I've had a few moments of enlightenment in my life, where everything is perfectly clear.
Sometimes they come in periods of great change, such as when I realized that a Bachelor of Arts at the University of British Columbia wasn't for me, because music felt like a much better path. Other times, they come as hot flashes of envy and ambition during a long car ride listening to Ed Sheeran.
Regardless of the time, place or delivery method, the message echoing in my head is clear: I'm Going to Be a Rockstar.
I'm going to walk the streets of Vancouver and every fifth person will turn their head out of recognition. I'm going to look up from my coffee to hear the Starbucks stereo blasting my new hit single. I'm going to tour the world meeting fans and signing posters, and share with the world one of the best damn albums they've ever heard.
How long does a star spend in the "pre-star" days? At what point does the work stop being practice, and become the thing? What will I look back on as the turning point in my career and life, and will I even be able to identify it as it's happening?
I've always been ambitious, and I've always been quick to make a risky decision if the result seems exciting. But now I'm pulling out all the stops. No more practice. No more roundabouts. Now more than ever, I know exactly what I need to do and how to do it. There's a great big unknown in front of me, shrouded in darkness, awaiting my radiance to light the way.
Today, the stages of the City of North Vancouver. Tomorrow, the Orpheum. The day after, Rogers Arena. The day after, the world.
Get ready. Because I am.