My name is Sydney Sudeth. I am a Tongan Commercial Music student studying at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, in the hopes of someday opening a songwriting and music production school. In high school, I attended an institution of this nature: Sarah Kelly Music School (SKMS). The environment at this school was wonderful. I loved both attending as a student, and later teaching classes as a student intern. Helping someone write their first song is a very special experience; I have found it to be more rewarding than anything else I've done. Music is a way for people to express the things they have trouble saying out loud. Witnessing a student discover and explore their musicality is a true gift, and it is one that is unique to teachers. At BYU, I have explored many career paths through research and specialized classes. I've enjoyed my music business classes immensely, as well as the opportunities I've had to be in the recording studio watching engineers record, mix, and master. I also had the opportunity to take a songwriting class and be featured in a showcase for my original piece. All of these experiences have led me back to my teaching roots, and I want to share my knowledge with anyone who wants to learn. Teaching has brought me great joy. In addition to working for SKMS, I tutor 9 private piano students of my own, some of whom I have taught for over 4 years. I have absolutely loved watching them grow and progress in both music and in life. I believe that constant learning is the best way to keep a love for music alive. Passing knowledge to the next generation of performers and artists is of great value to me, as I am able to see myself in my students and progress in my own journey. I love classical music and I love contributing to keeping that genre alive, especially when I get to watch my young students perform with confidence and work hard to master challenging repertoire. In short, teaching music has become a huge part of my life. I believe that pursuing a degree in Commercial Music will give me the credentials and experience I need in order to help my future students achieve their goals in the music industry. The Kay Sykes Arts scholarship would help me attain this by relieving some of the financial burden so I can work towards opening my studio as soon as possible. I appreciate the generosity of the donors, and am grateful for any assistance in pursuing my dreams.

My name is Sydney Sudeth. I am a Tongan Commercial Music student studying at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, in the hopes of someday opening a songwriting and music production school. In high school, I attended an institution of this nature: Sarah Kelly Music School (SKMS). The environment at this school was wonderful. I loved both attending as a student, and later teaching classes as a student intern. Helping someone write their first song is a very special experience; I have found it to be more rewarding than anything else I've done. Music is a way for people to express the things they have trouble saying out loud. Witnessing a student discover and explore their musicality is a true gift, and it is one that is unique to teachers. At BYU, I have explored many career paths through research and specialized classes. I've enjoyed my music business classes immensely, as well as the opportunities I've had to be in the recording studio watching engineers record, mix, and master. I also had the opportunity to take a songwriting class and be featured in a showcase for my original piece. All of these experiences have led me back to my teaching roots, and I want to share my knowledge with anyone who wants to learn. Teaching has brought me great joy. In addition to working for SKMS, I tutor 9 private piano students of my own, some of whom I have taught for over 4 years. I have absolutely loved watching them grow and progress in both music and in life. I believe that constant learning is the best way to keep a love for music alive. Passing knowledge to the next generation of performers and artists is of great value to me, as I am able to see myself in my students and progress in my own journey. I love classical music and I love contributing to keeping that genre alive, especially when I get to watch my young students perform with confidence and work hard to master challenging repertoire. In short, teaching music has become a huge part of my life. I believe that pursuing a degree in Commercial Music will give me the credentials and experience I need in order to help my future students achieve their goals in the music industry. The Pamela Branchini scholarship would help me attain this by relieving some of the financial burden so I can work towards opening my studio as soon as possible. I appreciate the generosity of the Branchini family, and am grateful for any assistance in pursuing my dreams.

My name is Sydney Sudeth. I am a Tongan Commercial Music student studying at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, in the hopes of someday opening a songwriting and music production school. In high school, I attended an institution of this nature: Sarah Kelly Music School (SKMS). The environment at this school was wonderful. I loved both attending as a student, and later teaching classes as a student intern. Helping someone write their first song is a very special experience; I have found it to be more rewarding than anything else I've done. Music is a way for people to express the things they have trouble saying out loud. Witnessing a student discover and explore their musicality is a true gift, and it is one that is unique to teachers. At BYU, I have explored many career paths through research and specialized classes. I've enjoyed my music business classes immensely, as well as the opportunities I've had to be in the recording studio watching engineers record, mix, and master. I also had the opportunity to take a songwriting class and be featured in a showcase for my original piece. All of these experiences have led me back to my teaching roots, and I want to share my knowledge with anyone who wants to learn. Teaching has brought me great joy. In addition to working for SKMS, I tutor 9 private piano students of my own, some of whom I have taught for over 4 years. I have absolutely loved watching them grow and progress in both music and in life. I believe that constant learning is the best way to keep a love for music alive. Passing knowledge to the next generation of performers and artists is of great value to me, as I am able to see myself in my students and progress in my own journey. I love classical music and I love contributing to keeping that genre alive, especially when I get to watch my young students perform with confidence and work hard to master challenging repertoire. In short, teaching music has become a huge part of my life. I believe that pursuing a degree in Commercial Music will give me the credentials and experience I need in order to help my future students achieve their goals in the music industry. The Marshall & Dorothy Smith scholarship would help me attain this by relieving some of the financial burden so I can work towards opening my studio as soon as possible. I appreciate the generosity of the Smith family, and am grateful for any assistance in pursuing my dreams.

My name is Sydney Sudeth. I am a Tongan Commercial Music student studying at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, in the hopes of someday opening a songwriting and music production school. In high school, I attended an institution of this nature: Sarah Kelly Music School (SKMS). I loved both attending as a student, and later teaching classes as a student intern. Helping someone write their first song is a very special experience; I have found it to be more rewarding than anything else I've done. Witnessing a student discover and explore their musicality is a true gift - one that is unique to teachers. At BYU, I have explored many career paths through research and specialized classes. I've enjoyed my music business classes immensely, as well as the opportunities I've had to be in the recording studio watching engineers record, mix, and master. I also had the opportunity to take a songwriting class and be featured in a showcase for my original piece. All of these experiences have led me back to my teaching roots, and I want to share my knowledge with anyone who wants to learn. In addition to working for SKMS, I tutor 9 private piano students of my own, some of whom I have taught for over 4 years. I have absolutely loved watching them grow and progress in both music and in life. I believe that constant learning is the best way to keep a love for music alive. Passing knowledge to the next generation of performers and artists is of great value to me, as I am able to see myself in my students and progress in my own journey. I love classical music and I love contributing to keeping that genre alive, especially when I get to watch my young students perform with confidence and work hard to master challenging repertoire. In short, teaching music has become a huge part of my life. I believe that pursuing a degree in Commercial Music will give me the credentials and experience I need in order to help my future students achieve their goals in the music industry. The WCEJ Thornton Foundation scholarship would help me attain this by relieving some of my financial burden so I can work towards opening my studio as soon as possible. I appreciate the generosity of the donors, and am grateful for any assistance in pursuing my dreams.

