We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Carlehr Swanson. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Carlehr below.

Carlehr, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear about the things you feel your parents did right and how those things have impacted your career and life.

My mom and grandmother, Gladys, prioritized faith in my life at a young age. We would all go to church every Sunday when I was a kid. They taught me about praying and casting all of my cares on God. Now, as an adult, I rely solely on His strength, and I am so grateful for their teachings.

My mother also stressed the importance of education and doing well in school. Whenever something was difficult, she assured me I could do it with a little studying or practicing. Even when I did well, she sent me to summer school. Summer school taught me that I could use my “free time” to get ahead and also retain the information I learned during the school year. I am still a student today (a Ph.D. student) and always ensure I have a structured plan for the summer (to get ahead).

Lastly, my mother made sure I acquired a skill. She would always say that one day, I would want to participate in something and need a talent. I was interested in the piano, and she quickly taught me piano. I don’t think she knew I would be a professional musician, but she knew acquiring a skill would benefit my future. Practicing the piano taught me discipline at a young age. Soon, I had a job playing the piano at church and was responsible for learning music and showing up on time for services. I disliked practicing the piano, but my mom would not let me quit. One, because she knew I enjoyed it and just wanted to quit because it was hard and required time. She knew if I quit piano, I would quit anything difficult.

The practices my mother established for me at a young age led me to this moment as Miss Virginia. All the experiences and lessons she provided gave me the perseverance to keep going no matter the difficult circumstances.

Carlehr, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My name is Carlehr Swanson, and I am a musician, scholar, and Miss Virginia 2024. For almost 11 months, these titles have collaborated to help me make an impact in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As a musician who sings and plays the piano, I perform a diverse range of gospel, jazz, popular, and occasionally original music. As a researcher and Ph.D. candidate, I explore innovative ways to engage communities through the power of music and examine how Black gospel music can serve as a tool for placemaking. I mention these things first because the process that each endeavor required led me to this moment as Miss Virginia. Becoming Miss Virginia took 10 years, six tries, two third runner-up placements, and a fourth runner-up placement. Yet, now that I’m in the role, I’m glad it took this long for me to accomplish this goal. I now see that God was preparing me for this time. The people I have met this year needed this version of me.

As Miss Virginia, I’ve conducted an elementary school tour to discuss positive and healthy choices, reaching approximately 72 schools this year through a partnership with the Alcoholic Beverage Control. During these school visits, I also had the opportunity to share my Community Service Initiative, Music is Unity, with students and demonstrate how music can be a healthy choice that we participate in. Additionally, I serve as an ambassador for the Miss Virginia Opportunity, meeting with various sponsors and recruiting contestants. This year, I have been recognized by the Henrico County Board of Supervisors, performed at the Governor’s Mansion, and been recognized in the Virginia House of Delegates and the Virginia Senate. I also produced a concert at the Veterans Hospital in Richmond, Virginia. My dream of competing in the Miss America pageant came true. With my Community Service Initiative, I’ve partnered with national nonprofits Sing For Hope and Music and Memory to spread our shared mission of teaching others about the power of music and how it brings us all together.

As this year comes to a close, I’m thankful that God saw fit to let me impact many of His people. I’ve been to many places and seen a lot of things, but I believe this is only the beginning and a glimpse into the future God has for me.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

I realized that just because you don’t win doesn’t mean you are not good. I do many good things and am often rewarded for those things. The more a person is rewarded, the more of a letdown it is when they aren’t rewarded or even selected. Not just in pageants, I realized winning is subjective, so instead of focusing on winning, I like to focus on the process and take away what I learned from it. After many years of not winning but continuing to do the work, I realized I had collected many victories.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist is connecting with people on the stage or in person. In my performances, there’s always one moment where a shift occurs, and I go into another gear. I’m no longer worried about mistakes; the energy of the rooms fuels me. I love it when I sing or write a song, and someone says, that’s just what I needed. God can only orchestrate moments like that. In performances, I am simply a vessel. I can be reserved at moments, but not when it’s showtime.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.carlehrswanson.com
• Instagram: @car.lee.ah/@missamericava
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlehr-swanson-790672b9/
• Youtube: Carlehr Swanson
• Other: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/0de9JE5nC2Gwt4egrZxGZL