My life “began” at the age of 11. I was standing outside Truist Field in Winston Salem, North Carolina, about to enter my first ever concert and watch Billy Joel perform. It was nothing like I had ever seen before. I loved the lights, how loud the sound was, the crowd singing their heart out with every word, every aspect of the experience had me hooked. From that moment on, music became one of the most influential things in my life.

Unfortunately, after that experience, it was a few years until I found myself at another concert. I was 16, sitting in the car with my mom, when an ad came on the radio that Stevie Nicks would be performing later that night. Having just recently purchased a record player and my first vinyl, which was Rumors by Fleetwood Mac, my eyes instantly lit up. I begged her to go, even if we got seats in the back of the house. She eventually gave in, and we made our way to the venue. To this day, I credit that experience as the one that truly solidified my love for music. Seeing Nicks on stage, commanding the audience with her presence and twirling around without a care in the world reminded me of how inspiring live music was to me.

From that point on, I chased as many live music experiences as I could, seeing everyone from Bob Dylan, The Eagles, and Willie Nelson, to Tyler Childers, Sabrina Carpenter, and Taylor Swift. This love of music sparked a passion for all things media, and the desire to work in the music industry as a career.

Eventually, I came to college, and when given the chance to join a college radio station, I accepted without hesitation. Being able to share what I am most passionate about with others gave me such a sense of satisfaction, especially introducing my friends to songs and artists they hadn’t heard of before. Being able to hear their reactions, and knowing people out there were listening to what I was playing gave me that same sense of community and satisfaction I had gotten from attending concerts.

I don’t think my passion for music will ever fade; in the future, I hope I still go to many concerts, expand my record collection, and hopefully work somewhere in the music industry, and I am eternally grateful for everything I’ve learned through music.