It started with curiosity.
I don't remember deciding to become an artist.
I just remember being curious.
Growing up in Miami, music was always around me. My mom sang constantly, and before I ever thought about writing songs, I was writing poetry. I didn't know what songwriting was—I just knew some thoughts felt better on paper than they did in my head.
When I was in fourth grade, I begged my dad to buy me a beat online. He handed me ten dollars, and by the end of the night I'd spent almost all of it on beats and stayed up making music until I couldn't keep my eyes open.
Looking back, I think that was the first time I realized creating made me feel at home.
I learned by doing.
Middle school is where music became something I wanted to share.
I joined a rock band, sang Paramore songs at a talent show, and somewhere in the middle of one performance my microphone stopped working. I remember just... keeping going. Singing loud enough for people to hear until the sound came back.
My mom never missed an audition. She helped me get ready, drove me there, and reminded me to enjoy it before worrying about getting it right.
I think that's where I learned something I still carry with me today:
People remember honesty long before they remember perfection.