My name is Sydney Sudeth. I am a Tongan Commercial Music student studying at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, in the hopes of someday opening a songwriting and music production school. In high school, I attended an institution of this nature: Sarah Kelly Music School (SKMS). The environment at this school was wonderful. I loved both attending as a student, and later teaching classes as a student intern. Helping someone write their first song is a very special experience; I have found it to be more rewarding than anything else I've done. Music is a way for people to express the things they have trouble saying out loud. Witnessing a student discover and explore their musicality is a true gift, and it is one that is unique to teachers. At BYU, I have explored many career paths through research and specialized classes. I've enjoyed my music business classes immensely, as well as the opportunities I've had to be in the recording studio watching engineers record, mix, and master. I also had the opportunity to take a songwriting class and be featured in a showcase for my original piece. All of these experiences have led me back to my teaching roots, and I want to share my knowledge with anyone who wants to learn. Teaching has brought me great joy. In addition to working for SKMS, I tutor 9 private piano students of my own, some of whom I have taught for over 4 years. I have absolutely loved watching them grow and progress in both music and in life. I believe that constant learning is the best way to keep a love for music alive. Passing knowledge to the next generation of performers and artists is of great value to me, as I am able to see myself in my students and progress in my own journey. I love classical music and I love contributing to keeping that genre alive, especially when I get to watch my young students perform with confidence and work hard to master challenging repertoire. In short, teaching music has become a huge part of my life. I believe that pursuing a degree in Commercial Music will give me the credentials and experience I need in order to help my future students achieve their goals in the music industry. The Lydia Fray Music scholarship would help me attain this by relieving some of the financial burden so I can work towards opening my studio as soon as possible. I appreciate the generosity of the donors, and am grateful for any assistance in pursuing my dreams.

My name is Sydney Sudeth. I am a Tongan Commercial Music student studying at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, in the hopes of someday opening a songwriting and music production school. In high school, I attended an institution of this nature: Sarah Kelly Music School (SKMS). The environment at this school was wonderful. I loved both attending as a student, and later teaching classes as a student intern. Helping someone write their first song is a very special experience; I have found it to be more rewarding than anything else I've done. Music is a way for people to express the things they have trouble saying out loud. Witnessing a student discover and explore their musicality is a true gift, and it is one that is unique to teachers. At BYU, I have explored many career paths through research and specialized classes. I've enjoyed my music business classes immensely, as well as the opportunities I've had to be in the recording studio watching engineers record, mix, and master. I also had the opportunity to take a songwriting class and be featured in a showcase for my original piece. All of these experiences have led me back to my teaching roots, and I want to share my knowledge with anyone who wants to learn. Teaching has brought me great joy. In addition to working for SKMS, I tutor 9 private piano students of my own, some of whom I have taught for over 4 years. I have absolutely loved watching them grow and progress in both music and in life. I believe that constant learning is the best way to keep a love for music alive. Passing knowledge to the next generation of performers and artists is of great value to me, as I am able to see myself in my students and progress in my own journey. I love classical music and I love contributing to keeping that genre alive, especially when I get to watch my young students perform with confidence and work hard to master challenging repertoire. In short, teaching music has become a huge part of my life. I believe that pursuing a degree in Commercial Music will give me the credentials and experience I need in order to help my future students achieve their goals in the music industry. The Neil Margeson scholarship would help me attain this by relieving some of the financial burden so I can work towards opening my studio as soon as possible. I appreciate the generosity of the Margeson family, and am grateful for any assistance in pursuing my dreams.

My name is Sydney Sudeth. I am a Tongan Commercial Music student studying at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, in the hopes of someday opening a production studio & private music school. In high school, I attended an institution of this nature: Sarah Kelly Music School (SKMS). The environment at this school was wonderful. I loved both attending as a student, and later teaching classes as a student intern. Helping someone write their first song is a very special experience; I have found it to be more rewarding than anything else I've done. Music is a way for people to express the things they have trouble saying out loud. Witnessing a student discover and explore their musicality is a true gift, and it is one that is unique to teachers. At BYU, I have explored many career paths through research and specialized classes. I've enjoyed my music business classes immensely, as well as the opportunities I've had to be in the recording studio watching engineers record, mix, and master. I also had the opportunity to take a songwriting class and be featured in a showcase for my original piece. All of these experiences have led me back to my teaching roots, and I want to share my knowledge with anyone who wants to learn. Teaching has brought me great joy. In addition to working for SKMS, I tutor 9 private piano students of my own, some of whom I have taught for over 4 years. I have absolutely loved watching them grow and progress in both music and in life. I believe that constant learning is the best way to keep a love for music alive. Passing knowledge to the next generation of performers and artists is of great value to me, as I am able to see myself in my students and progress in my own journey. I love classical music and I love contributing to keeping that genre alive, especially when I get to watch my young students perform with confidence and work hard to master challenging repertoire. In short, teaching music has become a huge part of my life. I believe that pursuing a degree in Commercial Music will give me the credentials and experience I need in order to help my future students achieve their goals in the music industry. The Vision of Music scholarship would help me attain this by relieving some of my financial burden so I can work towards opening my studio as soon as possible. I appreciate the generosity of the donors, and am grateful for any assistance in pursuing my dreams.

My name is Sydney Sudeth. I am a Tongan Commercial Music student studying at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, in the hopes of someday opening a songwriting and music production school. In high school, I attended an institution of this nature: Sarah Kelly Music School (SKMS). The environment at this school was wonderful. I loved both attending as a student, and later teaching classes as a student intern. Helping someone write their first song is a very special experience; I have found it to be more rewarding than anything else I've done. Music is a way for people to express the things they have trouble saying out loud. Witnessing a student discover and explore their musicality is a true gift, and it is one that is unique to teachers. At BYU, I have explored many career paths through research and specialized classes. I've enjoyed my music business classes immensely, as well as the opportunities I've had to be in the recording studio watching engineers record, mix, and master. I also had the opportunity to take a songwriting class and be featured in a showcase for my original piece. All of these experiences have led me back to my teaching roots, and I want to share my knowledge with anyone who wants to learn. Teaching has brought me great joy. In addition to working for SKMS, I tutor 9 private piano students of my own, some of whom I have taught for over 4 years. I have absolutely loved watching them grow and progress in both music and in life. I believe that constant learning is the best way to keep a love for music alive. Passing knowledge to the next generation of performers and artists is of great value to me, as I am able to see myself in my students and progress in my own journey. I love classical music and I love contributing to keeping that genre alive, especially when I get to watch my young students perform with confidence and work hard to master challenging repertoire. In short, teaching music has become a huge part of my life. I believe that pursuing a degree in Commercial Music will give me the credentials and experience I need in order to help my future students achieve their goals in the music industry. The James B. McCleary scholarship would help me attain this by relieving some of my financial burden so I can work towards opening my studio as soon as possible. I appreciate the generosity of the donors, and am grateful for any assistance in pursuing my dreams.

My name is Sydney Sudeth. I am a Tongan Commercial Music student studying at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, in hopes of someday opening a songwriting and music production school. Being a Pacific Islander at BYU has been a unique experience. We make up about .9% of the student population at a predominantly white institution, which sometimes makes me feel a bit outnumbered, but the Multicultural Student Services Office (MSS) at BYU does an amazing job at highlighting my culture in meaningful ways. One MSS event I enjoyed participating in was the BYU Luau, which is a huge cultural showcase featuring student sections representing the Polynesian islands. I was a member of the Tonga section, where we danced, sang, and celebrated our culture together. This is something I never experienced in my hometown of Houston, as I was the only Pacific Islander at my high school. I've loved the feeling of community here at BYU with fellow Polynesians. While exploring my culture at BYU, I have also explored many career paths through research and specialized classes. I've enjoyed my music business classes immensely, as well as the opportunities I've had to be in the recording studio watching engineers record, mix, and master. I also had the opportunity to take a songwriting class and be featured in a showcase for my original piece. All of these experiences have led me back to my teaching roots, and I want to share my knowledge with anyone who wants to learn. Teaching has brought me great joy. In addition to working for a songwriting and production school in high school, I've tutored 13 private piano students of my own, some of whom I have taught for over 4 years. I have absolutely loved watching them grow and progress in both music and in life. I believe that constant learning is the best way to keep a love for music alive. Passing knowledge to the next generation of performers and artists is of great value to me, as I am able to see myself in my students and progress in my own journey. I love classical music and I love contributing to keeping that genre alive, especially when I get to watch my young students perform with confidence and work hard to master challenging repertoire. In short, teaching music has become a huge part of my life. I believe that pursuing a degree in Commercial Music will give me the credentials and experience I need in order to help my future students achieve their goals in the music industry. The Faatuai and Fatilua scholarship would help me attain this by relieving some of the financial burden so I can work towards opening my studio as soon as possible. I appreciate the generosity of the Satiu family, and am grateful for any assistance in pursuing my dreams.

