Covid. Who'd have thought it'd be the backdrop to anyone’s story, including mine? At 17, quarantined, dreams of college and friendships got masked. Homebound, caffeinated with oat milk coffee, I tackled Zoom classes in pjs. I turned to social media and downloaded TikTok. My first video wasn't groundbreaking, but it clicked. Many tuned into my Arizona stories, and, well, here we are. Stories still wild. Music? For me, always more than background noise. It's the perfect song on a highway drive that captures the right emotion and vibe. I picked up the violin in 6th grade, and while I won’t call myself an "arTEEST", I’m so drawn to songs that speak the real-life moments-- my real-life moments. "MURDER MY FEELINGS" isn’t just a song to me; it expressed my emotions when I felt overwhelmed and messed up. I think it connected with you guys for the same reason. Sometimes feelings can feel so big that it’s okay to want to shut them down for a minute and regroup. But recording the song showed me that if every note I sing and every story I post is connected to my life, it can be good therapy. “If You Only Knew” and “Love Is BS”have communicated my latest feelings and allowed me to keep connecting with you as we grow up. The crazy thing I keep learning from all of you is that wherever you are, our lives are not that different. I want the music to keep reflecting the same shared experience we have on social media. I’m so grateful to have you all along for the ride. Avocado, sponsor me.