Episode 6: Be Authentic, Be You

In this episode, I’m diving into what it really means to show up as your most honest, unfiltered self. Not the version shaped by expectations, comparisons, or the pressure to “get it right,” but the version built through vulnerability, self‑reflection, and the courage to grow. We talk about the moments that challenge your identity, the discomfort that comes with choosing honesty over perfection, and the freedom that comes from finally trusting your own voice.

This episode is about embracing the parts of yourself you’ve outgrown, the parts you’re still discovering, and the parts you’re learning to love. It’s a reminder that authenticity isn’t a destination — it’s a practice, a process, and a commitment to showing up as who you are, not who you think you’re supposed to be.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:12

Alright, what is going on, everybody? Welcome back to yet another episode of the Daydreamers Podcast. And again, for anyone that is brand new, welcome. Happy to have you. My name is Esteban. And uh yeah, I can't believe we're already six episodes in. Pretty pretty good flow so far. Um, thank you to everybody who has been tuning in so far or who has reposted, spread the word, done anything of that nature too. I really do appreciate it. Thanks to everybody who's given me feedback and been telling me they're enjoying the the subjects and and everything that you know that that I get to talk about and share with you all. Um and I send all the love right back and hopefully to you know continue building the community of all the daydreamers listening um and tuning in. So um I'm very excited for today's episode uh for a couple of reasons. I mean I'm excited for every I know I say that probably at the start of every episode, but I am very excited about this one specifically because and uh my close friends especially know this, you know, I'm not I'm not in at least how can I say this? It's not in my nature to be super spontaneous. Yeah, I have a moment here or there where I kind of thrive in a space like that, or I I naturally will jump into a moment like that, but it's it's not that often. I'm usually more of a planner, try to get things set up ahead of time, and you know, I want to be able to to kind of put a mold together so I know what I'm jumping into or what I know what my schedule or day is gonna look like. And especially even when it comes to fun stuff. I'm not super spontaneous by nature, but you know, I will say, you know, being transparent, doing this podcast and and getting to free up some time and space to talk about different things to kind of make this my own, it's allowed me to kind of, you know, you grant yourself that freedom to be a little more spontaneous, kind of do it at your own pace, do everything in which you see is the best fit. And I think that you know, as as time is going by and and I'm I'm finding more time to do kind of random things that I want to be able to put into this space, you know, I I kind of mentioned this on a previous episode, but you know, my process isn't super structured or super strict when it comes to preparing these episodes or figuring out what I'm gonna talk about. But you know, one of the main things is I try to think about a a subject that really matters to me, and I pull from a list that I've been compiling over the last few weeks, um and and of course then trying to think about what form of entertainment have I seen this kind of this thought or this idea or mentality expressed in a very, very passionate way, or that it just it there's a lot of examples to pull from, and it's really depicted in a way that that tells a really cool story. And um, you know, I I I've been very proud of the things that I've gotten to pull from in the last few episodes. And this one in particular, you know, it usually, as I just mentioned, I kind of pick the topic first, and then I'll go ahead and try to maybe see what I can think of or try to put to memory um or brainstorm what forms of entertainment have reflected that message. And this time it was in reverse. I don't, I don't can't even remember what what I was doing, but this probably was literally a couple days, you know, prior to recording um this episode, and I had remembered, I was like, you know, what what movies have I not gotten to sit down for a while? Because again, I mentioned in the previous episode, I I haven't gotten to really sit down and watch movies like I have been wanting to lately. And then I remembered uh uh a film that I'm gonna talk about in a little bit that God I fell in love with, and and it's so funny because I I I was already excited about it when it was coming out, because it's a fairly new film, it only came out a couple of years ago. And uh what's cool is you know I'm gonna be able to kind of tie in both music and film because this is uh this includes um it surrounds one of my favorite musicians slash producers of all time uh for Well Williams. So you can probably kind of take a guess if some of you know what what movie he he created for himself and his story. Um but it anyway it it came to mind and I and I remember I fell in love with this this movie and and and the message behind it, and uh, you know, I I I even kind of like I don't know if I've ever talked about this on the on the podcast, but you know, the the one of the big things that I've noticed, especially growing up, and it was one of those things where you I don't really know how to fully explain it, and it sounds kind of silly on the surface when I say it out loud, but you know, one of the things that was really a big indicator for me growing up that I realized I was so into music and film and that I really connected to it, especially when the two went hand in