My name is Sydney Sudeth. I am a Tongan Commercial Music student studying at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, in the hopes of someday opening a songwriting and music production school. In high school, I attended an institution of this nature: Sarah Kelly Music School (SKMS). The environment at this school was wonderful. I loved both attending as a student, and later teaching classes as a student intern. Helping someone write their first song is a very special experience; I have found it to be more rewarding than anything else I've done. Music is a way for people to express the things they have trouble saying out loud. Witnessing a student discover and explore their musicality is a true gift, and it is one that is unique to teachers. At BYU, I have explored many career paths through research and specialized classes. I've enjoyed my music business classes immensely, as well as the opportunities I've had to be in the recording studio watching engineers record, mix, and master. I also had the opportunity to take a songwriting class and be featured in a showcase for my original piece. All of these experiences have led me back to my teaching roots, and I want to share my knowledge with anyone who wants to learn. Teaching has brought me great joy. In addition to working for SKMS, I tutor 9 private piano students of my own, some of whom I have taught for over 4 years. I have absolutely loved watching them grow and progress in both music and in life. I believe that constant learning is the best way to keep a love for music alive. Passing knowledge to the next generation of performers and artists is of great value to me, as I am able to see myself in my students and progress in my own journey. I love classical music and I love contributing to keeping that genre alive, especially when I get to watch my young students perform with confidence and work hard to master challenging repertoire. In short, teaching music has become a huge part of my life. I believe that pursuing a degree in Commercial Music will give me the credentials and experience I need in order to help my future students achieve their goals in the music industry. The William Smith scholarship would help me attain this by relieving some of the financial burden so I can work towards opening my studio as soon as possible. I appreciate the generosity of the Smith family, and am grateful for any assistance in pursuing my dreams.

My name is Sydney Sudeth. I am a Tongan Commercial Music student studying at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, in the hopes of someday opening a songwriting and music production school. In high school, I attended an institution of this nature: Sarah Kelly Music School (SKMS). The environment at this school was wonderful. I loved both attending as a student, and later teaching classes as a student intern. Helping someone write their first song is a very special experience; I have found it to be more rewarding than anything else I've done. Music is a way for people to express the things they have trouble saying out loud. Witnessing a student discover and explore their musicality is a true gift, and it is one that is unique to teachers. At BYU, I have explored many career paths through research and specialized classes. I've enjoyed my music business classes immensely, as well as the opportunities I've had to be in the recording studio watching engineers record, mix, and master. I also had the opportunity to take a songwriting class and be featured in a showcase for my original piece. All of these experiences have led me back to my teaching roots, and I want to share my knowledge with anyone who wants to learn. Teaching has brought me great joy. In addition to working for SKMS, I tutor 9 private piano students of my own, some of whom I have taught for over 4 years. I have absolutely loved watching them grow and progress in both music and in life. I believe that constant learning is the best way to keep a love for music alive. Passing knowledge to the next generation of performers and artists is of great value to me, as I am able to see myself in my students and progress in my own journey. I love classical music and I love contributing to keeping that genre alive, especially when I get to watch my young students perform with confidence and work hard to master challenging repertoire. In short, teaching music has become a huge part of my life. I believe that pursuing a degree in Commercial Music will give me the credentials and experience I need in order to help my future students achieve their goals in the music industry. The Kayla Nicole Monk scholarship would help me attain this by relieving some of the financial burden so I can work towards opening my studio as soon as possible. I appreciate the generosity of the Monk family, and am grateful for any assistance in pursuing my dreams.

In middle school, I was absolutely obsessed with K-Pop. It's not something I'm proud of, given that I was an awkward preteen and completely fulfilled the "weird fan girl" stereotype. One thing that era gave me, however, was a dream. I used to watch video after video of K-Pop artists performing. Their stage presence captivated me, inspired me, and filled me with a passion I couldn't quite name. Entering high school, I realized that I didn't want to watch performers on a stage. I wanted to be them. I enrolled in Sarah Kelly Music School, a program that grows young songwriters and singers in their artistry and gives them the skills and knowledge they need to someday enter the music industry. Using my prior classical piano knowledge, I quickly adapted to a new way of playing. I sang daily and I wrote constantly. I discovered a true love for songwriting. Now, as an intern at the same school that trained me, I help younger students learn just the way I did. In my free time, I've found a new passion: Concerts! I've made it my mission to see all of my favorite artists in person at least once. I'm still working on a few, but through hard work and a few golden opportunities, I can confidently say my concert resume has filled out. My favorite concert memory was a moment during a Laufey concert. Laufey is an Icelandic-Chinese jazz/pop singer, and she is my biggest inspiration. I absolutely love everything about her - her style, the rich color of her voice, her instrumental prowess, and the genuine energy she has. As an aspiring musician, I hope to someday be a performer like Laufey. In one of her songs, "Letter to My 13 Year Old Self," she has a line that I just love. She says, "One day you'll be up on stage. Little girls will scream your name." The song is full of advice to a younger Laufey, who had a dream much like mine. When Laufey performed this song as an encore during her concert, I almost cried. Especially when she sang that line and the whole building, filled predominantly with teenage girls like myself, shouted her name. It was so amazing to see her journey come full circle like that. My dream is to perform like all of the artists I've come to love. I want to be on stage, hearing people call my name, dancing and singing like my middle school idols. I want to write songs that bring people comfort in dark times. If I can succeed, I can prove to others like me that their pipe dreams are possible. To do so, I plan on majoring in Commercial Music at Brigham Young University this fall. My focus is Singer/Songwriter with an emphasis on contemporary vocal performance. This major will teach me vocal techniques and songwriting as well as music theory, production, and business practices. After completing this degree, I hope to enter the music industry and work towards signing a record deal. If a painfully introverted, socially awkward 12-year-old like myself can grow into the performer and musician that I've become, there's hope for anyone. I want to show people that their potential is only limited by their own hesitations.

It may sound odd, but the movie that has had the greatest impact on my life is the animated film "Coraline." The movie is downright creepy. It follows the story of a young girl, Coraline Jones, who discovers a portal to another world in her living room. She ventures into this world each night and sees all sorts of strange sights and people. In the other world, everything seems better. The food is delicious, the garden is beautiful, and the neighbors are fascinating and unique. Even Coraline's parents seem superior. Her Other Mother and Other Father, as she calls them, dote on her constantly and give her everything she desires. It seems like a dream come true. There's one little catch. To stay in this other world, Coraline must let the Other Mother sew buttons onto her eyes. Evidently, this is a problem for her. She refuses the Other Mother's request and tries to escape this twisted realm of fake perfection, but becomes entangled in the Other Mother's power. Coraline quickly learns that the other world is not what she thought. The Other Mother does not have her best interests at heart; in fact, she wants to take Coraline's very soul. It sounds like a complete downer. Definitely not a movie someone would be positively impacted by, and probably not a movie most people would watch twice. "Coraline" used to scare me out of my wits; I'd have nightmares about the Other Mother and her buttons, and I'd have to lock every door in the house before I went to sleep. For some reason, I was still fascinated by the film. Now that I'm older, I think I understand why. Unfortunately, as humans, we all get jealous. I'm no stranger to this. When I was younger, I deeply coveted my friends for a number of things. One girl had an older sister who I thought was the coolest. Another got to go boating on the weekends once a month. I envied one friend for his violin prowess, another for her athleticism, and yet another for her natural beauty. Watching "Coraline" over and over somehow instilled a principle in me that has taken root. It's somewhat like the age old saying: "The grass is always greener on the other side." For me, "Coraline" was a warning that things are not always as they seem, and jealousy is pointless. I was envious of one girl for her fancy boat. What I didn't know (until later) was that her father worked so much to afford the boat she barely saw him. My friend with the musical talent practiced so ruthlessly for so long that he now hates his instrument. I wanted another girl's beauty, but never noticed the eating disorder that took a toll on her body. The "Coraline" principle taught me over time that I need to practice contentment. Coraline wanted the life she had in the other world, but didn't realize the price would be so great. It took a true crisis to teach her that she already had what she needed. I feel similarly. I could look at my peers and wish for what they had, but I have no knowledge of the buttons they've had to sew. It's a strange (slightly morbid) analogy but it works for me. Now, as a young adult, I find myself happy with my situation. I may not have everything I want, but I have all that I truly need. Learning how to be satisfied has had a truly positive impact on my life.

