I met Shawnda when I was 15 years old and became her first private vocal student. I had been taking voice lessons previously but wanted to focus on singing country music and Shawnda had been strongly recommended. We connected immediately and things started to move ahead for me quickly. I began performing on Shawnda’s shows and then at local Oprys. Shawnda helped me develop not only as a singer, but as an overall performer.Working with her studio, I had so many great opportunities to perform that I would never have experienced otherwise, including a local televised vocal competition, singing at Six Flags Holiday in the Park, the Texas Country Music Hall of Fame, and performing in Branson and Nashville. Working with Charlie was also a huge part of my experience at the studio. Whether it was in guitar lessons, song writing sessions, or just laughing to the point of tears at one of his famously entertaining jokes or stories, there was never a dull moment! Charlie gave me the nickname “Songbird”, and he still calls me that almost 10 years later. There is no bigger fan or supporter that a performer could ask for than Charlie. More important than that, however, is that Shawnda, Charlie, Makenzie and Lexi have all become part of our extended family. With Shawnda and Charlie’s coaching and guidance, several exciting opportunities opened up for me professionally. I had the honor of winning the John Ritter Showcase in Carthage, TX, which is part of the annual Texas Country Music Hall of Fame induction ceremony in 2017. In 2017, I also successfully auditioned for The Voice in New Orleans and continued the auditioning process in Los Angeles with the executives of the show. I had the opportunity to open for Sammy Kershaw and Joe Diffie during the 2015 CMA festivities in Dallas, and I felt so blessed to have Shawnda and Charlie in my band that night. In addition to singing, I also wanted to pursue opportunities in the fashion industry. After a great deal of hard work, I was fortunate to be signed by both The Campbell Agency in Dallas and Major Models in Miami, FL. I know without a doubt that the confidence and stage presence I developed during my time at Shawnda Rains Studio is a major factor in the success I have achieved in my modeling career so far. I could never thank them enough for all the encouragement, training, experience, and fun that I had as part of the studio family!