Today we’d like to introduce you to Tommi Cole.
Tommi, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I started out singing in the church choir at the age of two. Music was one of my first loves as a child. I would listen to music as an escape from reality as it would take me to another world and I would forget all the problems I had. Who has real problems as a kid right? After auditioning and making it into the performing arts high school, I had also tested into the high achieving high school, so my mom felt it was best to attend the school with the more promising future. Not being able to go to the performing arts school hurt. Bad. I stopped singing and began to give up on my dream. I stopped telling people about what I loved so much. I was scared to sing and didn’t want people to know. It was my little secret until someone heard me, and when they would ask me if I could I sing I would downplay my ability. Only a few people knew about my talent, but I had one cousin who would ALWAYS tell everyone about me and make me sing, in front of everyone. Although terribly nervous, I started feeling a little more confident because they would always tell me how good I sounded, I started to look into singing again. Fast forward years later and now I have accomplished one of the many life goals I set out to achieve when I was seven years old watching my favorite music awards shows. One of my dreams was to have music published so people could purchase it and look at God. I am overjoyed at the blessings God has given me. God is good.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Chasing my dream definitely has not been a smooth road for me. It has been one of the scariest and most inconsistent roads I have ever been on. I have lost friends, and family as well, due to my chasing my dreams. Even down to people who see the gift in me and try to belittle me or make me feel like I am no good. I have had to pour into myself and find the courage to keep going and even until this day I still struggle with the confidence to push myself as far as I know God is going to take me.
What do you do? What do you specialize in?
I make music to tell stories. Stories that are relatable to so many people in the world. I want my music to be healing to others because that’s what music does for me. It heals me. In good times, bad times, sad times, happy times I can ALWAYS count on music to do what I need it to do for me. I want my music to do the same for others. I want it to heal, I want it to make people dance, I want it to make people smile. I want my music to be an escape for others. What sets me apart is that even though my story is relatable, many have not been able to conquer the challenges of life that made up my story. Because I have survived my story, I can do what many others cannot do, heal others through my testimony and how I made it out. If I can do it surely can you.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
The quality that I feel is most important to my success is resilience. There have been so many times that I have wanted to quit, But because I know what I am trying to do, through my music, I can’t give up. The world needs my music to heal. I need to put my music out so I can help that woman get out of an abusive relationship, so I can help that young girl see the beauty in herself, so I can help the world see the strength in self-love and what it does to the soul. Although I am still learning to heal and God walks with me every day, I know that God will reach millions through my music because it is authentic and from my heart. My music will have a different type of wave in the world because this gift is from God and he hasn’t led me wrong.
Contact Info:
- Website:
- Email: tomishacoleman@gmail.com
Image Credit:
Kurt Holder, Nathan Pearcy, Jeno Uche, Visuals by Prince
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