In middle school, I was absolutely obsessed with K-Pop. It's not something I'm proud of, given that I was an awkward preteen and completely fulfilled the "weird fan girl" stereotype. One thing that era gave me, however, was a dream. I used to watch video after video of K-Pop artists performing. Their stage presence captivated me, inspired me, and filled me with a passion I couldn't quite name. Entering high school, I realized that I didn't want to watch performers on a stage. I wanted to be them. I enrolled in Sarah Kelly Music School, a program that grows young songwriters and singers in their artistry. Using my prior classical piano knowledge, I quickly adapted to a new way of playing. I discovered a true love for songwriting. Now, as an intern at the same school that trained me, I help younger students learn just the way I did. In my free time, I've found a new passion: Concerts! My favorite concert memory was a moment during a Laufey show. Laufey is an Icelandic-Chinese jazz/pop singer. I absolutely love everything about her - her style, the color of her voice, her instrumental prowess, and her genuine energy. In her song, "Letter to My 13 Year Old Self," she has a line that I just love. She says, "One day you'll be up on stage. Little girls will scream your name." When Laufey performed this song as an encore during her concert, I almost cried. Especially when she sang that line and the whole building, filled predominantly with teenage girls like myself, shouted her name. My dream is to perform like all of the artists I've come to love. I want to be on stage, hearing people call my name, dancing and singing like my middle school idols. I want to write songs that bring people comfort in dark times. To do so, I plan on majoring in Commercial Music at Brigham Young University this fall. This major will teach me vocal techniques and songwriting as well as music theory, production, and business practices. After completing this degree, I hope to enter the music industry and work towards signing a record deal. If a painfully introverted, socially awkward 12-year-old like myself can grow into the performer and musician that I've become, there's hope for anyone. I want to show people that their potential is only limited by their own hesitations.

In middle school, I was absolutely obsessed with K-Pop. It's not something I'm proud of, given that I was an awkward preteen and completely fulfilled the "weird fan girl" stereotype. One thing that era gave me, however, was a dream. I used to watch video after video of K-Pop artists performing. Their stage presence captivated me, inspired me, and filled me with a passion I couldn't quite name. Entering high school, I realized that I didn't want to watch performers on a stage. I wanted to be them. I enrolled in Sarah Kelly Music School, a program that grows young songwriters and singers in their artistry and gives them the skills and knowledge they need to someday enter the music industry. Using my prior classical piano knowledge, I quickly adapted to a new way of playing. I sang daily and I wrote constantly. I discovered a true love for songwriting. Now, as an intern at the same school that trained me, I help younger students learn just the way I did. In my free time, I've found a new passion: Concerts! My favorite concert memory was a moment during a Laufey show. Laufey is an Icelandic-Chinese jazz/pop singer. I love everything about her - her style, the rich color of her voice, her instrumental prowess, and the genuine energy she has. As an aspiring musician, I hope to someday be a performer like Laufey. In one of her songs, "Letter to My 13 Year Old Self," she has a line that I just love. She says, "One day you'll be up on stage. Little girls will scream your name." When Laufey performed this song as an encore during her concert, I almost cried. Especially when she sang that line and the whole building, filled predominantly with teenage girls like myself, shouted her name. My dream is to perform like all of the artists I've come to love. I want to be on stage, hearing people call my name, dancing and singing like my middle school idols. I want to write songs that bring people comfort in dark times. If I can succeed, I can prove to others like me that their pipe dreams are possible. To do so, I plan on majoring in Commercial Music at Brigham Young University this fall. My focus is Singer/Songwriter with an emphasis on contemporary vocal performance. This major will teach me vocal techniques and songwriting as well as music theory, production, and business practices. After completing this degree, I hope to enter the music industry and work towards signing a record deal. This scholarship would support me in paying for the many housing, tuition, and food costs facing me. As a music major, I will have less time to work than the average student due to extensive class requirements and practice hours. College expenses are a huge worry for me because of this. I'm extremely grateful for the opportunity to apply for this scholarship and for the potential aid it offers.

In middle school, I was absolutely obsessed with K-Pop. It's not something I'm proud of, given that I was an awkward preteen and completely fulfilled the "weird fan girl" stereotype. One thing that era gave me, however, was a dream. I used to watch video after video of K-Pop artists performing. Their stage presence captivated me, inspired me, and filled me with a passion I couldn't quite name. Entering high school, I realized that I didn't want to watch performers on a stage. I wanted to be them. I enrolled in Sarah Kelly Music School, a program that grows young songwriters and singers in their artistry and gives them the skills and knowledge they need to someday enter the music industry. Using my prior classical piano knowledge, I quickly adapted to a new way of playing. I sang daily and I wrote constantly. I discovered a true love for songwriting. Now, as an intern at the same school that trained me, I help younger students learn just the way I did. In my free time, I've found a new passion: Concerts! I've made it my mission to see all of my favorite artists in person at least once. I'm still working on a few, but through hard work and a few golden opportunities. I can confidently say my concert resume has filled out. There are too many amazing ones to pick a favorite! My favorite concert memory was a moment during a Laufey concert. Laufey is an Icelandic-Chinese jazz/pop singer, and she is my biggest inspiration. I absolutely love everything about her - her style, the rich color of her voice, her instrumental prowess, and the genuine energy she has. As an aspiring musician, I hope to someday be a performer like Laufey. In one of her songs, "Letter to My 13 Year Old Self," she has a line that I just love. She says, "One day you'll be up on stage. Little girls will scream your name." The song is full of advice to a younger Laufey, who had a dream much like mine. When Laufey performed this song as an encore during her concert, I almost cried. Especially when she sang that line and the whole building, filled predominantly with teenage girls like myself, shouted her name. It was so amazing to see her journey come full circle like that. My dream is to perform like all of the artists I've come to love. I want to be on stage, hearing people call my name, dancing and singing like my middle school idols. I want to write songs that bring people comfort in dark times. If I can succeed, I can prove to others like me that their pipe dreams are possible. To do so, I plan on majoring in Commercial Music at Brigham Young University this fall, hopefully aided by scholarships. My focus is Singer/Songwriter with an emphasis on contemporary vocal performance. This major will teach me vocal techniques and songwriting as well as music theory, production, and business practices. After completing this degree, I hope to enter the music industry and work towards signing a record deal. If a painfully introverted, socially awkward 12-year-old like myself can grow into the performer and musician that I've become, there's hope for anyone. I want to show people that their potential is only limited by their own hesitations.

