Moving to New York wasn’t an easy decision. In fact, it was one of the most difficult and heartbreaking decisions I’ve ever made.

I came here in the winter of 2000 with a firm desire to settle in. I was very young and ambitious, with plenty of naivety and a head full of hopes and dreams of making it as a musician. Back in my home country, my music had become fairly well known, made it onto radio charts, and even received heavy rotation on national MTV. Still, I wanted to try my luck in New York. I was ready! I had the opportunity to move here, so I took it.

After I arrived in New York, I immediately started working on breaking down the language barrier, which meant watching a lot of TV, especially HBO, to pick up English. Maybe The Sopranos wasn’t the best material for learning proper English, but, as they say, “What are you gonna do?”

Shortly after, I applied for an English as a Second Language class and officially became an international college student. How cool!

I was fortunate to have some help from my family at first, but once I started figuring out how New York worked, I took various jobs and began supporting myself. Along the way, I lived with all kinds of roommates, in all kinds of neighborhoods, and went through pretty much everything a newcomer to New York can expect.

While searching for yet another place to live, I met someone who, coincidentally, had worked in the music business back in the 1980s and still had connections. He asked to hear my music and, long story short, we became friends.

He loved what I was doing and began introducing me to people in the industry. Suddenly, the prospect of signing a record deal became very real.

I produced several demo tracks, which were received incredibly well by his circle of industry friends, and shortly afterward I was offered an actual record deal. Advance money, my own recording studio, a rent-free downtown penthouse shared with other artists like me. A creative hub.

I couldn’t believe my luck.

It seemed too good to be true.

For a while, it actually was.

The contract signing was scheduled for four weeks later.

I’m about to become a signed artist in America!