“When I’m on stage, I feel this [out] of body experience. I’m not thinking about what I’m singing – I’m just letting my body do what it needs to do and [hoping] for the best.

[I] always knew [that] I could sing, but I didn’t actually think of myself as a good singer. [One] of [my] first experiences that really taught me I had a voice that was worth something was when I did my first solo competition [auditioning] for regionals [in choir]. I was extremely scared of doing the song and I was so scared of forgetting a word. I was put in a room [with] a black curtain, [just] starting with the music. I sang my [heart] out and I got first place.

I always thought of myself as [having] a voice that blended into the background. [My voice] wasn’t necessarily interesting tone-wise [or] the most beautiful in the world. [Winning first place for regionals in choir] gave me a lot of confidence in myself and reassured me that I had something worth giving.

[Choir has been] such a big part of my life for so long and I think that my big influences were [my parents and my sister]. I was in a family that had a lot of music in it, and [that] was what drew me to singing in the first place.

The [best] part about choir is the people. [They’re] such a great community and I feel so safe there. It’s [easy] to blend with these amazing people who are so talented –[it] comes so naturally. [A] big part about choir is establishing a friendship with everyone [and] I think it really does work in helping us blend our voices. The [best] part is meeting so many amazing people at once and getting to bond with them over so many activities.

[One] of the most important things about singing is confidence. [Singing] in front of a lot of different people, especially people [that] will give you more positive encouragement, is great.

[Singing] has definitely shaped my personality a lot in [how] it absorbs a lot of my life right now. [It] gave me a lot of friends, which I think is an important part of how it affected my life. I sing with so many different people a day [and we] all bond over a love of music. [It’s] a way to connect people.