Written by Monica Ortiz
I can say that I don’t know anybody who doesn’t like music. No matter the culture, ethnicity, financial status, or age, music is a part of our lives. We listen to it and feel emotions, sometimes even ones that we don’t want. For me, music has always meant a lot. When I was a little girl I used to dream of making music.
My dream was stunted when I had a daughter at the age of 20 and was told that I had to give up any ideas of being in entertainment or expressing creativity as an income in order to provide a financially stable life for my daughter – all because I decided I didn’t want to marry her biological father. Having grown up with very little money, I didn’t want my daughter to have to do without like I did, so I took my responsibility seriously, studied, and got a normal corporate job like I was expected to.
Because I know what it’s like to not live your dreams, throughout the years I have not only consistently told people to live their dreams, but I have also helped people figure out exactly what their dreams are and how they can make it happen for themselves.
Taking a Leap of Creative Faith
A couple of years ago, I myself embarked on the long-forgotten dream of making music and I am happy to say that I am enjoying every moment of it now. Every rough patch, every uncertainty, studying music to understand its structure (because there is one), working with a vocal coach to strengthen the tool that I used so infrequently, and learning the nuances of what making music really is.
Although it took me nearly half of my life, once I started the process, song after song after song has come flooding out of me. Ballads, country songs, a fun peppy little number, and all with lyrics that mean something to me and hopefully something to the people out there who are going to hear them.
In the beginning of this process, I experienced an inner voice saying things like, “Holy crap, what now? How my going to do this? Is it too late for me? Does anybody really want to hear my voice? Is the music that is coming out of me going to make a difference to anyone?”
While there have been people who have been negative and haven’t made it very easy for me, I’m super grateful for the people who have given me the, “You can do it” support and encouragement. It’s made a difference to me and quelled the insecure voice in my head. Again, I am super grateful to all of the people who have been understanding of my need to express myself through music, because no matter how strong we think we are, we all need some encouragement from time to time.
Music is a magnificently beautiful journey and I am excited that I can share the music (and my process through these blogs and photos) that is flowing out of me with you.