When you were young, was there ever something you did any chance you got (besides your boyfriend/girlfriend)?
For me it was dancing and singing. I loved them both. I quit singing at a very young age. My family could have won gold medals in the ‘sport of teasing’ and my singing was near the top of the list of their favorite things to tease me about.¹ I remember my aunt telling me she would even pay me to quit singing….UGH…talk about a knock on the good ol’ self-esteem. It’s not like I pretended I was going to be a pop-princess or anything. Wait. I *might* have actually pretended to be a pop-princess once or twice. But still, it’s not like my singing was making the dogs howl, babies cry, or car alarms go off. I’m sure I had a fine voice, untrained, but fine.
Now my dancing? That’s another story. I grew up in a school where my friends just *knew* how to dance. I reflect back on my times dancing on the high school dance floor and congure up an image of my young self:
I was an amazing blend of Paula Abdul, Janet Jackson, and Madonna all wrapped up into one geeky, suburban, white girl.
Thank you mtv.com for the picture.
Again, thank you mtv.com.
P.S. I miss actual music videos, just sayin’.
Thank you internet, because I forgot where this picture came from. If it’s yours let me know and I’ll make sure to give you proper credit.
Um…this is me, in my senior prom dress. LIKE I SAID, PRETTY FREAKIN’ AMAZING, RIGHT?!?!?
Okay, so I didn’t have cable growing up and I really don’t know how those pop-princesses actually danced, but I was really good at watching what my friends were doing out on the dance floor and copying them. There are NO rules against that…and I’m sure I made up a cool signature move, or two, of my own².
With all this fabulous information about my childhood, it shouldn’t come as a surprise to find out that I get pretty freakin’ crabby when someone rips on one of my kids for something they love to do. Because, seriously…if someone is doing something that makes them happy, and that ‘thing’ isn’t hurting anyone – who are we to tease, ridicule, and be a bully to them about it?
My step-daughter, Kelsey³, has always sung. Always.
And for the first time in her life she was able to start taking singing lessons this winter. It’s been amazing to hear her transform her voice from something fun to play with to an actual musical instrument. She put on her VERY first recital at the beginning of this month. She had to face some of the same fears so many other kids performing faced, plus the added fears that someone ‘very close’ to her put in her mind and heart.
Is she good enough? Does she suck? Does it sound like someone just stepped on the cat? Should she bury her voice far away and never let anyone hear it again? I don’t think so, but then again – I love her like she’s my own, so I might be a little biased:
Please leave Kelsey a comment. She would love to hear from you. XO
¹To this day I am ashamed of and so very, very unconfident about my singing voice…bitches.
²If you went to high school with me you are OBLIGATED to tell my BFFs what a wonderful dancer I was. I have a certain amount of credibility to uphold here.
³Kelsey, formerly known as The Artist.
Kelsey:
Keep up the great work, this will only get easier with practice, and doing more recitals. I love the sound of your voice……
I wish I had done voice training earlier, and often think 36 may be a bit to late.
Stay strong, brave, and let NO-ONE hold you back from your dreams!!!
Kelsey,
You have a beautiful voice! Don’t *ever* let anyone tell you differently. Your singing in the video is gorgeous and a total pleasure to listen to. Keep on singing, girl!
(Oh and MFP, I’ve heard you sing. You *do* have a beautiful voice. So let loose some of that kickass attitude I know you have and let it fly more often. <3 )
Beautiful! You should be very proud of yourself! You have a great voice and it will show even more strongly after you get a couple of these under your belt. Don’t be afraid to sing loud and proud, you are good! Side note…. I *MAY* have a picture or two of some MFP dancing outside while we were camping….. I could be persuaded to scan and post them…..
Kelsey, if this is how you sound on your first recital, after only a few months of lessons and practice, the I CAN’T WAIT to hear you a year from now!
BRAVOOO!!! Superb Ms Kelsey, you have a beautiful voice!
I absolutely adore listening to Kelsey sing! <3
And I agree with Roni!! :)
Beautiful Kelsey! and I’m not just saying that…I wouldn’t have left a comment if I though otherwise. Your voice is an instrument indeed!
Darling, you keep singing and working, okay? This was beautiful and you have lots of talent. Don’t ever let anyone torch your dreams–EVER. Much love to you and to the MFP.
Kelsey…you brought tears to my eyes. STAY STRONG. You are beautiful inside and out…
Kelsey,
You have a beautiful voice. If anyone else suggests otherwise, it is not because they know better but because they know less. Often, they feel intimidated by the prospect of another person’s success; instead of striving to do better themselves, they strive to make others feel worse. That’s no success at all. Keep striving toward true success–with perseverance and a voice like yours, there’s so much good left to come!
