Outfest la

The documentary Invisible will be showing August 19th at 8pm at Japanese American Cultural & Community Center

In 2019 I was invited to sit down and do an interview about my journey as a songwriter in Nashville being that I am openly gay. I have an 18 year old who was born during my time as a songwriter in Nashville. As we started the conversation that day, I felt myself crack open in a way that was incredibly uncomfortable for me. I felt dizzy and nauseous and wanted to stop. The director (T.J. Parsell) and the producer (Bill Brimm) were kind enough to stop without any questions. I told them I didn’t feel I could do the interview.

Fast forward to some weeks later, I ran into a friend who looked joyful and peaceful and I just asked her out right, “what’s going on with you…? you look SO happy…?” I know that is a weird way to ask, but I did. She answered, “OH MY GOD, I found THE best therapist who specializes in childhood trauma and I am unraveling so much of my childhood and finding healing.”

I stood there for a full 15 seconds. I asked my friend to write the therapist’s name and number on my hand. I called and scheduled an appointment to talk about, for the first time, my journey as a gay songwriter in Nashville. I went all the way to childhood, school, family, friends, breakups, secrets, self harm, self hatred, body shame… all of it became a conversation. It wasn’t all SOLVED but it was at least talked about.

Fast forward again, I invited the director and producer out to hear some music of some young, up and coming artists / writers I was working with and when the two of them said hello that night, I let them know that my heart was finding a path toward healing and that I started writing a song called “Dry County” about my experience as a gay daughter of a very strict family in deep east Texas. I sent them the worktape of the song. That started a second conversation while sitting and talking, on camera, about my experience as a gay songwriter in Nashville, Tennessee.

I am proud of this film. It was ready for release in 2020… and, well, we all know what happened in 2020. So, here we are in 2021 and the film is making the rounds at the film festivals.

I’ll be in LA on August 19th for the showing. Many of the other cast members will be performing. I hope you will grab a ticket and meet me there.