In celebration of the arts, last week was our annual Duke Arts Festival! Besides the beautiful outdoor pianos at the bus stop and plaza, my favorite event was definitely the Student Concert at the Duke Coffeehouse. Just as the apostle Paul wrote his weaknesses, I am so proud of my friend Mikayla for sharing four original songs inspired by her experience of feeling broken and not having it all together. The pressure to achieve effortless perfection is definitely a struggle that many of us can resonate with, so I'm thrilled that our school newspaper recognized her for having the "Most Relatable Lyrics":

Her songs, entitled “Broken,” “Make You Whole,” “Circus” and “Fallen Leaves” resounded with members of the audience. Shatley’s soft, haunting lyrics spoke out against the pressure that many Duke students feel to appear perfect to their peers. She comforted the audience by conveying the message that it isn’t worth it to put on an act for others, and it is better to be honest with the world.

She is one of the students who will be featured in my capstone project, so I am thankful for the opportunity to document her first live performance!