Recently I have been faced with an inner battle. I have been at a crossroads with whether to continue on this path I have been working towards or begin my march to a different drum. I've been pushing so hard to succeed in the this industry that somehow along the way I have lost little parts of myself. There are insecurities that I have procured along the way, relationships I have given up and a sense of failure always looming at the back of my mind. Up until a few days ago I really believed that I might be giving up on my dream, but suddenly it all clicked. I've been focusing so hard on "making it" that I didn't realize that I already had. I HAVE made it. I poured my heart and soul into music. My family adopted my dream and did whatever possible to help me to reach it. I left school, embraced the unknown and somehow made my way into the battlefield of entertainment.
Along my journey, I have been blessed with colossal opportunities. I learned so much from my first mentors at Manta Productions.and then from the boys who brought you that genius song "Strong" that changed it all for me, Mark Jackson and Ian Scott. I was able to work under the masterful hand of Mr. Jimmy Iovine and the rest of the team at Interscope Records. They opened my eyes to the glitz and glamor of this amazing industry and helped me discover who I wanted to be as an artist. I was blessed with the opportunity to work alongside illustrious artists, writers, and producers with so much talent that, even today, it still leaves me speechless. I parted ways with my family at Interscope with two years of amazing music production and a strong network of friends and colleagues. It truly was an incredible time for me and not a day of it goes forgotten.
I have spent the last three years focusing my musical efforts overseas in the amazing country of Japan. I cant thank the Japanese community enough for welcoming me with such open hearts. The biggest thanks goes to my team at Fish and Chips, Kota, Aya and Sam, for hosting me and putting 110% into our project. Thank you to my favorite writer, producer, and friend Matt Wong for your musical genius and for the laughs. Thank you to Starbase and OnePeace, as well as the countless other individuals and teams that worked so diligently to bring my music to the beautiful people of Japan and Asia. I am so honored to have released two albums, had a top 10 single, performed on an MTV stage and heard my song over radio.
I experienced, I learned, I lived my dream for over a decade. I went as far as I could while maintaining my happiness and my sanity, but it has come time for me to bow out gracefully. Music is always with me and I will continue to create and share music with you until my dying day. I believe I will be happier without the pressure of making a living off of it. Now it can be something I love to do for myself and for you. I am ready for the next adventure, and at 23 years old I don't even think the sky is the limit.
I would be nowhere without the support and love from each and every one of you. Thank You, Arigato, Salamat, Gracias and Mahalo my family. This may be the close of a chapter but it is not the end of me. Stay tuned for what's next. I love all your cute little faces, forever.