In middle school, I was absolutely obsessed with K-Pop. It's not something I'm proud of, given that I was an awkward preteen and completely fulfilled the "weird fan girl" stereotype. One thing that era gave me, however, was a dream. I used to watch video after video of K-Pop artists performing. Their stage presence captivated me, inspired me, and filled me with a passion I couldn't quite name. Entering high school, I realized that I didn't want to watch performers on a stage. I wanted to be them. I enrolled in Sarah Kelly Music School, a program that grows young songwriters and singers in their artistry and gives them the skills and knowledge they need to someday enter the music industry. Using my prior classical piano knowledge, I quickly adapted to a new way of playing. I sang daily and I wrote constantly. I discovered a true love for songwriting. Now, as an intern at the same school that trained me, I help younger students learn just the way I did. In my free time, I've found a new passion: Concerts. I've made it my mission to see all of my favorite artists in person at least once. I'm still working on a few, but through hard work and a few golden opportunities. I can confidently say my concert resume has filled out. My favorite concert memory was a moment during a Laufey concert. Laufey is an Icelandic-Chinese jazz/pop singer, and she is my biggest inspiration. I absolutely love everything about her - her style, the rich color of her voice, her instrumental prowess, and the genuine energy she has. As an aspiring musician, I hope to someday be a performer like Laufey. In one of her songs, "Letter to My 13 Year Old Self," she has a line that I just love. She says, "One day you'll be up on stage. Little girls will scream your name." The song is full of advice to a younger Laufey, who had a dream much like mine. When Laufey performed this song as an encore during her concert, I almost cried. Especially when she sang that line and the whole building, filled predominantly with teenage girls like myself, shouted her name. It was so amazing to see her journey come full circle like that. My dream is to perform like all of the artists I've come to love. I want to be on stage, hearing people call my name, dancing and singing like my middle school idols. I want to write songs that bring people comfort in dark times. If I can succeed, I can prove to others like me that their pipe dreams are possible. To do so, I plan on majoring in Commercial Music at Brigham Young University this fall. My focus is Singer/Songwriter with an emphasis on contemporary vocal performance. This major will teach me vocal techniques and songwriting as well as music theory, production, and business practices. After completing this degree, I hope to enter the music industry and work towards signing a record deal. This scholarship would help me immensely in paying for my tuition, housing, and meal costs. As a music major, my schedule will be packed. I won't be able to have as many work hours as I may need to pay these costs. I'm thankful for the generosity of this scholarship and the opportunity I have to apply for it.

In middle school, I was absolutely obsessed with K-Pop. It's not something I'm proud of, given that I was an awkward preteen and completely fulfilled the "weird fan girl" stereotype. One thing that era gave me, however, was a dream. I used to watch video after video of K-Pop artists performing. Their stage presence captivated me, inspired me, and filled me with a passion I couldn't quite name. Entering high school, I realized that I didn't want to watch performers on a stage. I wanted to be them. I enrolled in Sarah Kelly Music School, a program that grows young songwriters and singers in their artistry and gives them the skills and knowledge they need to someday enter the music industry. Using my prior classical piano knowledge, I quickly adapted to a new way of playing. I sang daily and I wrote constantly. I discovered a true love for songwriting. Now, as an intern at the same school that trained me, I help younger students learn just the way I did. In my free time, I've found a new passion: Concerts! I've made it my mission to see all of my favorite artists in person at least once. I'm still working on a few, but through hard work and a few golden opportunities. I can confidently say my concert resume has filled out. There are too many amazing ones to pick a favorite! My favorite concert memory was a moment during a Laufey concert. Laufey is an Icelandic-Chinese jazz/pop singer, and she is my biggest inspiration. I absolutely love everything about her - her style, the rich color of her voice, her instrumental prowess, and the genuine energy she has. As an aspiring musician, I hope to someday be a performer like Laufey. In one of her songs, "Letter to My 13 Year Old Self," she has a line that I just love. She says, "One day you'll be up on stage. Little girls will scream your name." The song is full of advice to a younger Laufey, who had a dream much like mine. When Laufey performed this song as an encore during her concert, I almost cried. Especially when she sang that line and the whole building, filled predominantly with teenage girls like myself, shouted her name. It was so amazing to see her journey come full circle like that. My dream is to perform like all of the artists I've come to love. I want to be on stage, hearing people call my name, dancing and singing like my middle school idols. I want to write songs that bring people comfort in dark times. If I can succeed, I can prove to others like me that their pipe dreams are possible. To do so, I plan on majoring in Commercial Music at Brigham Young University this fall. My focus is Singer/Songwriter with an emphasis on contemporary vocal performance. This major will teach me vocal techniques and songwriting as well as music theory, production, and business practices. After completing this degree, I hope to enter the music industry and work towards signing a record deal. If a painfully introverted, socially awkward 12-year-old like myself can grow into the performer and musician that I've become, there's hope for anyone. I want to show people that their potential is only limited by their own hesitations.

In middle school, I was absolutely obsessed with K-Pop. It's not something I'm proud of, given that I was an awkward preteen and completely fulfilled the "weird fan girl" stereotype. One thing that era gave me, however, was a dream. I used to watch video after video of K-Pop artists performing. Their stage presence captivated me, inspired me, and filled me with a passion I couldn't quite name. Entering high school, I realized that I didn't want to watch performers on a stage. I wanted to be them. I enrolled in Sarah Kelly Music School, a program that grows young songwriters and singers in their artistry and gives them the skills and knowledge they need to someday enter the music industry. Using my prior classical piano knowledge, I quickly adapted to a new way of playing. I sang daily and I wrote constantly. I discovered a true love for songwriting. Now, as an intern at the same school that trained me, I help younger students learn just the way I did. In my free time, I've found a new passion: Concerts! I've made it my mission to see all of my favorite artists in person at least once. I'm still working on a few, but through hard work and a few golden opportunities. I can confidently say my concert resume has filled out. There are too many amazing ones to pick a favorite! My favorite concert memory was a moment during a Laufey concert. Laufey is an Icelandic-Chinese jazz/pop singer, and she is my biggest inspiration. I absolutely love everything about her - her style, the rich color of her voice, her instrumental prowess, and the genuine energy she has. As an aspiring musician, I hope to someday be a performer like Laufey. In one of her songs, "Letter to My 13 Year Old Self," she has a line that I just love. She says, "One day you'll be up on stage. Little girls will scream your name." The song is full of advice to a younger Laufey, who had a dream much like mine. When Laufey performed this song as an encore during her concert, I almost cried. Especially when she sang that line and the whole building, filled predominantly with teenage girls like myself, shouted her name. It was so amazing to see her journey come full circle like that. My dream is to perform like all of the artists I've come to love. I want to be on stage, hearing people call my name, dancing and singing like my middle school idols. I want to write songs that bring people comfort in dark times. If I can succeed, I can prove to others like me that their pipe dreams are possible. To do so, I plan on majoring in Commercial Music at Brigham Young University this fall. My focus is Singer/Songwriter with an emphasis on contemporary vocal performance. This major will teach me vocal techniques and songwriting as well as music theory, production, and business practices. After completing this degree, I hope to enter the music industry and work towards signing a record deal. If a painfully introverted, socially awkward 12-year-old like myself can grow into the performer and musician that I've become, there's hope for anyone. I want to show people that their potential is only limited by their own hesitations.

