YOU WILL NEVER GUESS WHO I MET IN MARCH 😱 What a month! So we're gearing up to play our final show of 3 in Austin, Texas, I’m on stage staring out reminiscing about the time when I used to drive out here (ATX) and try to get on showcases and perform in front of fresh eyes and open ears. In my past attempts, we may have gotten 1 unofficial show and ended up at a couple of events to network, but this year was different.

With pure determination, my team and I set out to make this the busiest SXSW we've ever had, with 2 big unofficial showcases and a St. Patrick's Day show I'll never forget. Spoiler alert: we nailed all of it. Coming off the success high of the On-running event, we took the first week of March to finish our EP (out April 17th) and prepare for the week ahead of us. We arrived in Austin, and the first event we attended was the Recording Academy Bloc Party. If you've been following me from the beginning, you know that it's a huge dream of mine to be on that Grammy stage one day, and here I am at a legit industry event. We met so many new people and saw so many familiar faces, and that was just night one. Later that night, we met two people in another line, and it turns out they were already fans of LeTrainiump. It really encouraged me to know that there ARE people out there listening and paying attention to my journey.

Next, we nailed our first showcase and then attended the BMI brunch. To my surprise, there were familiar faces there too! Being in a space where literally everyone around can potentially change your life is exhilarating and quite freeing, considering how hard it is to make your way in this industry. We finished the night with yet another showcase where we received a standing ovation for our set while it was being broadcast on the radio.

Sunday night was our last and final show of our SXSW run. It was an ugly day, raining off and on, and I was steeped in imposter syndrome. I was depressed the whole day, and if possible, I would have talked myself out of the show. We played Cheer Up Charlie's, and I had no reason to worry. This is one of my favorite venues in Austin. There's always a crowd, and if not, at least my fans would show up. No worries, right? Before we started the set, I did something I usually never do and just sang. I let myself be free to enjoy my night. After all, we just had quite possibly one of the best industry weeks a new up-and-coming artist could have. We nailed the set. There were people from front to back. The rain was no longer a factor, and then it happened. I looked to my right, and there he was, BILLY FREAKING PORTER (ya know, the 2x Grammy + Tony American ICON Billy Porter 😏). My jaw dropped, and he called me over to talk. There were a lot of words exchanged, some of which I don't remember because, after all, I was staring at a living legend. He told me he had heard our sound check and followed the music and came to the show. He stayed for our whole set and encouraged me. He said it was my spirit that drew him in, and he enjoyed it.

*PAUSE 🥹

See, validation doesn't matter much to me, but here is a great with all of his accomplishments telling me I have what it takes to make it where I'm going. I took every word (that I remember) to heart, and my confidence grew 5 stories higher that day. I wish I could say that was the end of the blessings of March, but it only got better from there.

We came home to New Orleans with more fire than ever and finished the month prepping for our next releases. We also played a festival that was not only broadcast on the radio but also on the news. I got offstage to multiple tags on Instagram of my performance on the local news. What a month!!!

March taught me the importance of showing up and sharing my gift. And let me tell you, things just keep getting better. April is my favorite month, and I can't wait for you to hear all the new songs dropping on April 17th.

For an early listen of our upcoming release “Like We’re In A Movie” [CLICK HERE] and for a peak into my SXSW experience [CLICK HERE].