I thought I'd share a little bit about myself, in case you're curious about me and my relationship with my music. I gained a fascination with music at a young age, and began playing piano when I was 5 years old on a tiny keyboard that my parents bought me. I begged my parents for piano lessons, and they obliged; I was kind of a weird kid. Despite several years of very unlucky piano teachers who fell ill, died, or had to tend to some other misfortune, I learned to play and to read music. In my teens, I began experimenting on my own, studying music theory, and writing my own tunes. My eclectic listening habits played a large part in forming my own unique voice. When I turned 18, I got my first audio recording equipment; I would record sounds and manipulate them to fit in with the piano songs that I wrote.
In college, I continued to experiment and write music. My songs were deeply personal, and I saw my songs as a sort of singing diary. I was never good at expressing my feelings with words, but it seemed to come out rather naturally as music. I started a blog where I would post songs as I finished them, not really expecting anyone else to listen to them. The online community welcomed my music, and I found myself sharing my music and ideas with other bloggers and followers. I released a free collection of original piano solos on my blog in 2011 and an EP titled Anxious Heart later that year. In 2012, I released Raito, an EP, on major online stores and streaming services. People around the world were now tapping into my music, which brought me a newfound joy in sharing my music. I returned in 2016 with Wave – my first full studio album – and made it available as CD and digital release. I collaborated with cellist Jamayal Douglas and incorporated some other, more subtle instruments in 2018 to release Anemoi, which is intended to be a sort of follow-up to Wave. My music projects have grown to incorporate themes of nature and the natural elements, but they are still emotive and deeply personal.
As I continue to write music, I’m still fascinated and extremely grateful for the community of people that are a part of my music. Someday soon, I’d like to write music for film or video games. I’ve always had a fascination with how music can really shape the way a movie or video game is consumed. I think, as a result, some of my music is created with a story in mind. Raito, for example, is very much a concept album that follows a theme or story. I like the way this evokes a range of emotions, even if the story itself isn’t an explicit narrative. The music itself tells a story where the events and characters can be filled in by whoever is listening. I’ve always liked the ability of music to be universal in that way.