In middle school, I was absolutely obsessed with K-Pop. It's not something I'm proud of, given that I was an awkward preteen and completely fulfilled the "weird fan girl" stereotype. One thing that era gave me, however, was a dream. I used to watch video after video of K-Pop artists performing. Their stage presence captivated me, inspired me, and filled me with a passion I couldn't quite name. Entering high school, I realized that I didn't want to watch performers on a stage. I wanted to be them. I enrolled in Sarah Kelly Music School, a program that grows young songwriters and singers in their artistry and gives them the skills and knowledge they need to someday enter the music industry. Using my prior classical piano knowledge, I quickly adapted to a new way of playing. I sang daily and I wrote constantly. I discovered a true love for songwriting. Now, as an intern at the same school that trained me, I help younger students learn just the way I did. In my free time, I've found a new passion: Concerts! I've made it my mission to see all of my favorite artists in person at least once. I'm still working on a few, but through hard work and a few golden opportunities. I can confidently say my concert resume has filled out. There are too many amazing ones to pick a favorite! My favorite concert memory was a moment during a Laufey concert. Laufey is an Icelandic-Chinese jazz/pop singer, and she is my biggest inspiration. I absolutely love everything about her - her style, the rich color of her voice, her instrumental prowess, and the genuine energy she has. As an aspiring musician, I hope to someday be a performer like Laufey. In one of her songs, "Letter to My 13 Year Old Self," she has a line that I just love. She says, "One day you'll be up on stage. Little girls will scream your name." The song is full of advice to a younger Laufey, who had a dream much like mine. When Laufey performed this song as an encore during her concert, I almost cried. Especially when she sang that line and the whole building, filled predominantly with teenage girls like myself, shouted her name. It was so amazing to see her journey come full circle like that. My dream is to perform like all of the artists I've come to love. I want to be on stage, hearing people call my name, dancing and singing like my middle school idols. I want to write songs that bring people comfort in dark times. If I can succeed, I can prove to others like me that their pipe dreams are possible. To do so, I plan on majoring in Commercial Music at Brigham Young University this fall. My focus is Singer/Songwriter with an emphasis on contemporary vocal performance. This major will teach me vocal techniques and songwriting as well as music theory, production, and business practices. After completing this degree, I hope to enter the music industry and work towards signing a record deal. If a painfully introverted, socially awkward 12-year-old like myself can grow into the performer and musician that I've become, there's hope for anyone. I want to show people that their potential is only limited by their own hesitations.

In middle school, I was absolutely obsessed with K-Pop. It's not something I'm proud of, given that I was an awkward preteen and completely fulfilled the "weird fan girl" stereotype. One thing that era gave me, however, was a dream. I used to watch video after video of K-Pop artists performing. Their stage presence captivated me, inspired me, and filled me with a passion I couldn't quite name. Entering high school, I realized that I didn't want to watch performers on a stage. I wanted to be them. I enrolled in Sarah Kelly Music School, a program that grows young songwriters and singers in their artistry and gives them the skills and knowledge they need to someday enter the music industry. Using my prior classical piano and violin knowledge, I quickly adapted to a new way of playing. I sang daily and I wrote constantly. I discovered a true love for songwriting. Now, as an intern at the same school that trained me, I help younger students learn just the way I did. In my free time, I've found a new passion: Concerts! I've made it my mission to see all of my favorite artists in person at least once. I'm still working on a few, but through hard work and a few golden opportunities. I can confidently say my concert resume has filled out. There are too many amazing ones to pick a favorite! My favorite concert memory was a moment during a Laufey concert. Laufey is an Icelandic-Chinese jazz/pop singer, and she is my biggest inspiration. I absolutely love everything about her - her style, the rich color of her voice, her instrumental prowess, and the genuine energy she has. As an aspiring musician, I hope to someday be a performer like Laufey. In one of her songs, "Letter to My 13 Year Old Self," she has a line that I just love. She says, "One day you'll be up on stage. Little girls will scream your name." The song is full of advice to a younger Laufey, who had a dream much like mine. When Laufey performed this song as an encore during her concert, I almost cried. Especially when she sang that line and the whole building, filled predominantly with teenage girls like myself, shouted her name. It was so amazing to see her journey come full circle like that. My dream is to perform like all of the artists I've come to love. I want to be on stage, hearing people call my name, dancing and singing like my middle school idols. I want to write songs that bring people comfort in dark times. If I can succeed, I can prove to others like me that their pipe dreams are possible. To do so, I plan on majoring in Commercial Music at Brigham Young University this fall. My focus is Singer/Songwriter with an emphasis on contemporary vocal performance. This major will teach me vocal techniques and songwriting as well as music theory, production, and business practices. After completing this degree, I hope to enter the music industry and work towards signing a record deal. If a painfully introverted, socially awkward 12-year-old like myself can grow into the performer and musician that I've become, there's hope for anyone. I want to show people that their potential is only limited by their own hesitations.

In middle school, I was absolutely obsessed with K-Pop. It's not something I'm proud of, given that I was an awkward preteen and completely fulfilled the "weird fan girl" stereotype. One thing that era gave me, however, was a dream. I used to watch video after video of K-Pop artists performing. Their stage presence captivated me, inspired me, and filled me with a passion I couldn't quite name. Entering high school, I realized that I didn't want to watch performers on a stage. I wanted to be them. I enrolled in Sarah Kelly Music School, a program that grows young songwriters and singers in their artistry and gives them the skills and knowledge they need to someday enter the music industry. Using my prior classical piano knowledge, I quickly adapted to a new way of playing. I sang daily and I wrote constantly. I discovered a true love for songwriting. Now, as an intern at the same school that trained me, I help younger students learn just the way I did. In my free time, I've found a new passion: Concerts! I've made it my mission to see all of my favorite artists in person at least once. I'm still working on a few, but through hard work and a few golden opportunities. I can confidently say my concert resume has filled out. There are too many amazing ones to pick a favorite! My favorite concert memory was a moment during a Laufey concert. Laufey is an Icelandic-Chinese jazz/pop singer, and she is my biggest inspiration. I absolutely love everything about her - her style, the rich color of her voice, her instrumental prowess, and the genuine energy she has. As an aspiring musician, I hope to someday be a performer like Laufey. In one of her songs, "Letter to My 13 Year Old Self," she has a line that I just love. She says, "One day you'll be up on stage. Little girls will scream your name." The song is full of advice to a younger Laufey, who had a dream much like mine. When Laufey performed this song as an encore during her concert, I almost cried. Especially when she sang that line and the whole building, filled predominantly with teenage girls like myself, shouted her name. It was so amazing to see her journey come full circle like that. My dream is to perform like all of the artists I've come to love. I want to be on stage, hearing people call my name, dancing and singing like my middle school idols. I want to write songs that bring people comfort in dark times. If I can succeed, I can prove to others like me that their pipe dreams are possible. To do so, I plan on attending majoring in Commercial Music at Brigham Young University this fall. My focus is Singer/Songwriter with an emphasis on contemporary vocal performance. This major will teach me vocal techniques and songwriting as well as music theory, production, and business practices. After completing this degree, I hope to enter the music industry and work towards signing a record deal. If a painfully introverted, socially awkward 12-year-old like myself can grow into the performer and musician that I've become, there's hope for anyone. I want to show people that their potential is only limited by their own hesitations.

