sitting in the corner Finland for hours all you feel is old it’s a little colder
all you feel is old it’s a little colder
all you feel is old it’s a little colder every time you feel they just say got it
every time you feel they just say got it
every time you feel they just say got it and keep your head in the game now
and keep your head in the game now
and keep your head in the game now whenever you try teams fly farther in
whenever you try teams fly farther in
whenever you try teams fly farther in the old mind nothing makes sense the
the old mind nothing makes sense the
the old mind nothing makes sense the thing rhymes how many heartbeats get
thing rhymes how many heartbeats get
thing rhymes how many heartbeats get lost
lost
lost taste a glove size way sing in line you
taste a glove size way sing in line you
taste a glove size way sing in line you risk it barbers ceiling falls through
risk it barbers ceiling falls through
risk it barbers ceiling falls through the seams right before your eyes always
the seams right before your eyes always
the seams right before your eyes always out of reach never quite knows back to
out of reach never quite knows back to
out of reach never quite knows back to you
[Music]
[Music] see you step around the corner Sun
see you step around the corner Sun
see you step around the corner Sun shines on you everything that you want
shines on you everything that you want
shines on you everything that you want comes into plain view wait another
comes into plain view wait another
comes into plain view wait another moment you’ll realize it dreams can come
moment you’ll realize it dreams can come
moment you’ll realize it dreams can come back to life
back to life
back to life what if your failures don’t make you
what if your failures don’t make you
what if your failures don’t make you weep they just show you strong you can
weep they just show you strong you can
weep they just show you strong you can be you ask yourself why do the see times
be you ask yourself why do the see times
be you ask yourself why do the see times change but every way don’t leave home
change but every way don’t leave home
change but every way don’t leave home flows o thoughts back to you
[Music]
[Music] you gotta get back up and try try try
exclaiming you too son side side all I
exclaiming you too son side side all I know is that ho floats back thank you
know is that ho floats back thank you
know is that ho floats back thank you [Applause]
passions are the beacons of your destiny
passions are the beacons of your destiny it amazes me that I’m standing before
it amazes me that I’m standing before
it amazes me that I’m standing before you today see my first memory of public
you today see my first memory of public
you today see my first memory of public singing happened when I was in the fifth
singing happened when I was in the fifth
singing happened when I was in the fifth grade choir I was placed in the second
grade choir I was placed in the second
grade choir I was placed in the second to last row of the auditorium after our
to last row of the auditorium after our
to last row of the auditorium after our first performance our teacher clapped
first performance our teacher clapped
first performance our teacher clapped and congratulated us on how great we
and congratulated us on how great we
and congratulated us on how great we sounded and this was immediately
sounded and this was immediately
sounded and this was immediately followed by tap on my shoulder from an
followed by tap on my shoulder from an
followed by tap on my shoulder from an outspoken girl standing behind me who
outspoken girl standing behind me who
outspoken girl standing behind me who leaned over and whispered half to me
leaned over and whispered half to me
leaned over and whispered half to me after friends clearly she wasn’t talking
after friends clearly she wasn’t talking
after friends clearly she wasn’t talking about you Leila
about you Leila
about you Leila in case she’s sitting in his seats
in case she’s sitting in his seats
in case she’s sitting in his seats feeling sorry for me dumb I wasn’t bad
feeling sorry for me dumb I wasn’t bad
feeling sorry for me dumb I wasn’t bad at everything just music I was actually
at everything just music I was actually
at everything just music I was actually really good at a lot of practical things
really good at a lot of practical things
really good at a lot of practical things like math I was so good at math in fact
like math I was so good at math in fact
like math I was so good at math in fact that when I was 14 my mom placed me in
that when I was 14 my mom placed me in
that when I was 14 my mom placed me in three simultaneous math courses one of
three simultaneous math courses one of
three simultaneous math courses one of which was through Community College and
which was through Community College and
which was through Community College and I was so obsessed with studying that
I was so obsessed with studying that
I was so obsessed with studying that when I finished the course I wound up
when I finished the course I wound up
when I finished the course I wound up receiving an A+ in the class along with
receiving an A+ in the class along with
receiving an A+ in the class along with the request that I tutor there the
the request that I tutor there the
the request that I tutor there the following semester for the record I’m
following semester for the record I’m
following semester for the record I’m just saying this to poke fun at the
just saying this to poke fun at the
just saying this to poke fun at the stereotype for female singers
stereotype for female singers
stereotype for female singers Angeles we actually can be smart and
Angeles we actually can be smart and
Angeles we actually can be smart and work hard the two questions I asked
work hard the two questions I asked
work hard the two questions I asked myself for this even if your art your
myself for this even if your art your
myself for this even if your art your love and your creativity don’t bring you
love and your creativity don’t bring you
love and your creativity don’t bring you the grand dreams you carry deep inside
the grand dreams you carry deep inside
the grand dreams you carry deep inside when you still have the desire to pursue
when you still have the desire to pursue
when you still have the desire to pursue them if you have to make a choice
them if you have to make a choice
them if you have to make a choice between passion and civility which would
between passion and civility which would
between passion and civility which would you choose
you choose
you choose much to my parents dismay I turn down my
much to my parents dismay I turn down my
much to my parents dismay I turn down my academic acceptance at the University of
academic acceptance at the University of
academic acceptance at the University of Southern California in order to pursue
Southern California in order to pursue
Southern California in order to pursue my passion for music at the Musicians
my passion for music at the Musicians
my passion for music at the Musicians Institute this is my mantra learn to
Institute this is my mantra learn to
Institute this is my mantra learn to stop envying the naturals because when
stop envying the naturals because when
stop envying the naturals because when things can easy it must be hard to tell
things can easy it must be hard to tell
