It took me a long time to find my purpose in music.

I rather like to think music finds purpose in me.

From a very young age, I was attuned to the belief that there is more to life than what the world was letting on. Though I couldn’t explain it at the time, I felt our ways were outdated, and a lot of the time, harmful to the amazing beings we are.

In time, a truth settled within me that never went away;

I was here to do my part in making the world a better place, and I would do so by touching as many hearts as I could.

My relationship with music began at the tender age of four, when I was introduced to my village’s choir. I never stopped singing after that.

In childhood, my sister and I would start impromptu recitals on the street, causing a few passers by to gather and listen to a pair of little girls singing their hearts out or imitating the chipmunks with no shame in sight. Singing was, to me, a spontaneous self-indulgence, an immediate source of pleasure and joy.

The fascinating part was that people would often give us something in return. Whether it was a kind smile, a passing compliment, or a little treat from the nearby ice cream shop, we rarely finished our little shows empty handed (or hearted).

It took me nearly two decades to understand what wisdom the little girl I was had applied .

Having grown with -and into- my need to make a difference, I couldn’t reconcile its fulfillment with a practice I considered to be so self-pleasing. The world was screaming for help from every side.

How, I wondered, would singing about life with my little voice save the thousands of acres of trees being cut down daily? How would sitting in my living room and writing about my little truth fill the stomachs of the millions who starve while my fingers wandered over the piano? How would a perfect little melody mend the wounds of those caught in a war they never wanted to be a part of?

When faced with the numerous struggles of the world, music felt rather pointless.

In time, I came to understand that I needed to look at those issues for what they truly are.

We aren’t merely losing our forests because trees are being cut down, but because we have forgotten to honour and cherish all that lives, and have been disconnected from the beauty of our planet. We aren’t letting others starve out of a lack of resources, we are simply taught to believe in a “us and them” philosophy, in which a group is to be considered less valuable than the other. We aren’t waging war for victory, but rather because we were led to believe violence is a proper response to difference, and we have forgotten the value of peace and unity.

I finally realized our issues, before being political, economical, ecological or else, are of a personal and spiritual nature.

The dysfunctionality of the world is a reflection of our own belief systems, which means the most effective way to resolve them is to treat it at its source: ourselves.

If we acted according to our beliefs, regardless of convenience; if we had the self-esteem to honour our principles, regardless of external pressures; if the had the unconditional love to admire and respect all life forms, be they vegetal, animal or human, would we not have the tools to mend the world we live in?

Before you start thinking I dream in color, I know I do.

Why? Because as much as I have seen us fail in our duties as guardians of this planet, as much as I see us betray ourselves and others daily, as much as I see us do harm and dishonour the lives we were lucky enough to encounter and experience…

I firmly believe, beyond all doubt, that we are fundamentally good.

I also believe that, given the right tools to evolve constructively and flower into the well-balanced beings so many of us aspire to be, many of us can make a great difference.

Music is one of the oldest tools mankind has used to balance the mind and address the heart directly. By extending my self-soothing practice to the unquiet souls open to receiving it, I discovered I could become an instrument of conscience in people’s lives.

Beyond words, music speaks to the spirit in a way few other things can, allowing it to alter and sustain a state, to help us evolve and integrate new truths in our lives.

I know I won’t solve every problem in the world with songs, or maybe even any problem at all, but if I can help one individual become the version of themselves they desire to be, if I can bring a moment of peace to someone in turmoil, if I can help a person understand they are perfect as they are and deserve all the love coming their way, then I consider my mission accomplished.

I’ve decided to refuse to underestimate the power of what I’ve been inspired to do.

I hope my story can inspire others to also have faith in what their heart tells them to do, be it a call impossible to ignore or the mere whisper of a dream.

In a world filled with distress and insecurity, don’t let guilt or fear guide you.

You were given the greatest compass ever invented; it’s there, inside you, waiting to be heard.

I hope I can help you tune into it.