In middle school, I was absolutely obsessed with K-Pop. It's not something I'm proud of, given that I was an awkward preteen and completely fulfilled the "weird fan girl" stereotype. One thing that era gave me, however, was a dream. I used to watch video after video of K-Pop artists performing. Their stage presence captivated me, inspired me, and filled me with a passion I couldn't quite name. Entering high school, I realized that I didn't want to watch performers on a stage. I wanted to be them. I enrolled in Sarah Kelly Music School, a program that grows young songwriters and singers in their artistry and gives them the skills and knowledge they need to someday enter the music industry. Using my prior classical piano knowledge, I quickly adapted to a new way of playing. I sang daily and I wrote constantly. I discovered a true love for songwriting. Now, as an intern at the same school that trained me, I help younger students learn just the way I did. In my free time, I've found a new passion: Concerts! I've made it my mission to see all of my favorite artists in person at least once. I'm still working on a few, but through hard work and a few golden opportunities. I can confidently say my concert resume has filled out. There are too many amazing ones to pick a favorite! My favorite concert memory was a moment during a Laufey concert. Laufey is an Icelandic-Chinese jazz/pop singer, and she is my biggest inspiration. I absolutely love everything about her - her style, the rich color of her voice, her instrumental prowess, and the genuine energy she has. As an aspiring musician, I hope to someday be a performer like Laufey. In one of her songs, "Letter to My 13 Year Old Self," she has a line that I just love. She says, "One day you'll be up on stage. Little girls will scream your name." The song is full of advice to a younger Laufey, who had a dream much like mine. When Laufey performed this song as an encore during her concert, I almost cried. Especially when she sang that line and the whole building, filled predominantly with teenage girls like myself, shouted her name. It was so amazing to see her journey come full circle like that. My dream is to perform like all of the artists I've come to love. I want to be on stage, hearing people call my name, dancing and singing like my middle school idols. I want to write songs that bring people comfort in dark times. If I can succeed, I can prove to others like me that their pipe dreams are possible. In order to achieve this dream, I plan on studying Commercial Music at Brigham Young University this fall. My focus is Singer/Songwriter with emphasis on contemporary vocal performance. This major will teach me performance techniques as well as music theory, production, and business practices. If a painfully introverted, socially awkward 12-year-old like myself can grow into the performer and musician that I've become, there's hope for anyone. I want to show people that their potential is only limited by their own hesitations. (Linked below is me performing an original titled "Incomplete" in The Woodlands, TX, Market Street.)

In middle school, I was absolutely obsessed with K-Pop. It's not something I'm proud of, given that I was an awkward preteen and completely fulfilled the "weird fan girl" stereotype. One thing that era gave me, however, was a dream. I used to watch video after video of K-Pop artists performing. Their stage presence captivated me, inspired me, and filled me with a passion I couldn't quite name. Entering high school, I realized that I didn't want to watch the performers onstage. I wanted to be them. I enrolled in Sarah Kelly Music School, a program that grows young songwriters and singers in their artistry and gives them the skills and knowledge they need to someday enter the music industry. Using my prior classical piano knowledge, I quickly adapted to a new way of playing. I sang daily and I wrote constantly. I discovered a true love for songwriting. Now, as an intern at the same school that trained me, I help younger students learn just the way I did. Teaching aspiring artists in my community is the most rewarding thing in the world. And in my free time, I've found a new passion: Concerts! I've made it my mission to see all of my favorite artists in person at least once. I'm still working on a few, but through hard work and a few golden opportunities. I can confidently say my concert resume has filled out. There are too many amazing ones to pick a favorite! For stage presence, I would say Jacob Collier takes the cake. Vocal performance award goes to Laufey. Unpredictability rests on Joji's shoulders. Best crowd belongs to Tomorrow x Together. And we can't forget about the openers, some of which I've become a regular listener to! My favorite concert memory, however, was a moment during the Laufey concert. Laufey is an Icelandic-Chinese jazz/pop singer, and she is my biggest inspiration. I absolutely love everything about her - her style, the rich color of her voice, her instrumental prowess, and the genuine energy she has. As an aspiring musician, I hope to someday be a performer like Laufey. In one of her songs, "Letter to My 13 Year Old Self," she has a line that I just love. She says, "One day you'll be up on stage. Little girls will scream your name." The song is full of advice to a younger Laufey, who had a dream much like mine. When Laufey performed this song as an encore during her concert, I almost cried. Especially when she sang that line and the whole building, filled predominantly with teenage girls like myself, shouted her name. It was so amazing to see her journey come full circle like that. My dream is to perform like all of the artists I've come to love. I want to be on stage, hearing people call my name, dancing and singing like my middle school idols. I want to write songs that bring people comfort in dark times. If I can succeed, I can prove to others like me that their pipe dreams are possible. If a painfully introverted, socially awkward 12-year-old like myself can grow into the performer and musician that I've become, there's hope for anyone. I want to show people that their potential is only limited by their own hesitations. (Video Performance - Original Song: "Incomplete") https://drive.google.com/file/d/10Bwxu-cYzNeW6KCGrSsYBC3s6agSM4rq/view?usp=sharing

In middle school, I was absolutely obsessed with K-Pop. It's not something I'm proud of, given that I was an awkward preteen and completely fulfilled the "weird fan girl" stereotype. One thing that era gave me, however, was a dream. I used to watch video after video of K-Pop artists performing. Their stage presence captivated me, inspired me, and filled me with a passion I couldn't quite name. Entering high school, I realized that I didn't want to watch performers on a stage. I wanted to be them. I enrolled in Sarah Kelly Music School, a program that grows young songwriters and singers in their artistry and gives them the skills and knowledge they need to someday enter the music industry. Using my prior classical piano knowledge, I quickly adapted to a new way of playing. I sang daily and I wrote constantly. I discovered a true love for songwriting. Now, as an intern at the same school that trained me, I help younger students learn just the way I did. In my free time, I've found a new passion: Concerts! I've made it my mission to see all of my favorite artists in person at least once. I'm still working on a few, but through hard work and a few golden opportunities. I can confidently say my concert resume has filled out. There are too many amazing ones to pick a favorite! For stage presence, I would say Jacob Collier takes the cake. Vocal performance award goes to Laufey. Unpredictability rests on Joji's shoulders. Best crowd belongs to Tomorrow x Together. And we can't forget about the openers, some of which I've become a regular listener to! My favorite concert memory, however, was a moment during the Laufey concert. Laufey is an Icelandic-Chinese jazz/pop singer, and she is my biggest inspiration. I absolutely love everything about her - her style, the rich color of her voice, her instrumental prowess, and the genuine energy she has. As an aspiring musician, I hope to someday be a performer like Laufey. In one of her songs, "Letter to My 13 Year Old Self," she has a line that I just love. She says, "One day you'll be up on stage. Little girls will scream your name." The song is full of advice to a younger Laufey, who had a dream much like mine. When Laufey performed this song as an encore during her concert, I almost cried. Especially when she sang that line and the whole building, filled predominantly with teenage girls like myself, shouted her name. It was so amazing to see her journey come full circle like that. My dream is to perform like all of the artists I've come to love. I want to be on stage, hearing people call my name, dancing and singing like my middle school idols. I want to write songs that bring people comfort in dark times. If I can succeed, I can prove to others like me that their pipe dreams are possible. If a painfully introverted, socially awkward 12-year-old like myself can grow into the performer and musician that I've become, there's hope for anyone. I want to show people that their potential is only limited by their own hesitations. (The video linked below is me performing an original song titled "Incomplete.")