things can easy it must be hard to tell if you really want it I really really
if you really want it I really really
if you really want it I really really wanted music call it was a bit of a
wanted music call it was a bit of a
wanted music call it was a bit of a culture shock for me I went from being
culture shock for me I went from being
culture shock for me I went from being the over prepared best in class to
the over prepared best in class to
the over prepared best in class to feeling like I was learning Chinese on
feeling like I was learning Chinese on
feeling like I was learning Chinese on the first day of school we learned this
the first day of school we learned this
the first day of school we learned this thing called the major scale which for
thing called the major scale which for
thing called the major scale which for those of you who aren’t familiar with
those of you who aren’t familiar with
those of you who aren’t familiar with musical theory the major scale is a
musical theory the major scale is a
musical theory the major scale is a diatonic sequence of intervals that can
diatonic sequence of intervals that can
diatonic sequence of intervals that can be attached and saying proportional to
be attached and saying proportional to
be attached and saying proportional to any pitch this is the major scale
any pitch this is the major scale
any pitch this is the major scale formula whole whole half whole whole
formula whole whole half whole whole
formula whole whole half whole whole whole half when you sing it it sounds
whole half when you sing it it sounds
whole half when you sing it it sounds like this one one two three four five
like this one one two three four five
like this one one two three four five six seven eight eight seven six five
six seven eight eight seven six five
six seven eight eight seven six five four three two one unfortunately for me
four three two one unfortunately for me
four three two one unfortunately for me at the time there was only about one key
at the time there was only about one key
at the time there was only about one key that was actually in my range which
that was actually in my range which
that was actually in my range which means a majority of the class was spent
means a majority of the class was spent
means a majority of the class was spent either whispering the notes as I climb
either whispering the notes as I climb
either whispering the notes as I climb the scale hoping nobody would hear me
the scale hoping nobody would hear me
the scale hoping nobody would hear me crack or blushing with total humiliation
crack or blushing with total humiliation
crack or blushing with total humiliation when my teacher would notice and call on
when my teacher would notice and call on
when my teacher would notice and call on me to sing up needless to say I’m no
me to sing up needless to say I’m no
me to sing up needless to say I’m no stranger to being the underdog the
stranger to being the underdog the
stranger to being the underdog the reason I’m standing before you today
reason I’m standing before you today
reason I’m standing before you today because I learned to focus on progress
because I learned to focus on progress
because I learned to focus on progress not perfection failure is a misnomer
not perfection failure is a misnomer
not perfection failure is a misnomer there’s no such thing
there’s no such thing
there’s no such thing you are either stagnant or taking steps
you are either stagnant or taking steps
you are either stagnant or taking steps forward obstacles or exercises meant to
forward obstacles or exercises meant to
forward obstacles or exercises meant to prove how dedicated and resilient we are
prove how dedicated and resilient we are
prove how dedicated and resilient we are your current skill levels don’t matter
your current skill levels don’t matter
your current skill levels don’t matter with time mastery will come a master is
with time mastery will come a master is
with time mastery will come a master is simply a beginner who doesn’t quit
simply a beginner who doesn’t quit
simply a beginner who doesn’t quit Khalil Gibran says you’ve been told even
Khalil Gibran says you’ve been told even
Khalil Gibran says you’ve been told even like a chain you’re as weak as your
like a chain you’re as weak as your
like a chain you’re as weak as your weakest link this is but half the truth
weakest link this is but half the truth
weakest link this is but half the truth you are also as strong as your strongest
you are also as strong as your strongest
you are also as strong as your strongest link to measure you by your smallest
link to measure you by your smallest
link to measure you by your smallest deed is second the power of the ocean by
deed is second the power of the ocean by
deed is second the power of the ocean by the frailty of its foam I agree don’t
the frailty of its foam I agree don’t
the frailty of its foam I agree don’t let discouragements and negativity
let discouragements and negativity
let discouragements and negativity settle in you even the smallest crack
settle in you even the smallest crack
settle in you even the smallest crack can sink a ship if you’re sitting there
can sink a ship if you’re sitting there
can sink a ship if you’re sitting there wondering what steps to take go as far
wondering what steps to take go as far
wondering what steps to take go as far as you see and there you will see
as you see and there you will see
as you see and there you will see further let your passions guide you
further let your passions guide you
further let your passions guide you there are moments you step into knowing
there are moments you step into knowing
there are moments you step into knowing they’ll change your life forever
they’ll change your life forever
they’ll change your life forever and Here I am now there are also moments
and Here I am now there are also moments
and Here I am now there are also moments that silently change you while you
that silently change you while you
that silently change you while you steadfast and pursuing your dreams they
steadfast and pursuing your dreams they
steadfast and pursuing your dreams they feel like obstacles they feel like hard
feel like obstacles they feel like hard
feel like obstacles they feel like hard work they feel impossible to conquer
work they feel impossible to conquer
work they feel impossible to conquer until one day you look back and you
until one day you look back and you
until one day you look back and you realize how far you’ve come let go of
realize how far you’ve come let go of
realize how far you’ve come let go of your expectations chase your passions
your expectations chase your passions
your expectations chase your passions gift your art all it takes is a dream
gift your art all it takes is a dream
gift your art all it takes is a dream and the courage to take a step so to the
and the courage to take a step so to the
and the courage to take a step so to the person in seventh grade who left me an
person in seventh grade who left me an
person in seventh grade who left me an out saying get a better voice or stop
out saying get a better voice or stop
out saying get a better voice or stop singing I did get a better voice and
singing I did get a better voice and
singing I did get a better voice and it’s exactly because I
it’s exactly because I
it’s exactly because I didn’t stop singing thank you
”
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