hand, you know, like I'm really obsessed with you know how music helps drive a movie or how it sounds in the background and the associations like when you hear a certain um melody or uh uh a really recognizable ballad or any type of music that's behind a film or that's involved in them in the movie, you know, it's very touching, and there's that association that I'm easy, I'm I can easily in my brain draw it to a point in a movie. You know, I can pull a scene from it just by hearing the music, or vice versa. I can picture the music, I can hear it in my brain, like when I might see like someone with a muted TV and they're watching a movie, and I can hear the music that should be playing out loud at that particular point. So, anyway, um I can go on and on getting nerdy about all that stuff, but I I I make that point because that was a big indicator for me is that I would watch movies even as a young kid, and I remember that this emotion would would would come over me anytime I would watch a movie, and the music just somehow it seemed like it fit perfectly with what was happening in the movie. Um and I I don't know, there's probably a huge science behind it that maybe I would love to dive into one day, like like learning about it or even talking to an expert about it, but like I just recall so many times where and there's a couple different examples of this, but like you know, if if it's an emotion, you know, an emotional scene in a movie where um a character in the film is is feeling something very deep or you know, or very sad or or very heartfelt, and then seeing how the music is driving that emotion, um, you know, this is more of a sad melody to the music in the background. But even not even just that, just music that you know maybe is uplifting and is very hopeful for the character or where the story is going in a movie. Um, and sometimes it's even the nostalgia of it. Like I know um I think I've mentioned this before here, but my favorite film of all time is Jurassic Park. So you hear either one of those, like really like the the most popular, the main themes of that um of that movie, the score of that film, that that thing could that could that could start giving me tears in my eyes. But it's not because I'm sad or that like I'm like uh wallowing in it like in a in a bad way or in a negative connotation, it literally just takes over me because I think the nostalgia of it is how I connect to that movie and the music is a huge part of it because that's what my brain has registered as recognizing what that movie is or what it means to me, I guess is probably the best way I can explain it. Um but uh you know, there's and there's so many movies that have like such popular like uh background music that we all recognize, or like I know even with a lot of the Marvel films that I have fallen in love with, you know, some of like my favorite characters, Spider-Man being one of them. But I also know like when Black Panther came out, uh, you know, that music that was mixing a blend of like hip-hop and Kendrick Lamar, um, who's one of my favorite artists in rap and hip-hop, you know, helped create an album, you know, a soundtrack for that movie. Um, which fun fact, I'm always gonna be diving into so many fun facts and and things that I've gotten to learn about the industry. But um, you know, I I was well connected with some people for a while that worked in the in the space of like Marvel and and and gotten to, you know, I've been fortunate to have a lot of great conversations with people in that space and shared that, you know, when um director Ryan Kugler, who directed the Black Panther film, who was directed both, but when he was working on the original one, you know, one of the big things that he was important to him was to have music that was both, you know, tribal and more with with you know representing the roots of of uh native you know African cultures and being able to use a lot of those sounds that are more traditional, and then also bring in hip-hop, you know, to build in to what the sound of the movie was gonna be. And that I I I guess, um, and I'm paraphrasing here, but I guess you know, this was also reflecting what the movie is. If you've seen Black Panther, you know, like you you have this uh country Wakanda where they're they're traditional in one sense, but they also are so futuristic and they're so advanced with what they do. So the music in the movie was kind of a reflection of that, right? But that uh Ryan Kugler, when he brought Kendrick Lamar in to make the soundtrack, you know, he had he had pitched it to him and and Kendrick was all on board. But the one thing they made sure they wanted Kendrick to do was that when they were still in the editing room, when they didn't even have a lot of the sound editing done for Black Panther, that Ryan wanted Kendrick Lamar in the room watching some of these scenes, getting a lot of the visuals in his head and seeing kind of where the movie was going to help him put together some of the music for the film and the soundtrack that we hear today for the first Black Panther film, like that's how it was put together. Kendrick got to see a lot of the visuals of the movie to see what it looked like so that he can then put that into the sound that he wanted to kind of help tell that story that was already there. So just a just kind of a fun story, but again, speaks to kind of like when I hear stories like that, I I definitely can appreciate something like that because that definitely would mean a lot to me, just in terms of you know, when we watch a movie and it feels like the music just makes so much sense and it just perfectly, you know, puts a an emphasis on what the movie already is, like it it pr it puts the cherry on top, you know, it's