One of the first shows I ever went to was actually a Set It Off show— when I was in high school. It was when they were first starting out and at a small venue in our hometown. I was just a 16-year-old girl in her vans and her favorite T-shirt jumping around with her friends. You could feel the atmosphere around you hang heavy with the weight of our youth and our whole lives ahead of us. The future was unknown, but all that mattered was feeling the music and mentally escaping for the night. I remember us holding each other close and screaming the lyrics back with giant smiles on our faces. There is no better feeling than bonding with a crowd of people and letting go. I think so many people forget what that is like as they get older or especially when they start dating someone in the music industry.

I love watching Set It Off play & am so proud of them. Seeing my love and my friends up there doing what they love—and doing it so well— always makes me so happy. Seeing the crowd line up outside the venue for hours rain or shine and showing me all their tattoos and laughing— bringing people together— its a wonderful feeling. I attend a lot of shows with Dan and also tour with them in general, but I rarely go out into the crowd and usually watch from side-stage because it’s easier & I’m normally alone.

At the Orlando show on the Fight for Something Tour I decided to stand in the crowd with my girlfriends rather than stand side-stage like we usually do. As I was standing there with my best friend Crystal— singing every word, falling over laughing, jumping around and having such a wonderful time— it reminded me of why I first started going to shows and brought back so many memories. It was honestly very sentimental for me because we had friends and family there and here I am getting reminded of something that used to be so important to my sanity. When I heard Dan over the mic mention me, my heart stopped and I thought, “Dear Universe, thank you for giving me what I never knew I was asking for all this time. Thank you for giving me the gift of this man who brings such love and music to my life every single day. And thank you for putting me in this crowd to remind me of who I am.” I realized halfway through the show as I looked down at my feet and saw my dirty black vans:: that no matter where life takes us I am proud to still be that girl in the crowd who can let loose and let the music lift me up. We live in a world that is constantly trying to tell us what is supposed to be important & as we grow up we start to listen– make time to clear your head and find what lifts you up . Things have changed and I know they are only going to keep changing, but it’s important to remember who you are. I never in a million years expected to be on this insane journey with Dan, but here we are. Life is not easy and there is no way to tell what is coming next, but staying grounded is the only way to make it through successfully.

I really love all of you that come to the shows and are always so kind & wonderful when you see me— I really appreciate it– it’s so uplifting to meet you and feel your support for the guys. I get a lot of messages on Facebook or Instagram saying that some of you see me at shows and wanted to say hi or take a picture, but didn’t know if I would care or be annoyed. Honestly, I love meeting you guys and taking pictures. To those of you that I saw in the crowd on Saturday: Thanks for letting me jump around, sing, and be uplifted along-side you— see you next time!