After a successful start in full time music in 2016, and a quick upward rise with a live album and a spot on national charts….I lost hearing in one ear when I got COVID in 2020.
I was one of the first cases in Maryland. During lockdown and the aftermath, I've been exploring how or if I can continue in music. It is a work in progress. In some way I have to keep going. This is my DNA. And music gives me hope.
A few years back, when astronomers began sharing the light and energy ("songs") of stars and planets, I started to experience the stars as energy singing across time and space- an interconnectedness of things. A music I can see. A presence that beckons.
In this climate of political turmoil, cultural chaos, and unimagined divisiveness, the songs of the universe provide me new perspective- even through my hearing-impairment.
I write songs that take an unexpected angle: the untold story, the unsung hero. I challenge clichés, symbols, and assumptions by turning them on their head. I often employ paradox to take the listener beyond their own reality-- To lead us to see each other more clearly.
We are, afterall, intertwined.
Part of that journey has brought me to my roots. My ancestors. So lately I've been reconnecting to my indigenous heritage- honoring my great grandmother, my grandfather, and their stories.
What do I want to say with my music?
Look beyond appearances. Appearances can be a trickster. Truth, however raw or uncomfortable, is beautiful. Face darkness- that is where hope takes root. Choose questions over answers. Leave room for wonder. There is music all around; close your eyes and see.