If you've ever been to Houston in the summertime, you can imagine the absolute torture it would be to wait outside in direct sunlight for two hours straight. It was at least 97 degrees and felt hotter. My clothes were sticking to my body. My hair, which I'd so carefully styled, looked like an absolute train wreck. August in Texas is not for the weak. My friends and I weren't too perturbed by this, however, because we were waiting for early access to our first-ever concert: JVKE, known for his hit "Golden Hour." I was a junior in high school and my two friends and I considered ourselves his biggest fans. We were all too willing to endure the heat for front row spots at the concert, which was a standing event in a smaller venue. Our patience paid off and we ended up with a fairly good view, only about ten feet away from the actual stage. It was jam packed in that room and everyone was in each other's personal space. I remember the openers - HARIZ and Maisy Kay - putting on an amazing show while we waited for JVKE to appear. When he finally came out, I screamed my voice raw and filled my phone's SD card with about 62 videos and even more pictures. Being in an environment like that was something I'd never experienced. It was hot, a bit claustrophobic, and overbearingly loud. I absolutely loved it. Since that concert, I've made it my mission to see all of my favorite artists in person at least once. I'm still working on a few, but now I can confidently say my concert resume has filled out. There are too many amazing ones to pick a favorite! For stage presence, I would say Jacob Collier takes the cake. Vocal performance award goes to Laufey. Unpredictability rests on Joji's shoulders. Best crowd belongs to Tomorrow x Together. And we can't forget about the openers, some of which I've become a regular listener to! My favorite concert memory, however, was a moment during the Laufey concert. Laufey is an Icelandic-Chinese jazz/pop singer, and she is my biggest inspiration. I absolutely love everything about her - her style, the rich color of her voice, her instrumental prowess, and the genuine energy she has. As an aspiring musician, I hope to someday be a performer like Laufey. In one of her songs, "Letter to My 13 Year Old Self," she has a line that I just love. She says, "One day you'll be up on stage. Little girls will scream your name." The song is full of advice to a younger Laufey, who had a dream much like mine. When Laufey performed this song as an encore during her concert, I almost cried. Especially when she sang that line and the whole building, filled predominantly with teenage girls like myself, shouted her name. It was so amazing to see her journey come full circle like that. I consider her my musical role model and I would love to see her in concert again someday! I still have a growing concert wishlist. I absolutely MUST see Chappell Roan perform, and I'd also really like to see Beabadoobee or Boygenius. These artists inspire me to become better at what I do, and hopefully someday I can be up on stage myself!

All I've ever wanted to be is a singer. Someone like Ella Fitzgerald or Billie Holiday, making hits that surpass even Frank Sinatra. (Okay, maybe I'm overconfident.) I could talk about jazz musicians of years past. However, my recent inspiration is someone who I believe is the future of jazz. This person is Laufey, an Icelandic-Chinese jazz singer who is turning the tides of the music industry with her impact. Laufey's rise to fame was fairly recent, with her single "Let You Break My Heart Again" garnering millions of streams and a whole host of new fans. She then released several albums featuring classical instruments and pop-ish songs with a jazz twist. Many of her songs, such as "Valentine" and "From the Start," utilize the classic jazz technique of scat-singing. I had the opportunity to attend one of her concerts in Houston recently. I was amazed by how many young people I met - people who, before Laufey's internet takeover, had no interest in jazz. Witnessing this gave me hope for my own career as an aspiring jazz musician. Seeing Laufey on stage was a truly inspiring sight. Hearing hundreds of people sing along to her music was even more of a privilege. Prior to Laufey's debut, I had little hope for the expansion of mainstream jazz music. People of my generation seemed to have no appreciation for such a beautiful genre. I figured that I would have to play for a very niche audience; that my peers and fellow students wouldn't be interested in the music I want to make. But now, I see a future for myself and for other jazz musicians that I hadn't considered. When I'm on stage someday, just like Laufey, I hope that I can be such an inspiration for another teenage girl like me. In Laufey's words, from her song "Letter To My 13 Year Old Self:" "Keep on going with your silly dream. Life is prettier than it may seem."

When I was in sixth grade, I made the spontaneous decision to try out for the dance team. I was about to be in middle school and I figured it was time for a change. I had never taken a dance class and I had no audition experience whatsoever, but I had a lot of determination and misplaced confidence. I endured the grueling week-long audition process and emerged triumphant. I had succeeded in making the team! At first, it was a blast. Many of my friends had also joined the team, and I discovered that I actually really enjoyed dancing. We performed at half time shows, pep rallies, and competitions. Our routines were difficult for me, having no prior experience, but I worked hard and attended every practice in order to improve. I found joy in perfecting my technique and stamina. Things went downhill in the eighth grade. I was on the dance team for my second year, and girls were beginning to develop the insecurities that every teenager goes through. I had always been pretty sure of myself, most due to my amazing parents, but those around me were becoming more and more negative. My friends were critical of their looks, their clothing, their popularity, and more. This self-hatred began to seep into my mind. I still remember the day I decided that I needed to lose weight. I threw my lunch in the trash can and joined my friends at the table, ignoring the rumbling in my stomach. I would do anything to go back and shake myself out of that mindset. Skipping meals quickly became my new normal. I found that the smaller I looked, the happier I felt. I started weighing myself daily. Shedding the pounds felt like a victory, and minuscule upticks in my weight sent me into a spiral. Within months this new obsession had consumed my life. I went from three meals daily, to two, to one. I obsessively watched myself in the mirror as I danced, scanning for any ugliness or excess chub. When I finally realized the toxicity of my dance environment, I was sixteen years old. I quit the team after my sophomore year. The damage was done, unfortunately, and I spent the next year sliding down the slippery slope of my eating disorder. I'd lost nearly thirty pounds in a few years. I felt sick, angry, and ashamed most of the time. It was no way to live. Then, I made new friends. It almost gave me whiplash the way my new friend group acted. They complimented me daily, included me in fun activities, and genuinely seemed to enjoy my company. I had to relearn how to be a positive person, because being negative around them felt wrong. Nobody commented on my body and how it looked. Nobody loudly professed how ugly they felt that day. It seemed like everyone was just happy to be alive. Recovery is possible. It was extremely slow and often painful, but over the last year-and-a-half, I have built my confidence back up. I've been blessed with the support of my new friends, my family, and my church community. I don't worry so much about how the meals I eat will affect how I look tomorrow. I feel sort of like a kid again. My story is both a warning and an encouragement. Never let the insecurities of others affect your own self worth. Don't believe anyone who says you need to change yourself to be beautiful. And even if you're in a bad place, change is never completely out of reach.

Three days ago, I released my first single on all music streaming platforms. It’s called Spring Song, under the name Sydney Mei, and I wrote it six months ago in my car. I was stationed idly in my driveway, furiously typing away in my notes app. It was one of those ideas that just pops into your mind and won’t leave until you expel it somehow. The lyrics poured out like they never had before, and I had no difficulty figuring out a melodic line. At that time, I was completely unaware how far the song would go. When I brought the song to my music school, I was a little surprised by how much my teachers and peers seemed to like it. Spring Song seemed like a hasty idea thrown into a melody. Countless other songs I write take weeks of careful revising, rewriting, and time at the piano. Still, I took the jump and saved up to record. Fast forward to now: my single just hit 1,000 streams. I could not be more elated. Here’s the thing: I’m a good student. I take AP classes, I get good grades, and I participate in honor societies. Most people expect me to go into some sort of STEM field. A doctor, a biologist, an accountant. And, yes, I could pursue any of those options. But, I really don’t want to. Music is what I love; it’s my passion and my driving force. I obsess over artists and lyric ideas, and I sit at the piano to calm myself down after a long day. Singing is the one talent I am truly confident in. I teach songwriting and music lessons four days a week, for hours at a time, and that is what truly brings me happiness. My life without music as an ever-present companion seems utterly meaningless. This is why it is my goal to major in Commercial Music. I want to become the best artist, performer, and writer that I could possibly be. I want to produce songs for others. I want Spring Song to be the first of many singles that I release. I believe that music is my way to create empathy and connection with others, and I am appreciative of the opportunity to pursue such a path with of the potential assistance of this scholarship. I have already seen how a single song can start countless conversations. I would like those conversations to continue for the duration of my career.