BLKGRYWHT

The name’s Brooklyn. I started off singing and performing at a very young age, having taken part in my church’s plays or singing songs with my family. And admittedly, I HATED it. While I did have a natural born love for the visual arts, at the time, I never would have imagined a future in music, and I never would have thought God might eventually call me into the performing arts.

When I was 18 years old, I had recently decided to truly follow Jesus, and admittedly, the first few years of my journey were some of the loneliest years of my life. I was experiencing heartbreak for the first time and I was miserable, wanting relief for my pain. Initially I had thought that Christian Contemporary songs were all the same, but, I happened to hear Matthew West’s “Strong Enough”, and it totally changed my perspective. The lyrics were so relatable to me personally, and it let me know that other believers (and God) knew what I was going through. I realized that I wanted to share this experience with others and encourage people through songwriting like Matthew West did.

In my last year of high school, I immersed myself in CCM, I began to find myself, and I started finding out what kind of music I liked and wanted to play. By age 19, I got connected to another songwriter in college who gave me some great advice to get me started in lyric writing, and that was it. I found my new passion. I still had a long way to go in addition to overcoming my shyness and stage fright. Throughout most of my life, I have also had difficulty in acknowledging my self-worth, and this has even carried on into adulthood. I endured a season of depression, which turned out to be a season that I began to understand the significance in being vulnerable with people. Additionally, in the years following college graduation, I had to find a way to progress with communities around me closing off or shutting down due to the covid-19 pandemic.

I understand that some people will not relate to me or may not like my brand and style, but I still sometimes worry too much about pleasing everyone. In spite of all of the obstacles, some that I’ve faced have turned into opportunities. I’ve gotten connected with many groups of people pursuing the same dreams as me. They’ve provided direction on my songwriting and the way I present myself as I learn and grow. Even today, I’m still constantly looking for opportunities to put myself out there and to overcome my stage fright. I’ve found that I can use my struggles to compose relatable songs and help my audience to know me on a vulnerable level.

Ultimately, I would like to share what God has taught me through these songs and help people understand not to view emotional and mental struggles as anchors, but as opportunities for us to grow and change. Music is one of the best emotional outlets for me. I still struggle on a mental and emotional level from time to time, but I’m also still working to stay relatable and to be vulnerable with my audience and even myself, as I continue to grow spiritually and emotionally. I cannot deny that music has changed me in ways that I could never imagine. It would really make me happy to know that lots of people listen to the music I write, but I just hope that I can write material that people who struggle emotionally like me can relate to. I don’t think my goals don’t involve fame or money, but if I could change one person’s life with my song, or I have the confidence that I’m doing what God has called me to do, I’ll consider that an accomplishment.