perfect. Um when it lines up like that. So anyway, you know, I've always been fascinated by that uh that that concept of music and film. And um so you know, I I I was thinking about this this movie that I saw, and uh, you know, I I kept thinking also like what a good opportunity for me to to to pull from a subject that it does mean a lot to me. It is very personal to me. I grew up with high high morality on this subject. Um and and you know, it there's one of the very few things that I would say I'd put at the top of my list of what I want to be remembered for trying to embrace and put out into the world in the most positive light possible, is this subject. And the subject is authenticity, being authentically you. And you know, I it's a pretty blanket statement, I'm sure, to a lot of people, just because you know it seems pretty oversimplified, like, oh, just be you. You know, I I think a lot of us probably hear a term like that, and and if we're struggling to find, you know, who we are, or you know, you might be going through some form of an identity crisis. I think we all do at some point anyway. It's kind of part of the process to really try to find who we who we are in our heart of hearts. Um, and sometimes it's just kind of difficult to feel like are all the things, are all the pieces in my life, are are they all really telling the true story of who I am, or at least who I'm who I want to be, who I aspire to be. And um, you know, even that separation of like who am I today versus who I want to be, you know, five years down the line. Um and so you know, there's a lot of different a lot of different ways to look at it. But for me, I I think the reason why it's so personal and so important to me is you know, I I think about what it means to to have authenticity. And you know, I the first thing that comes to mind is obviously with your with your own self. How do you carry yourself? How do you walk around on a day-to-day basis? Are are you being honest with with who you are? You know, I think especially when we're younger, you know, I I I immediately think of high school, you you're thinking so much about what other people think, what they might say, or the kind of opinion they might have if you do something wrong, or if maybe it's something that doesn't necessarily appeal to what is popular or what people might like, generally speaking. And it's unfortunate because sometimes it drives you in a certain direction, and sometimes it drives you away from who you really are. And that can be a difficult process to navigate and to try to even dig yourself out of because you can get caught up in that so much that you lose sight of who you are, and and and and it can it it can put you down a pretty complex path where you may not even really know who you are anymore, or again, you go through one of those identity crises where you're just trying to you're really just trying to uh unpack it one day at a time, and it can take a very long time to get where you are hoping at least to get with who you are. So, but the reason this this subject also you know stands out so much to me, and and I I will never get tired of like you know talking about it or or being so why I know why I'm so passionate about it is I feel like when you're your truest self, the achievements that you have in your life or the things that you might consider a success or um you know any kind of progress in your life, I feel like those are the sweetest victories that you can have. Because then it's like it's almost like the most free version of yourself it gets to feel the the the most positive impact of it. Like it's almost like I know this is gonna be a very weird analogy or example, but I'm full of weird analogies, so just just take it for what it is. But the best way I can explain it is like if you if it's raining outside and you wanted to feel the rain, you're gonna feel it regardless, right? If you step out and you're wearing a t-shirt or if you're wearing a hoodie or a jacket, you're gonna feel the water, you know, more or less. But if you were to run out there with no clothes on, completely naked, you're gonna feel the most of that water, right? Compared to if you were covered up in layers. It's the same thing with, I think, in my opinion, authenticity and you being your truest self when you achieve something. That achievement, the the the positive vibes or that good energy, that good feeling that comes with a success or a victory, you get to feel it the most when you're your most true self. And I I I there's nothing really that beats that. And and don't get me wrong, again, it doesn't mean that it's gonna happen often in our life. I I don't think so. I think that that's why we also appreciate them so much, is because they only come along once in a while, you know, and and uh to quote uh a Marvel character, um you know, nothing is beautiful because it lasts, right? So it it's it's just every once in a while you come across something like that and you it you appreciate it so much. Um but I think that that that's also you know when you think about being authentic and and trying to put that truest form of yourself. I mean, think about this for a second. And and this is something that that uh it does even make me laugh sometimes. I catch myself a lot when it comes to these moments. You you could go have a conversation with somebody. Maybe you're meeting somebody for the first time, maybe you're getting introduced at a family party to somebody, or you're at a new job for the first time and you're getting to meet your coworkers, um, you're at school for the very, you know, you're at a new school, it's first day of school, you're getting to meet new people, whatever the case. And you're you know, you're shaking hands, people