We were lucky to catch up with Elizabeth Kahn recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Elizabeth, appreciate you sitting with us today to share your wisdom with our readers. So, let’s start with resilience – where do you get your resilience from?
I could answer this question with one word: failure. Most of us think that failure, rejection, and loss are all bad things. I suppose in a sense they just are, but I know that that is what builds-up character and has made me an extremely resilient person in my life. It is the practice of falling down over and over again and continuing to get up and stay strong through it all. That is how I have always been and I will continue to live my life. I would say that my perseverance is my greatest quality, it always has been and it always will be.
My mom gave me a card that sits on my dresser that reads:
“The most beautiful people are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen.” -Elisabeth Kübler-Ross
I love this quote and I think it wraps up my beliefs, this question, and my life very poetically.
I lastly have a want and a desire to succeed. I definitely do not always take the easiest paths in life, but I take them because they are important to me and I see something that can transform myself or my life within them. For the fact that I have failed so much in my life and I’ve gotten up is a true testament to how much I truly want to be successful in life. Something I have recently realized and it is refreshing and providing me with a healthy mindset to actually be successful and to finally thrive in my life.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I am an independent artist who is a singer and songwriter. As a new artist, I am still figuring out what direction I want to go with my artistry. However, I would say currently the genre that best fits my music would be alternative pop. I create music through my personal experiences, my thoughts, and opinions and I have the gift to be able to share it with the world. This is through streaming platforms, catchy music videos, and my live performances.
My debut album, “Redemption” was released on October 13, 2023 at 12:00 AM (Pacific Time) as well as my “Redemption” official music video, and I also had a live performance through a partnership with Project PeaceMakers, Inc. (an educational domestic violence agency) for “A Night of Remembrance” event.
It is a 9-song album that takes a cathartic look on my life. From overcoming toxic relationships and creating healthy boundaries and self-respect for myself to learning more about who I am and learning to love every aspect of myself to dealing with my imposter syndrome.
You can find my debut album on Spotify, Apple Music (iTunes), and all streaming platforms. You can also find my official music videos on my YouTube Channel: Elizabeth Kahn Music. As well as my official website: www.elizabethkahnmusic.com. You can also follow me on Facebook: Elizabeth Kahn Music, Instagram: @elizabethkahnmusic, and TikTok: @elizabethkahnmusic
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
I would say the three qualities that have impacted my journey the most in my life so far would be: (1) Perseverance (2) Patience (3) Passion. It is very important to be tenacious and resilient in life, that is what a truly successful person is. I recently asked my dad why he always said that I was a late-bloomer and that things would happen for me later in life. He told me that when I was 10-years-old. I asked him recently and he told me that it is because I have always possessed skills that would be recognized later in my life. Having these skills has made me an incredibly patient person in my life.
The second quality is patience, it is truly a virtue, and very difficult to pursue with such a fast-paced world we live in. But I am thankful that I have been kind to myself. I keep pushing forward even when I do not see results or when it seems like it’s taking a really long time. But I realize, THAT is what makes the destination that much more fulfilling and rewarding when it does happen. I now know as I continue to achieve my goals that all of this hard work and perseverance will make my victories genuine and deserving.
The third quality is passion. I am an incredibly passionate person in life. That can be a double-edged sword as I know exactly what I want in life and I go for it. However, I am very stubborn and I’m not always the most flexible through that process. Over the years of patience and perseverance, I have learned to adapt and to ‘roll with the punches’ that come my way. I lead with my heart, but I always give my head the last say in decision making as I want to make sure I’m making logical and good decisions for myself.
So, with that, never give up. When times get tough, just keep pushing through as things will get better as long as you’re moving forward with your life. I know that for a fact as that is literally how I have been living my life and it is finally serving me well.
To close, maybe we can chat about your parents and what they did that was particularly impactful for you?
My parents are my biggest cheerleaders in my life. The most impactful thing they have done for me in my life is absolutely nothing. Let me explain, they provide me with the freedom to figure things out on my own and to carve out my own path in my life. They do not influence my decisions in any matter, but only provide me with selfless love and support. I used to be jealous of parents that would get involved with their children’s lives. I thought that was what support was. But, I realize that my parents truly did support me in the sense of allowing me to make my own mistakes and to recover from them on my own. That is what has allowed me to become a well-adjusted person in society and it has now allowed me to be able to pursue my wildest dreams of becoming an indie singer! I have amazing parents in the sense that they are the opposite of typical parents. When I tell people that I have a Bachelor’s Degree and two Masters Degrees, everyone would instantly think that my parents influenced me or wanted me to pursue that path. That is completely incorrect in my life, I wanted that for myself. If my parents had it their way, I would have been pursuing a career in the arts from the beginning – they are my parents after all. They could see that I loved to sing and perform as I used to do talent shows for my family and relatives every chance that I had. I began singing when I was 21-months-old, started playing the piano around 8-years-old, and I started to write songs and compose music at 10-years-old. The proof was in the pudding. But, they sat on their hands and let me figure out my life. Now that I am finally pursuing a career in the arts, they are super excited and very supportive. I know that they are happy I am doing what I not only should be, but what I want to be doing in my life!
From my perspective, I’m grateful that they let me figure out that a singing career was something I wanted to do on my own time. It is so much more meaningful to me and I know exactly why I’m doing it, which will serve me well as an artist and within the entertainment business now.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.elizabethkahnmusic.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elizabethkahnmusic/?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Elizabeth-Kahn-Music/100086489967286/?mibextid=LQQJ4d
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@elizabethkahnmusic
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@elizabethkahnmusic?_t=8gNduPc71m2&_r=1
Image Credits
Photographer: Annalisa Monet (2023)
