Reflecting on my journey to becoming a polished and refined musician, led from one life changing moment to another. From playing acoustic driven songs on my guitar in my bedroom to electrifying blues music in clubs and breweries. Eventually, took me to the stage on the corner of Beale Street at BB King’s Blues Cafe in Memphis, Tennessee for the International Blues Competition (IBC) as a youth participant. It became the catalyst which have led me to various achievements that have set stone for my future in music to be shaped and recognized as a nominee for the Nike Wings Scholarship by the United Negro College Fund. I’ve been inspired to pick up the guitar from the young age of 12, marking the beginning of shaping my musical interests and genres. I would continue to nurture my love for music through listening in the car when my Dad put on Green Day, Nirvana, and Tenacious D. I wanted to play guitar so much that we ended up retrieving my Dad’s old guitar from storage, which was passed down to me. However, I eventually put it down soon after the death of my grandmother. What began as a small interest faded, only to lead to a growing passion that became bigger and bigger.
My grandmother was diagnosed with cancer and passed away on the 25th of December. I honored her death at her funeral to play her favorite song of all time, “If” by Bread. Soon after, I wouldn’t pick up the guitar until 2 years later, marking my first year of high school. My high school years were the most difficult years of my life as it defied all my prior expectations. Living the fun high school life, get-togethers with friends, and relationships would affect me on a mental and physical level. Including financial hardship where my parents were struggling to provide for all of me and my three siblings. It seemed since the death of my grandmother affected our family, although, what were initially thought to be curses were blessings in disguise. I took every negative piece of my life and used it to fuel my passion and drive to pick up the guitar as a means of self-expression, despite only knowing how to play open chords. I laser-focused—learning and practicing until the dead hours of the night, often being stopped because I was disturbing everyone who was asleep. Ultimately, this shaped the foundation of my desire and addiction, driving me to continually progress and further polish my musicianship.
I sought more to feed my ambition, to get in front of audiences and show that I wanted to play and get better each time. I joined my high school jazz band in my sophomore year where I simultaneously started taking lessons. However, I was struck with a detrimental injury where I ripped my tendon on my dominant hand while playing rugby. The doctor told me that I would need a surgery where I would be out for 6 months–I only feared the worst. I couldn’t pick up the guitar until I was fully recovered and I couldn’t write. It was a life changing moment, it was rugby or music; in the end, it was music. It was the lowest point of my life. The moment I got home, I twiddled with my thumb where my whole hand was in a cast. I felt jaded, but it didn’t stop me from learning and studying videos online. I would be healed in 6 months time while in hand therapy, but I was playing and I was better than ever before.
One day, my Dad took me to a jam with the Los Angeles Blues Society where it would mark the first of many hardships that I would’ve ever played–persistence. The air was filled with booze and weed. I got on stage with other players and without any knowledge of the blues, I brought my neon green guitar stage where I was humiliated by two old men. They cussed me out and left me on stage along where I would sing, yet, broken and shaken up. I cried in the car soon after, until my Dad brought me to come back where the society would welcome me with open arms. I would receive free lessons from Daniel Modesto Diaz as my first blues teacher. Eventually, I would be sent to Beale Street in Memphis, Tennessee to play as a youth participant in the International Blues Competition (IBC) on January 19, 2024. It led to the formation of my band, 7 Weeks to Memphis, it was a privilege to get two of my friends who were willing to play with me; despite, only to be formed in seven weeks time for a thirty minute set.
Memphis weather was colder than ever. My bandmates and I felt the ice-cold wind blow over us as soon as we stepped outside. Snow filled the streets, and the ground was covered in ice. I would be catching my band members from slipping and grasping everything within my reach to avoid slipping myself. It was an amazing feeling to be surrounded by incredible blues players of all ages—I felt the spirit of B.B. King, Freddie King, and Albert King flowing through my soul. At that exact moment, I knew I had to bring an electrifying performance to the stage and represent the West Coast. I wanted people to know that we were about the culture, with our unique blend of sophisticated playing styles. When the big day arrived, it brought us to the stage of B.B. King's Blues Club, determined to shake the stage and make people turn heads. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath with my guitar in my hand. I prayed to my grandmother above to give me her blessing—strength, resilience, and the confidence to prove that I'm made of something more. We played our hearts out, showcasing our covers and written originals we made to make an amazing blues set. The building shook with cheers and applause. I gazed down at the audience in epiphany—and it clicked. It was an enlightening experience from not only learning more about “real” blues, but how many young people like myself loved the blues. It felt like I belonged, I realized music was indefinitely for me.
The IBC was the catalyst to many great things from one after another. I got to get in with the Rondalla Club of Los Angeles, learn under the mentorship of Perfecto De Castro (legendary former guitarist from Filipino rock band Rivermaya), and the Youth Mentorship Action Network (YMAN). Most of them all, YMAN was a cohort intensive masterclass where they taught young musicians how to produce and perform their own music; in addition, I received a stipend. I also got to exchange contact with the Grammy Award winning producer Michael Uzowaru as a representative at their Nike Sneaker Gala as one of their performers. Uzowaru produced for artists such as SZA, Frank Ocean, Vince Staples, FKA Twigs, Beyonce, and many more. YMAN eventually led to nominating me as a representative of them for the NIKE Wings Scholarship. I couldn’t be more thankful.
The road is definitely not easy... I laugh at all the silly little mistakes I’ve made and wonder how they even happened. Though, I’ve learned that you can always take something away from your mistakes. Despite the odds, I was persistent and put my feelings aside because I aspired for greatness–but sometimes, it is best to stop and think for a moment to realize why I started picking up the guitar in the first place. The way of the universe has a way of humbling me everytime I'm ahead of myself. I intend to take music to the next level to inspire, give back to the people and the mentors who have helped me. That next step is about taking on even bigger stages, selling out tickets, and gaining recognition, whether it’s through the college experience or even getting signed by a label.
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