The Sound of Nostalgia, Pt. I

Music is a powerful thing. It speaks to your emotions, it translates your reality into something you can understand, it connects you to the world, to experience, to people… and it transports you back in time.

I felt like I could burst into tears the second I heard that unmistakable voice again, as I was whisked back to a time of beautiful, simple naivety. From the second she started singing, I was 18 again, standing in the front row at Crowded House in ‘Maritzburg staring up at Karma from Henry Ate, thinking “I want to be just like you.” I wanted it with everything I was, and at the same time, there was such a big part of me that doubted it was possible, which has allowed for far too much compromise along the way. But it’s part of the journey.

A decade later, watching one of my early idols stand on a stage I’ve now played on, I feel almost like I’ve come full circle. Looking back at that innocent, naïve kid who dreamed bigger than she ever thought was possible, who took a decade to realise that it’s more possible than she could have dreamed, who listened to those songs hoping that one day she’d find the courage to be that honest… I’m proud of my story and what it’s made me, and relieved that that naïve kid found her voice and the strength to use it.