are asking you, you know, pretty mundane, everyday small talk questions, you know, like, hey, you know, where are you from? Um, you know, uh, you know, what's what's what's your what's your story, what you're with your family, you know, are you married? Do you have kids? You know, all the basic questions, right? And you start finding yourself talking to a stranger where you know they they don't have any any impression of you. This this conversation is the very first thing they're learning about you, the very first impression. And sometimes it's in your head when you're having that conversation. Like, do I say the full truth or do I keep it very simple? Do I not say much? Do I not share too much because I don't know this person and they don't know me? Maybe I'm a little on reserve as to how much I want them to know about me. Um, maybe I don't want to come across weird or too forward if I share too much, you know, all those things where you're kind of being mindful of what you're gonna say. And it's so interesting to me because you you're now contemplating if you're gonna share the truest part of who you are, you know, and if anything, you would you would think that at least on paper when you're you know you you you're thinking about this, your first impression would be putting your your best and truest self forward. Because then at least people know what they're getting out of you every time they talk to you or see you. Um and yet I feel like we do the opposite naturally. We were very careful about what we say at first about ourselves. Um, you know, and I think especially like in like I'm thinking about a work setting, a lot of times you don't want to share everything about yourself right away because you don't want your coworkers to know your personal life. And don't get me wrong, guys. I'm just um I'm also not gonna pretend like boundaries aren't a good thing because sometimes depending on who you are talking to, if you have a decent idea or you know, you're in certain spaces, maybe you don't want to share everything. Hey, totally don't blame you. I I I do the same thing, so I I get you. Um, but it's just interesting that that's kind of how we typically approach things when it comes to introducing ourselves. Um, and I think the same thing even goes for sometimes with how we pursue something that means a lot to us, or we go after something, we try to achieve something, we work hard for something that means a lot to us. You know, a lot of times what hinders our opportunities to thrive in the spaces that speak most to who we are on the inside, you know, they're hindered by the fact that we're maybe not secure a hundred percent in who we are, or we're scared to try some of these things because maybe we've never gotten a thumbs up or reassurance that who we truly are is is enough or that it's okay, let alone that we can shine in the space like that, you know. Um, and so it it brings me to something that you know, like I I I I can say there's been a couple of aspirations or things that I've had in my life where I was hesitant to, you know, go for a a passion project or a dream of mine because maybe I thought I wouldn't be successful enough, or maybe um people wouldn't like it, or people would be judgmental, or people would just think like that's not gonna get you anywhere in life, it's not realistic. And yet I always knew, even if it was hard for me to you know step with that that best foot forward or that concept, that I knew that when I was doing those things that I was so passionate about, I was my truest self. There was no walls up trying to hide from anyone or trying to pretend that I was something else or that I was you know being restrictive about certain things that I wanted to show people. I was my truest self, and I think we all can attest to that in our own life. There's anybody who's listening, or anybody you know in life, we all have something that means a lot to us that we somehow put into practice in our life. Maybe it's a skill, maybe again it's a it's it's a passion or a hobby or even some kind of a you know a job or work, um, or even just the way you connect with people or whatever it is. But you find a passion in it and you thrive in that space, and you also feel and you probably catch yourself doing it without thinking hard about it at all. There's little to no hesitation, it basically flows out of you as if that is literally like it's your energy supply, just feeding itself out into the world, and it's not an easy transfer, or I'm sorry, it's not a difficult transfer. You you you put it out into the world like it's nothing. And gosh, I even just thought of another analogy, uh a silly one, but it's like it's like pouring from a pitcher, taking the top off, and it's just an open pitcher, and you're pouring your fullest self into a glass versus using a strainer at the top to pour into a cup. It comes out a little differently. Sometimes it takes a little bit longer, maybe it doesn't come out in its truest form, but you pour out of that pitcher with an open top, and it comes out completely in its truest form. Okay, you know what? I'm actually I'm gonna be honest here. I'm gonna write that down because I actually I'm not I'm not too I'm not I'm not gonna shy away from the fact that I actually want to keep that. I actually really like that. I do I had never thought of that before. I'm gonna Okay, let's see here. I'm just gonna put In a simple term, so I just don't forget it. And I'm gonna write it out in the full context later. Versus with a stranger. Okay. I'm sure my brain will tie it tie it back to what I what I have on on in writing later. Anyways, so uh what was I saying? Oh yeah, so you know, at the end of the day, you really just want to be able to to try to push