17. It all changed at 17. Everyone used to know my name. My face was on billboards, crowds gathered around me when I was out with my family. Stadiums packed out. Hundreds of thousands of people came to watch me. But I was a teenage musician so the buzz faded when I turned 27. There were new younger artists that were more relatable to the newer generation. Now I go out and no one recognizes me.

I can’t say I don’t like being able to be normal again, when I was younger all I cared about was being rich and famous, don’t we all? I wasn’t thinking about how annoying it would be for everyone to know where I am or what I’m doing at all times. And once they know there they are. I like being able to eat out with my family with no interruptions.

And I also can’t pretend I don’t miss everyone knowing me. I miss when people wanted my autograph because a song I wrote impacted their life. People belting my songs, knowing every lyric, I could turn the mic and I would never have to even sing, they could take over whenever. Everyone was always willing to help me out when anything happened but they didn’t know me. They know me through music but they don’t KNOW me. They didn’t care to get to know me or hang out with me. They wanted a selfie to make their social media platform blow up.

I don’t really miss it. Because now I’m free to be whoever I want. I don’t have to put on a mask and pretend anymore. I can just exist as I am.