There’s no way to overstate the impact Aimée Steele has had on my vocal technique, artistry, career, and life.

What if someone could open parts of your bodily instrument you didn’t know existed? What if in doing so, that person helped you step into your fullness of spirit? And what if this person made you feel instantly at home in your choice to make what you love into what you do? To me, that’s Aimée.

I came to New York City from New Orleans, alone and without much training. Aimée very matter-of-factly refused to accept any of my nay-saying and instead set to work righting the ship. What’s more, she did so with a style and generosity that was insistent but kind (wise). She helped me make choices. Some she suggested, some she drew out of my intuition. She helped create my book and forged my auditions from almost nothing. She put herself on the line with her industry colleagues to vouch for me.

I’m lucky to have found Aimée, as I tell her perhaps too often. She has somehow managed to earn both my reverence as a vulnerable student and camaraderie as a trusted friend. Her lessons have bled into the rest of my life, as at their root is simply: joy.