Do you remember the moment you realized what you wanted to do professionally? Was it magic? Was it scary? We wanted to hear from some of the most talented artists and creatives in the community and so we asked them to tell us the story of the moment when they knew they were going to pursue a creative career path.

Fryenation

I have always been around music since I was born given the fact my mother & sister were professional singers growing up. They would regularly give me vocal coaching and pointers on finding my lane musically. However, it wasn’t until around 2012-2013 where I had my very first on-stage appearance with Hopsin at Howard Theater in Washington, DC. The reaction that I received from the crowd was so authentic and genuine that it started a fire so strong it still burns till this day. It proved to me that my music could move & inspire people in more ways than I ever imagined. Read more>>

Stacie Martinez

From a young age I have always been painting and drawing, and when I was about 9 years old I started an art “club” in my neighborhood. The kids on my street would meet every Saturday morning in our backyard to draw. Back then, creating was natural, and I could spend hours doing it without noticing the time. But then I grew up, and art took a backseat – I went years without creating anything. In college I majored in Marketing because it was a safe choice while still being artist-adjacent (I thought I’d go into advertising). I also earned a degree in graphic design (very art-adjacent) and took art courses as electives, but was never ready to admit that I would rather be creative for a living. Read more>>

Dawn Austin

I knew as a child that I wanted to be an artist. I remember being selected in fifth grade to attend a convention for young authors. At the convention, they gave everyone a blank book to write a story. I remember holding that book and saying to myself, “This is what I am going to do when I grow up.” I knew then that writing was the journey I wanted to pursue, but I wasn’t sure if it was a financially viable option. So, after I graduated from high school, I went to college for information technology. I knew that computers were on the rise and that this field would be a lucrative pathway. However, my heart wasn’t in it. Eventually, I decided to go back to school for writing to pursue my original childhood plan. From there I networked and was able to meet the right people that allowed me to intern on film sets and eventually become part of the writing team for different online content and web series. Read more>>

Faith Zimmer

I always knew I wanted to be an artist of some kind. When I was a child I would come home and draw for hours in my room, sing around the house, practice piano and write songs. Art and music are deeply embedded inside me. I went to college at Missouri State University and began as a voice performance major, but something did not feel right about it. I loved singing, but being an opera singer was not my passion. I ended up switching my major to music composition my sophomore year. I was in the Chorale at the school, and our director, Dr. Cameron LaBarr, starting teaching me to write choral music. He allowed me the opportunity to study with great composers like Alice Parker and Dr. John Wykoff. Read more>>

NASTENKA

A few years ago, I was improvising and singing on a public piano when suddenly, a random woman approached me. She said and I’ll never forget: ‘‘I thought I didn’t have a heart anymore, but after hearing you sing, I realised, I still have one, thank you young girl’’. These words have turned my entire life upside down because it became the day when I decided to become a singer. Ever since I’m on a mission to have a positive impact and reach the hearts of as many people as possible through music. Read more>>

Brandan Jordan

Once I realized I couldn’t live without hitting the stage is when I knew this is what I wanted to do. Plus I hate working for people so the decision was had even easier. Getting up and working long days for someone else that don’t benefit my pockets was becoming depressing. So once I felt the confidence in myself to believe in myself. I let the my job go and started to pursue my dreams. I wish I had done it years ago but you can get caught up in the comfortability of something because you are scared. Fear is something normal to feel but you can’t let it stop you from growing. Once I let that fear go I was able to start a new journey. Read more>>

Kiyoshi Shelton

I knew when I was a little boy. Ever since I was a child, I knew in my heart that I was destined for greatness and I would be some sort of music entertainer or musician of some sort.  It got clear to me as a young teenager when I would watch/listen to poets on tv deliver their pieces and also when I would listen to pastors deliver their sermons on Sundays at church.  I’d get chills in my spine, knowing that I had the gift to do what they did… and I had a deeper knowing that I had something to say to the people…that I had the gift of using my voice to inspire.  I remember performing my poem “The Risen Son Cometh” at the age of 17 in 1999 and receiving a standing ovation when I performed it during a poetry slam in Ann Arbor, Michigan.  The response and feedback afterwards confirmed what I felt…that it was my life purpose to inspire through my words and my music. Read more>>

Joe Loesch

As a grade school student, I perfected my skills as a ventriloquist and performed throughout the St. Louis area. The reception I received as a young performer encouraged me to pursue an entertainment career. After moving to the Los Angeles area with my family, my musical trio in high school quickly gained local popularity. We were asked to open for the Smother Brothers at the Ice House in Pasadena and would often perfom for tour groups on Saturday afternoons at the Hollywood Bowl. I caught the performance bug early in life. My band won first place in the 1966 Hollywood Bowl Battle of the Bands Vocal-Group competition. It was here where I met Richard and Karen Carpenter, they won first place in the Jazz-Combo competition. Read more>>

Jaae

I knew i wanted to pursue music since a very young age. I use to watch all the legends like Michael Jackson, and Bobby brown on tv when i was young and always knew i wanted to be exactly where they were. I secretly sang in private and then started to branch out as i got into middle school. I then started writing music when i got to high school. Read more>>

Dana Sweatt

I always knew I wanted to be an Artist at a young age cause I loved doing it and it came naturally to me. Being able to create a variety of different things and letting my imagination take over is what excites me when picking up a paintbrush or pencil. From there on I knew it was something that I always wanted to do and couldn’t see myself doing anything else. Read more>>