way to break down barriers and bring people all in this category slowly together. Ultimately, I want to use my music to inspire, to uplift, and to unite, If I can help one person at least, then I know I can make a change. Even with just a little encouragement. Music has changed my life, so let me change the world. I want to change the world. That is my plan.

My name is Olivia Sunshine Doucette and here is my vision for my future career and personal life. Given my deep connection to music and my passion for using it as a creative and healing tool, pursuing a major in the arts, particularly in fields like music, music therapy, or arts management, people have told me it seems like a natural fit for me. Now here are ways I will pursue and can tie my art major into my future career and personal life. Music Therapy is a top choice because it blends my desire to help others, with my passion for creating music. Music Therapy is helping me have the opportunity to meet even more people with disadvantages and low hopes for success. I enjoy being that person who lights up someone's candle. It makes me feel like I'm making a change and leaving behind great memories for people to remember me by along with them remembering and seeing the significant changes from their old self to a better self. Another vision that could be a possibility is an Arts Advocate. I love sharing my experiences with both older and younger audiences. It's a way of inspiring personal growth. It helps reflect my evolving journey by capturing my process of growing emotions. I want to be that voice that will help others' voices be heard as well. I see a world where self-esteem will have risen significantly over time through music, and a bunch of one-on-one conversations. Music involves patience reading, and understanding, along with feeling the music than just reading it. That's how I see music relating to the human body. You can't connect completely if you can't read at least a small part of a person's story and be understanding. Now that's where the real adventure begins in the journey. So many selfish people in the world nowadays, who only focus on acting tough, due to giving up on trying to be understood by those who should have been there from the start but weren't. I don't want to die being like the rest, I want to die being different and not giving up on lives. So, to me, this is deeper than any major in college could ever offer, or any future career. As you can see through the photos, the first two were in San Diego. I love historic places, and creatures. I also love nature. Being able to approach places such as Balboa Park, and the Zoo, along with the ability for everyone to have their own perspective on it. Having the time, and patience to take in what is right in front of our own eye. Creating a blend of my electric violin as well. No matter the place, or season, I always have music in my soul.

My name is Olivia Sunshine Doucette and here is my journey and future goals. Deeply embedded in my family's DNA lineage, I firmly believe music was dropped into—the mix of my life, like a simple ingredient. From our veins to the creative ideas in our minds, I feel music has been destined to be an integral part of my life as an artistic outlet and a healing tool. From a young age, I've embraced music in many ways, whether it's writing my own songs, playing multiple instruments, or creating instrumental beats. Music has allowed me to express myself, by staying connected to the present times, and give me strength during the challenging moments. That's something special to me. It shows others around me that I have incredible resilience and emotional depth through the ways I've let music help me stay active and heal. Flowing into an interest I've had in life in the program of Music Therapy. Music, as a form of therapy, can offer a sense of release and comfort, especially when life starts getting overwhelming for me, whether it's through the rhythm of percussion, the melodies of my piano, or the beats that I create in my free time. Especially for the continuous passion, and effort I put into everything to keep me from having mental breakdowns, nightmares, and dark flashbacks. There is no other way for me to explain how compatible music is for me. My future goals would be; Creating and Sharing my Music. Which I've already been doing since I was in 8th grade. Another goal is to use it as a therapy to show others that they aren't alone in what they go through at their homes or life in general. Surprisingly, how I met a good portion of my close friends. We all had similar stories and issues, and we kept being there for each other. Next is to expand my skills in making digital music, and gathering higher stats, from my studio techniques, and any other possible instruments that might gain my attraction later in life. Helping me to lead into building a music career. I would love to be a solo artist, with helpers along those lines, but never commit to a music industry that will change me from being myself. The music industry seems to tear people down and drain their battery of no longer wanting to express themselves since everything seems to have to be perfect rather than the way they want it to be. I can never enjoy seeing myself turn into that dead battery. I never even let people try to force me to talk to them and tell them whatever was happening in the moment. If it was forced and they put me in a situation that I couldn't escape then I'd lie and say something they'd want to hear, since my truth would sound like a lie to them. Inspiration plays a big role in my life because just because I went down doesn't mean I want to see others go down along the way. I always try to keep people afloat before they get to the point I got to where I had to learn to survive and adapt to constant hits back to the ground. So, I'm always interfering with possibilities that might lead to a bad outcome, to keep the people I know safe and untouched.

