You'll Always Matter, Never Hide: My New Song, Shine Your Joy!

Friends, I'm so excited to share my very first song, "Shine Your Joy"! Since February, I've been getting it produced, but this song has been pouring out of my heart for the past two years. After experiencing one of the most difficult years in 2022, my soul felt weary and broken, but less than a month into 2023, I jotted down lyrics for two different choruses:

How my new song began as a journal entry at the end of January 2023!

This was the start of my healing journey to find myself, and my joy again.

What began as a simple anthem eventually turned into a full song, but that didn't happen until January 2024, when I wrote two verses to go with each of the choruses. The lyrics came to me in a very magical and intuitive way, and although my initial intention was to connect back to the themes of my blog, this song became so much more. It became my superpower. It was my song of resilience, the catalyst that shed some light on what was missing in my life, which was self-love. It took being dragged down to my lowest for me to discover that I was not giving myself the grace and the love that I deserved. I learned that light and joy and beauty can come out of darkness, even when you feel you have nothing left to give. Somehow, that's when the magic happens.

"Shine Your Joy," also helped me recognize that I had been dimming my light for most of my life. While I'm grateful to have grown up in a loving and supportive household, I didn't truly believe in my full potential...I didn't believe I was unlimited. At the start of this year, my intention was to whole-heartedly believe in myself, and so I knew it was time to produce my song. I found out about producer Kenny Lewis from a friend in my town, and collaborated with him and a few musicians to create my song! I was in awe of the entire process and so thrilled to watch my song go from demo a cappella vocals of the melody I came up with in my head to a professionally-orchestrated arrangement with a dynamic vibe. Special thanks to Kenny and all the musicians involved: Bill Melanson (drums), Bill Plourde (electric guitar), and Michael Kelly (bass). This was the best collaborative experience I could have ever asked for, and I'm so grateful for your amazing contributions to my song!

There are a few music style influences from a few favorite songs that I wanted to incorporate. I love that the Maroon 5 song, "Sunday Morning," kicks off with just drums before the melody started, and so I wanted that in my song. I love Andy Grammer's song, "Joy," and how the music gets louder in the chorus and so my song emulated that too. And, in true Carpenters-fan fashion, I wanted my own guitar solo, just like the mesmerizing one in "Goodbye to Love," played by the late Tony Peluso!

My song begins with focusing on my own inward journey to joy and healing and progresses to a collective journey that we can all share in together. One of my favorite lyrics that's in the second verse is: "Once we know that joy inside, we'll want others by our side, to join our hearts, and change the world." It feels that we are at a point in time of deep transformation and there's also a tremendous need to come together, join as one, and put aside our differences. We are, after all, souls having a human experience, so we will always have that in common, despite any differing beliefs. We all need healing, we all need joy, and when we gather together, I believe the world's energy will shift and change for the better

The lyrics that became the overarching theme for me, that I wanted to repeat towards the end, were, “you’ll always matter, never hide.” This resonated deep within my soul because even though I’ve shared more of myself over the past few years, I’ve still struggled with self-doubt and not thinking I’m talented enough to be heard...to be seen. These lyrics are a reminder that I'll always matter, and it has nothing to do with the opinions of others. I matter because I exist.

It is my hope that my song inspires you in your own pursuit of joy and self worth. Keep believing in yourself, even while going through difficult situations.

And keep shining my friends...you have so much to offer to this world by simply being you and shining your joy!!