towards that, because it it isn't easy, and sometimes we really do get caught up in a very difficult a difficult uh time in our head. You know, you you you navigate the ebbs and flows of like, is this the right thing? Is this the right time? Do I feel confident in this? Does it feel like like I I'm I actually really care, or do I care about it because people other people in my life tell me I should care? There's so many things that can kind of go into play or that you can kind of consider in your head when you're making those choices. Um but ultimately it's just it's just a form of expression of what we really have inside. And I and I will say this too I think the part that a lot of us forget is like anything, you know, practice and and and continue to to exercise certain um uh you know practices or whatever, you know. If if you if you exercise, let's say like when you're when you when you work out or you exercise, the the more you do those things, the better you get at it. And you sometimes even find the flaws in the way you do it, you improve your methods, you clean up things that maybe are a little messy, and and you also build yourself up into like the best version of yourself. I think the same goes for how you exercise who you are as your true character, you know, who you are uh in your heart of hearts. I I think the more you exercise expressing who you are, putting the truest version of yourself out there, the more likely you are to solidify who you truly are, and who you want to be. I mean, you know, we we're not a finished product at any point in our life just because we decide, yep, I like who I am today, and that's it. We're gonna evolve, obviously, because who you truly want to be tomorrow, and let's say then you achieve that tomorrow, you might find yourself in that cycle all over again where you're like, great, I've accomplished something, maybe I I improved myself in some way, but now I want to maybe add this to the list. Maybe I want to improve on something else in my life that I haven't gotten to touch yet. But you also have this really cool domino effect where like if you've succeeded improving one aspect of your life or being a little bit better at something or or or or embracing something more about yourself, then you find it a little bit easier to continue that pattern with other things in your life or other things that you care about or that you want to put your passion into, let alone when you finally express it, whether it's you when you meet other people, when you put things out in the world for people to see or to hear, because then you're not doing it for anyone else, you're doing it for you, and any impact that it has on other people to you that ends up just being a byproduct. It's like I love that it can help people or maybe give a positive light into somebody's like life, but that that wasn't even the goal. The goal was just for you to try to embrace your truest self, and that I mean again, you can't beat that. So that brings me to the the movie that I was uh referencing earlier. The movie is called Peace by Peace, and it's basically a story about the life of a an artist that I truly love. He's one of my favorite. He's he's like my probably my Mount Rushmore, I would say, um, of my favorite artists of all time. He's also one of the best producers of all time, uh, if not the best. That there's an argument that could be made there for sure. Um and just such a musical talent and artistic talent, I think, in general, and this movie touches on that. Uh Pharrell Williams. Now, for those of you who may not know who Pharrell Williams is, this guy has a legendary career just in music alone, let alone in the other things that he's gotten to do. But he's produced music for Justin Timberlake, for Jay-Z, uh um uh Snoop Dogg, uh Gwen Stefani, uh Brittany Spears, uh uh Tyler the Creator has been a big uh uh uh collaborator of his in the last few years. And and and so much, so many more artists. Buster Rhimes, Missy Elliott. I mean, the list goes on and on. And he you know, he's contributed so much, so much music, uh obviously in my life, a lot of music that I grew up with and that I still love to this day. One of the biggest reasons why I love music. And I was excited when this movie got announced because it's basically a story about his life, but the and this is this in and itself speaks to what it means to really express yourself and do things and express things in the way that best suits who you are, or that speaks to truly who you are on the inside. And the movie addresses it too, like it, it's it it kind of uh when they say in film, it kind of breaks the fourth wall a little bit when they address even the audience saying, like, yeah, I want to do this, it sounds silly, but this is what I want to do. He chose to make it a Lego movie, and yes, when I say Lego, I mean like the Toy Bricks Lego. If you haven't seen this, even just watch it to humor yourself, even if you could care less about Lego or you don't know who for what Williams is and you don't just watch it for the sake that it's it's just something very artistic. That there's no way to deny that. And uh, you know, one of my favorite things about this, other than the fact that it addresses the obvious of like, you know, it's it's very aware of it's very self-aware of what it is. You know, Pharrell has always been what you might consider a little, a little out there, a little odd. You know, he's not like your typical guy, he wouldn't be what you call quote unquote normal in terms of what society standards are, you know. He dresses very uniquely, lots of colors, lots of different random styles, but he also like is a very stylist guy. He's big in the fashion industry. He's been, you know, he's endorsed quite a