Kina Grannis

9 Years ago today...

Added 2016-11-15 22:50:55 +0000 UTC

9 years ago today, I wrote the above email. I had just moved to Austin, TX from Los Angeles after graduating from USC to pursue music. I was living the life of a "full-time" musician for the first time. It was exciting and scary and I had no idea what I was doing. I spent my nights holed up in my bedroom writing (/being lonely) and my days gigging in coffee shops and bars. I'm not sure what compelled me on Nov 14th, 2007 to make a video for the very first time, but I did. I stayed up all night shooting, editing, making little faux-animations, cutting out a little paper anatomical heart to make move to the beat of my song. I made a YouTube account, uploaded the video, and come morning, I emailed it off to my family. As soon as I pressed send my excitement turned to pure terror. What would they think? Was this stupid? Was it gross to make a video of myself singing? I almost deleted the video, but, for some reason, I felt the need to keep it there. And that was that. I had no plan. I thought YouTube was a video hosting site. It didn't occur to me that someday someone other than my family might see this video. Fast forward a month or so, I've entered my song and video into a contest. I've vowed to post a video a day for as long as I'm still in the running. I consider it a thank you and reminder to my friends and family who are voting for me. As the days and weeks go by, I start seeing comments from people I don't know. People start appearing on my website, cheerleaders, supporters, friends. They're from all over the world. They name themselves Kinerds. Of Kination. They become my family. 7 weeks and 41 videos later, I have an army of loving and incredible humans behind me, and we win. My music video is played during the Super Bowl. I am signed to a major label. I am collapsed and crying in my family's arms because I know that my life is about to change forever. It wasn't until months later that I understood how. It wasn't being in front 98 million people on the Super Bowl. It wasn't a major label. It was you. YOU allowed me to be exactly myself, to create exactly the music that moved me in exactly the way I wanted to. Knowing the power of this, I left the label and began the journey of self funding my first full-length studio album, and I never turned back. 9 years and 345 videos later, here we still are. Just you and me. Because of you, I've had the privilege of sharing my original songs and albums with more people than I ever imagined possible. I've had the incredible experience of touring and playing shows all over the world. And most importantly, I've had the honor of feeling deeply connected to thousands of amazing people--to YOU. We share the same joy and hurt and hope and worry and love. I feel that we are in this life thing together, and for that I am forever grateful. Today I am sending love and gratitude out to everyone who has been part of my journey. To everyone who has believed in me and inspired me along the way. Here's to more living, more growing, more feeling all the things there are to feel, and more creating things we care about. Love you all. (And of course, love to @YouTube .)