~ Deb
Kelsey~
You are beautiful and talented. Seeing you makes me miss the good old days when I used to sing. I will never ever forget the concert that I finally had a solo performance at. I was so nervous, but excited. Unfortunately, this huge moment in my life wasn’t even important enough for someone that I needed to show up. Forget just discouraging me, they told me that night that I wasn’t even worth their time at all.
Don’t let anyone squash your dreams. Don’t let anyone take this away from you. Don’t. If singing is what feeds your soul, keep doing it. There are people who will always, always, always love to listen.
I am so proud of you.
Keep it up.
absolutely beautiful voice, never quit singing sweetie and don’t listen to negative people
Sharing your talent with the world is petrifying. Good for you for stepping up and giving a great performance. Every time you perform, it will get easier.
Your voice comes shining through! <3
Kelsey,
You are so brave! You did wonderful… such a fantastic first recital! Keep practicing, and working hard towards achieving your dreams! You are so talented, The MFP has every reason to be shouting from the rooftops how proud she is of your performance!!
~Christine
I teach violin. There is an instrument that can bring a grown man to his knees in tears, begging for the noise to stop. I have witnessed people start out making the most godawful noises blossom into talented players that move their listeners to tears in a good way. While I have no doubt that Kelsey already sounds amazing, with more encouragement and practice (of course!), she will rival the angels in her ability to sing.
Whoa, girl! You are an AMAZING singer!!!! :)
Here’s the thing Kelsey…I don’t know you or MFP, so I really have no reason to write except to tell the truth as I see/hear it! First of all, I wish I had your courage at your age. I bow down to you. I still will NOT sing, except when I’m sure no one is listening. Second, you have a beautiful voice. Third, holy cow girl, if you’re just getting started on this whole singing thing, watch out world! You’re gonna rock it!
Keep going Kelsey! Beautiful voice, courage, and strength. I’m so impressed!
(And great post!)
BEAUTIFUL!!! Like an Angel <3
She sings beautifully! I have chills and tears.. She sings like a sweet angel!!! God bless her and I pray she continues.
Well, God love it! Isn’t that an angelic voice?
Just beautiful. And certainly sounds much, much better than a lot of what I hear every day on the radio. That is for sure.
I think you might have a little performer on your hands here. She’s a natural at this and one of these days, I’ll probably be telling someone how I first heard her on a blog back in 2012…
=)
Beautiful!
What a wonderful job. <3
I'm proud of her and she's not related to me in the least :-)
Beautiful performance, Kelsey. You have a lovely sound that will only get stronger with practice. Everyone CAN sing (even you, MFP :) but not everyone has the strength to sing in public or the understanding that singing is a physical act–sometimes an exhausting act– requiring conscious physical movements (I can’t tell you how many hours were spent with my voice instructors in learning to place the sound and the breath in the right place. It’s truly a work out. :) It looks and sounds like you are on a good path. Keep learning, keeping breathing, keep singing.
absolutely beautiful, i had the same problem growing up so now my singing is confined to the car with the radio up. dont let anyone discourage you from doing what you love and makes you happy. keep it up!
Kelsey -
I’m going to tell you what my music director told me when I was a teenager. Part of performing, whether you’re dancing, singing, or in a play, is how you present yourself. You have an amazing voice, but you can tell that you aren’t that confident in yourself. I was like that too. Very shy and not a lot of confidence (I sang and I danced as well – that’s a lot of performing for people lol). So this is where the acting part comes in. Even if you’re shy, don’t show anyone that you’re shy. ACT like you’re the most confident person in the room. Pretend like you’re playing the role of a professional singer. Don’t hide behind your arms, there is no reason to. You actually ARE a GOOD singer, and will be even better if you hold your head high, arms to your side, and just breathe!! Keep up the good work sweet cheeks!!
Kels! Your voice is angelic. You did an amazing job. Keep up the good work. And MFP – I’ve heard your sing – you rock. <3
*sniff* I wish I had your bravery! Don’t ever stop singing!
Thank you all for your beautiful words of encouragement and also for your kind/helpful criticism. I think it helps young artists to hear that, “yes, they do sound good” and “yes, there are things to work on”. Thank you for giving Kelsey your time and love.
Lovely! I closed my eyes to just listen … and smiled. Do what YOU want to do, Kelsey, and don’t spend too much time thinking about what other people have to say; remember, it is always easier to critique other people than work on oneself. When I turned 40, I heard this and thought “Yes! This is how to approach things … When you walk into a room, quit worrying if people will like you, and ask yourself, will you like them?” Please don’t wait until you are 40 — start now!