few different like luxury companies like Chanel, Louis Vuitton, and all that stuff. Um, but he's also like created a lot of products of his own. And um he's collaborated with so many other you know companies, and and so he's you know, he has a lot of connections and he's gotten to reflect his artistry in a lot of different ways. Um, but he's you know, a lot of a lot of people probably in society, generally speaking, would say he's probably not the average person if you were to walk in a room or you saw the way he dresses, or you know, even sometimes the way he talks. Like he kind of sounds like an introvert a little bit, like he's a little soft-spoken, but it's like all this artistry, all this color is just sitting in his body, and like he just puts it out there with any artistic thing that he does. Um, and it just it's almost like you you you wonder like with people like that when their brain is so full of just I keep saying it like just art, like an artistic expression that you you you let it out, and it's like uh uh a can of paint just explodes. It just it in and in the best way, in the most beautiful way. It's like if you had this can of paint and it exploded all over the walls, but then the walls then reflected like these beautiful paintings, like that. That's kind of what I feel like a person like him is. But gosh, and let me tell you, what what it would be like probably to interview someone like him. I mean, my dream would be to interview somebody like that. I I feel like to to unpack that uh a person like that's brain is next level. It's so fascinating to me. But I digress. The the the the movie, you know, talks a lot about his life, how he, you know, what how he f how he felt when he was growing up. He grew up in the projects, you know, um uh uh low-income area, and you know, but but he grew up never feeling that way. To him, he was just surrounded by you know art and beauty and and very talented people, a lot of people that were into all kinds of art, uh, in in Virginia Beach. And he talks a lot about you know um just how music was a very big influence in his life and it very much spoke to him. You know, he grew up listening to Stevie Wonder Records, but that he would sit in his room just watching the boombox, like just looking at it as it was playing music, and that the music I think he called it synesthesia. Maybe I don't have I don't know if that's the correct term, but basically when he would hear the music, it's like he could see colors as and it's like a real thing, I guess, that the brain can do, but not a lot of people have it. But like he would see colors, and he would use, you know, the Lego too, does such a cool job because you know, Legos are so colorful, and he kind of uses that as a way in the movie to kind of tell and kind of describe how he would hear all this music in his head, you know, music that other people had made, and then music that he just had sitting in his brain, beats and rhythms and instruments that he could then turn into something, this formula that he was putting together little by little, and even talking about his upbringing, and when you know his grandma, who he grew up with too, finally encouraged him, got him his first little drum, and and and and said, You need to go to band class. And then he met his very first professional collaborator in seventh grade in band class, and that kind of kick-started his passion for just making music and getting to again, you know, flex those muscles a little bit. Um, and then that he went to school with like all these very famous artists that we know now, like Missy Elliott and uh uh Timbaland, who's a very oh my gosh, I love Timbaland too, another great producer and and and just music maker overall. Um, that they went to school together and they were just surrounded by all this talent and and artistic talent. Uh and just as the movie goes on, you know, you start to see about how he came up with certain ideas that we know today as some of the most popular songs he's ever made, but also some of the struggles he went through, like when he lost his grandmother and how it kind of shifted his career, that other people around him at times were influencing and trying to stir him in a certain direction that maybe didn't feel most natural to him. But the cool message that kind of spreads through the entire film, again, the the movie itself, in terms of it being a Lego movie and the way he expresses everything, is a metaphor in and of itself of what it means to truly express the truest version of who you are, and that when you know when it means so much to you, how powerful that is when you're able to put that together somehow, some way. But I also think that you know, oh hi, how you doing? My girlfriend just got home, everybody. So if you heard the door, and that that that's all that was. Um and then of course our our pug is so excited that she's here. Huh, Cuddy. Oh yeah. Oh, you so happy your mama's home, huh? Yeah? Oh my goodness. I told you guys, this is this is gonna be in real time, you know. Life is life, things happen, you know. Oh my goodness. Hello. Um, he gets all the love. Uh I don't think he was snoring this time on the podcast, you guys, but he was definitely asleep, so he definitely woke up with to some to some happiness and joy right there. There you go. Um but anyway, so uh trying to think where I was where I was at. Oh, yes. So the the you know, the way he made the film itself is a huge, you know, really cool metaphor. But the other thing that I just love about you know, he constantly touches on throughout the movie is just how there was always somebody that either believed in what he could do, what he was capable of, because they saw how special of a gift he had, but also just the idea that