The Mancunian Yank

Thanks to Save Our Scene Manchester I get to start making one of my biggest dreams a reality. Something I knew a long time ago that I would never be able to accomplish on my own. The project has given it's full support (plus funding) to the world renowned DJ/ music producer and co-founder of  the 1520 studios label Levi Love, who is teaching me not only all the basics of producing but who is also providing me with the tools I need to produce, and become more confident with singing and performing.  Levi is also a respected doctor in psychiatry. Ironically, I found my voice and song-writing gift during one of the deepest bouts of my depression as a 17 year old. Needless to say I'm finally in a space to sort my head out after more than 20 years. So far we've had two amazing and magical sessions so far. I'd had to cancel two due to ill health, one physical and the other mental. I couldn't have asked for a better teacher to be honest. Levi reassured me that there was no ...

 A lot has changed for me in the last year. For one thing, I passed all of my exams including Functional Skills Maths and English, and  Bookkeeping Level 1. I admit, I did burst into tears when I opened my mail and pulled out my maths certificate.  I'd stopped my academic education at 13, and fortunately my parents enrolled me in artistic pursuits instead of letting my depression shut down my brain completely. It always remained a quiet point of shame for me that I'd never been able to do my GCSEs, something I'd never told my family. At the time my brain couldn't wrap it's mind around complex sentences but it could, somewhat, around fashion design.  The fact that I'd passed my Functional Skills with my teachers championing me forward for my GCSE's meant the world to me. But what broke me down was that I wasn't sharing this with my family.  For reasons my brain can't understand but my heart does my family no longer contact me. I hope they are okay, I ...