Hi Reader,

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Western stories travel further than you might think.

When I was 17, I was cast as Lady Augusta Bracknell in my high school's version of the comedic play "The Importance of Being Earnest."

According to the Google, Lady Bracknell is between 50 and 65 years old.

So, it made perfect sense to cast Dame Judi Dench (a celebrated British actress) in the movie version of the role when she was 67.

Me...playing it as a 17-year-old, in a high school in Asia, with tickets open to the public? Unusual, to say the least.

Somehow, my cast mates and I made it work.

I loved wearing my purple Victorian gown, putting on my best upper-class British accent, and twirling my frilly parasol.

Even the props got in on the act.

My fondest memory was saying Lady Bracknell's line "in families of high position strange coincidences are not supposed to occur..." at the exact moment a wall painting slipped off its nail and fell to the stage floor.

As laughter rolled through the audience, none of us on stage were experienced enough to turn this accident into comedy gold.

I did my best to maintain Lady Bracknell's stiff upper lip.

(It was hard, y'all. The comedic timing of that darn painting was way better than ours.)

Last night, I watched that 2002 movie version for the first time.

It was a full circle moment for me, full of ahas:

• The witty dialogue hits different and, now that I've lived in the West for many years, I'd play Lady Bracknell way more subtly
• My love for the English language began early, thanks to learning plays like this one
• My return to music now feels even sweeter...making art has been in my blood all along

The best aha by far?

That appreciation for subtlety bleeds into how I make music.

And it explains why, when I do a live music performance...

I want to create a space for the audience to experience the nuances of a song.

To feel into it.

To let it seep into their heart and soul.

Or to remember why a tune means so much to them.

It's way less like an all-night rave, and way more like an intimate performance in a Victorian drawing room.

Plus, the songs I sing usually carry a story.

I LOVE to bring that story to life for you.

It's my way of being earnest....earnestly musical, that is. 😀🎶

And it's how I know I'm doing my best work as a musician.

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Rock on, Reader ✌️

PS: Want more help, on the road to your personal or professional peace?

​Take my 2-minute "What's Your Jam" quiz and learn what your favorite songs have to say about it.

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