I am Olivia Sunshine Doucette, formerly Olivia Brown, formerly Olivia Johnson, and I may never know my birth surname. I was born addicted to methamphetamines. I suffered severe abuse and neglect from birth to the age of four when I was put into foster care. I had been removed from my birth mother and reunited with her eight times. The last time I was taken I was found by a city worker playing in the street wearing only a filthy diaper. The police found the trailer with my birth mother and were unable to rouse her. There was no food, no clothing, no electricity...just empty bottles, cigarettes and drug paraphernalia scattered about. I lived in four different foster homes and was adopted by a white family at age seven. I only state "white family" because I am Hispanic/African American and my adoptive parents were very different from me and the people I was used to. I had a lot of difficulty adjusting and endless behavioral issues. I could not focus or control my anxiety and therapy and medication were not helping. My first musical inspiration was my foster grandfather in my third foster home. He would play the bass and sing to us. When I missed my biological mother and did not know where I would live or if I would ever see her again, his voice would stop my tears. Grandpa David passed away from kidney disease but I will never forget the comfort he gave me through song. In the same foster home, my Grandma Shirley had us sing in the church choir. Music was my foundation before I even knew it. I began playing violin in elementary school and my soul was touched. My love for music got me through some of my darkest times. I went on to teach myself guitar and piano, but my true love is song writing. In high school I explored Digital Design, Visual Arts, Band, Orchestra, Sound Design, and Theater Arts. I love writing and mixing music. As I progressed in high school, art, music, and theater were always my haven. My adoptive father was diagnosed with cancer in 2022. The strain of seeing my mom's sadness and my dad's sickness from chemotherapy and radiation was a lot to deal with, but I continued to work hard and persevere. I am now graduating from Pamlico County High School with a 3.1 GPA and have been accepted to Elizabeth City State University as a music major. I want to help others as I have been through music. My goal is to become a Music Therapist. I found a way to flourish in music and I want to provide comfort through sound to lonely and scared youth. My volunteer service includes, SDSU Mission Trail Park Rehabilitation, San Diego Food Bank, Keep the Sea Plastic Free Ocean Clean Up, 12 inch hair donation to Locks of Love, Friends of Pamlico Library, and The Old Theater Children's Theater. Working with the theater children was by far the most fulfilling. I want to provide help for troubled and depressed children and teenagers. I definitely needed support in my life and I feel I can give back through Music Therapy. Music broke through to me when nothing else could. I want to encourage children by teaching them the beauty of art and music. University Christian Church taught me to love and include everyone. I always reach out to the new student or the person sitting alone because we all need acceptance. In my future, I want to be a true resource for unity and love.

Six Feet Under, Wildflower, and I Love You—all sung by Billie Eilish—have resonated with me deeper than her most common songs, which her audience would know in a heartbeat. "Help, I lost myself again But I remember you Don't come back, it won't end well But I wish you'd tell me to Our love is six feet under I can't help but wonder If our grave was watered by the rain Would roses bloom? Could roses bloom again?" These lyrics resonate profoundly with me, as my entire life has been marked by a pervasive emptiness, particularly after living in the nature of pain. I often feel adrift and isolated in this world. I could be surrounded by people yet still feel as if I were merely a spectator in the room. Eating and drinking often seem to have no tangible impact on my existence. I'll eat anything I am interested in and feel like I'm starving. I can drink, and my mouth will fill dry. Falling into a deep sleep feels akin to being entombed—like six feet under. Living with this profound sense of detachment, I can only perceive the shadows of the days and nights that envelop those I encounter, especially my mistakes that I made with certain exes in my life. I eventually resigned myself to the idea that it didn’t matter if they hurt me or desired me for superficial reasons. If they sought reconciliation, my response was often a nonchalant, "I guess, why not?" It wasn’t rooted in trust; rather, it was a means of burying yet another piece of myself. I no longer wanted to be someone I didn't feel like I could be, so overtime I became a better me. A greater me. Wildflower resonates just by the title, because a wildflower itself is unique and out of the blue. Defining exactly what people tell me on the daily. I carry a very interesting vibe, and character. A wildflower can sprout anywhere, where you can predict where it will grow, but at the same time can't. Sprouting and growing in my own ways that a flower grows, away from being at stage one. Each environment I am always at stage one and grow steadily up to a better me each time except for the way I love. The way I love someone will never completely go away. Like a wildflower I won't lose my colors, and brightness of life until I pass. No matter the environment, I will never change the type of person I am for anyone. I will always remain the same wildflower that I am till this day. In the brightest, and darkest times of life.