Meet Dalori Ajane

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Dalori Ajane. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Dalori , we’re so appreciative of you taking the time to share your nuggets of wisdom with our community. One of the topics we think is most important for folks looking to level up their lives is building up their self-confidence and self-esteem. Can you share how you developed your confidence?

I used to think that confidence was something some people were born with. It didn’t require being perfect, but it would require self-acceptance, and I believed for so long that I had nothing worthy of acceptance. I was raised to have anxiety about my decisions, how I socialized, my talents, and how I present myself. I had been bullied and picked on for things that were just me. I used to set myself apart from others so it would be easier to focus on myself. I had a bad habit of comparing and competing because I didn’t know how to gauge my actual self-worth. I eventually took to journaling, and expressing my gratitude of myself and how far I have come despite the setbacks. It came to me after searching in all the wrong (arguably still right as it lead me to where I am now) and right places. I knew I could do anything, but everything has it’s own pace. I started growing my confidence when I reminded myself that it wasn’t necessary for me to compare myself to anyone to feel successful.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

I have dreamed of being a singer-songwriter my whole life. Just as I’ve come to love countless songs about love, life, and other silly things, I wanted to find my voice and create music the way I love. I have had constant let downs, been put down and told I wasn’t exactly talented enough. In pursuit of me being authentic in my music, I decide to become an independent artist. The decision came with many doubts, and uncertainties, but I reminded myself how many times I have faced the unknown and things have worked out. I was always going to learn something new. I worked out the steps necessary for me, spent hours and downtime researching or just simply being creative, allowing inspiriation to come from anywhere. With determination, I had created my first song, found a studio that would allow me to record, and worked to figure out how to distribute my first debut single on all platforms. It was surreal. When the release date came out, I danced in awe and appreciation for the dedication I put into this first achievement. I tried to perform that song and another that was in the works, however I did not get through the end without the nerves taking over (I even sat down in the middle of my second song just to try and get through it). Somewhere along the journey, my old me would have criticized myself hard for not going all out like I expected myself to, but I had big dreams still waiting on me to make a reality, so I decided to continue my practice of learning more about myself, reflecting on my stage presence, and working on what I want to try differently. Providing myself that grace and understanding allowed me to show up and out for the following performances I had after that. Now, I have also taken time out to pursue my love of storytelling through the art of poetry. With new songs in the work as I master new skills, I also just released my first anthology “Heart On My Sleeve” that shows an even more intimate inside of the emotional work it took me to get here.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

I believe what was most impactful for my journey was the ability to be flexible with myself, learning how to be resourceful, and learning to network. First, I used to suffer badly with social anxiety, so networking for my industry was a necessary fear I had to face. Luckily, we live in a time there are many ways to keep connected and find opportunities that I felt courageous enough to tap in, and as I learned to be accepting on where I was in my journey, I found it easier to put myself out there more. If life treats anyone like me, it is sometimes real easy to lose the drive or focus on the goals and ambitions I have. It’s in those times learning to be flexible has kept my creative flame burning, even when I just find the inspiration for the life of me. In those times, I start to feel limited on what I can do, and that’s where being resourceful comes in. I loved the saying, “if there’s a will, there’s a way,” because it is often true. I still don’t have all the tools or knowledge I need, but everyday I continue to work on what I have, and with continued practice or research, I’ll have gained something if not the next part of the process I need.

How would you spend the next decade if you somehow knew that it was your last?

As I’ve shared, I have been working on becoming an independent artist these last few years, and the main challenge remains in me. I want to further my skills in producing and mastering the full song independently. Right now, I can write the lyrics and put together some harmonies, but it’s the recording and blending it all into a clean, professional sound that I continue to work on. There are a lot of tutorials online, but not too many give advice that produces the sound I want. Even the producer who mixed and mastered my first single didn’t come out the way I imagined. However, my laptop had broken some months ago, and I haven’t been able to replace it yet. This is where my resourcefulness comes in. I am now learning how the process works on a mobile device, and while it’s a challenge, I know it all works toward further understanding and might even impress myself in the end.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://5jdawilson.wixsite.com/mynameisjalia
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/callme_dalori/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwdL-J_cMHnsp1ApAULlG9A

Image Credits

Kaplan Photography @kaplan.photography