I believe we all know what it's like to have what others want for us forced on us, trying to push us into a direction or a box that is not the right fit for who we are. Some give into the pressure, believing that maybe it will lead to where they want to go.
That is not the kind of person recording artist Belle Rivera is. When I caught up with her recently in fact she was promoting her new single WHO YOU ARE, a song that reminds us all of the importance of dancing to the beat of your own drum.
Belle has been a guest on Conversations LIVE radio show before, but this last time we had a chance to chat I really wanted her to share how she got to a place in her life where she could live her own life unafraid.
We started off by talking about the new single WHO YOU ARE and what it's been like to hear the feedback. "It's a really great and positive response I've been getting," she told me on the air. "It inspires me to write more. The inspiration has just been coming."
Staying with the theme of the single I asked Belle how she had gotten to a point in her life where she could let who she was shine through. "I feel like as a person I've grown up," she explained. "It's a work in progress. I'm not perfect. I do want to model myself as the woman I am and not the woman people might think I am or assume I am. I want to reflect that in my music. I really feel like I try to be as genuine as I can using my own personal experiences for my writing."
Being so true to yourself and knowing your limitations is not always easy, which Belle admits. "I definitely feel like it's a catch 22," she revealed. "When you have your morals and values It's harder because you're spending your time defending that." At the end of the day, though, she finds the courage to stick to her guns. "Because I'm comfortable with myself it reflects in everything that I do. When I sit back and relax I can say this was me. It wasn't influenced by anyone else."
So how did she get to this place where music was the vehicle in which she could use to speak to all of us? As before when we had talked Belle shared with our radio listeners that the reason she even began writing was when her grandmother passed. Belle was just four at the time. "After that it's a way to keep that happiness and love she gave to me alive," she says. "The experiences I've gone through shows in my music. Everything is an inspiration for me."
Among the things that do inspire the talented singer/songwriter are her friends. Belle told me that they really help to keep her grounded. "It's the best feeling in the whole world," she told me when I asked about what it was like to share this experience with them. "It feels good to have those who understand who I am as a person. I don't have to pretend or worry about being judged." She then talked about the importance of not isolating yourself along the journey. "We all need each other," she said. "It's a good thing to support each other in a positive way."
Belle is not just sharing herself in music. She is also using the lessons she has learned to help others understand what it takes to make it in the industry and in pursuing any goals in life. "I feel as if success comes from being yourself. At the end of the day you can be at the highest peak of your dream, and if you're not yourself it doesn't matter. See me as a person first and get to know me. I take myself seriously but not everything should be taken so seriously.
Her closing advice for all of you: "If your heart is in it, go for it! To follow your dreams is about going out and doing something about it."
Stay in contact with Belle Rivera and support her music by finding her on www.reverbnation.com/bellerivera.
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