Finding Her Voice

I began singing around the age of 4 or 5 at church plays and continued to sing in choir, school productions, and regional competitions throughout my childhood and adolescence. I was a part of Joint Sound in High School and had started out in the choir when I moved to Jakarta in 2015. I was supported and taught by Ms. Gutierrez at the time, now Mrs. Jamierrez. She really encouraged me to use my voice, and as seniors, we were able to suggest songs for our setlist that we were passionate about and perform arrangements of them as a group.

Joint Sound really helped me to think about vocal arrangements on a slightly simpler level than a huge choir, and performing them acapella gave me a deeper understanding of storytelling through arrangements. JIS helped me to pursue and develop my passion for music through the service I was able to engage in, which taught me the power of community, empathy, and self-empowerment.

In my Senior year, I was the president of the Popular Musicians Union (PMU), which involved planning school concerts and a benefit concert called A Voice That Cares, where we partnered with Angel Tree Orchestra, a yayasan [non-profit foundation] for disabled musicians in Jakarta. These opportunities reminded me that service is central to my role as a musician, as well as the power of music to unite and uplift.

Since graduating from JIS, I’ve been attending the University of Southern California, studying at their Thornton School of Music in the Contemporary Program. I’ve been studying performance, theory, and songwriting while also working as a recording artist and songwriter in the LA industry. I released my debut EP project, Iridescent, in the fall of 2019 and am currently working on my debut album.

My advice to students at JIS pursuing their passions is to enjoy their journey of self-exploration in such a diverse and special environment. You never have to have all the answers, but trust your place in this world and pursue what enriches your soul and the souls of those around you. I’d also say to have fun and keep finding joy in life and learning.