you you want to be able to express it and believe in yourself and your capability because it's what allows you to find and unlock these these new levels, if you want to call them that, in terms of what you can truly accomplish. And it's a really, really cool thing that you start to see the layers of how he you know not only found his success, but he found his true identity in making music and and being an artistic collaborator and all these things, and it wasn't just you know in in a simple, oh, I practiced making music and eventually I got really good at it. Like it went through phases of where he you know he was grieving the loss of his grandmother, or that at a time where he didn't know if he wanted to do solo music versus just producing music for other people. He even talks about how um you know when when in society things got very difficult, especially um, you know he talks even a lot about you know what it meant to be black at a time where you know it it was very difficult in society and how his music he realized that music could make a big impact on even the subjects of that of that matter, and how it just meant a lot to the communities around him or the communities that he belonged to, you know, him growing up in a in the projects or talking about how you know his music, you know, could could reach audiences that where it gave them hope where it got them through through a very difficult time. Like one thing I actually I I honestly did not know, um, you know, and again, being a huge f fan of rap and hip hop, I didn't know that Pharrell, you know, because he's in the movie, he kind of jumps into like certain sequences in the movie, uh, and you start to put together like you're looking at the Lego figures and you're like, wait, is that the artist I think it is based on like how they're dressed and like the way he puts their hair and their outfit together and their you know facial expressions and everything? And even a lot of the music videos that he had helped put together for his music, and I start to see this video. He's talking about you know, uh protests in in Los Angeles, and at that time, you know, there was certain music that was coming out that he actually helped contribute to, and then I see what looks like a black and white music video, and I'm like, wait, I've seen this, and it's Kendrick Lamar's video for Alright, and I was like, Wait, are you telling me I I didn't know that Pharrell had produced that song, and I guess he did because you know it was a lot on his mind about what was going on in the world, and then he he had created the beats for Kendrick, and then Kendrick put the lyrics to it and they put the song together. And for those of you who don't know what song it is, and you can always you know if look it up if you're listening and you haven't heard the song, but it's the song that goes, We gon be all right. And I didn't know that that little melody in the music where he's where you I thought it was Kendrick in the whole song. I didn't know there was any other voice in that song, but I guess the that that melody in the chorus, we gon' be all right. Do you hear me? Do you feel me? We gonna be all that's all Pharrell's voice. I had no idea until I watched this movie, and so when I when I re-learned that, I was like, oh my god, like this is another cool layer, you know, learning about what his music really meant to him and and in the way that he did it. And it right around the same time in the in the movie, I can't remember if I think it's the scene right before, too. Again, speaking to the subject of like what his music meant to him. Sorry, I'm just gonna take a little sip here. Gotta clear my throat here a little bit. Um, that he was also expressing about how getting, you know, as the more successful he became, he was getting approached by so many different artists and studios, particularly even film studios, about making music. And then he starts talking about how a film studio came up to him to make music for a movie that was being worked on, and he had never done that before, and it was like an again another layer, another level that he was trying to unlock, and he couldn't quite get it. And then it's really cool because in the movie, I don't want to spoil it because I want some people to watch this, but like you get an indication of what and some of you can probably guess already, but uh well, I know I guess I'm gonna talk about it anyway. It you start to see little icon characters in the corner where he starts talking about like, yeah, the studio came to me trying to come up with the music for this movie, and you see it's their three Lego minions, and then you're like, Oh yeah, of course, he did the music for Despicable Me. And so all the music in that movie is made by him, it's produced by him, it was green-lit by him. Like he he was the the the master behind that music, and they gave him that luxury to or uh that that license to make all that music, and um, but he described how for a while he couldn't find what he wanted the music to sound like, and that he's you know, and he has said this in interviews too, that one day he was uh giving his son, his his baby kid a bath, and he just saw the joy that his the the the innocent joy that his kid had, and that gave him and how metaphorical too, his kid's name is Rocket, um how how metaph how metaphorical it was though that like he he he saw the joy that literally felt like it was it was priceless coming from his kid, and he thought I want to use that, and he says or kind of describes that like seeing that joy or that happiness started to turn into this he just started to see yellow everywhere. Now I feel like personally, because the movie he probably knew it was about minions too, he was already he already kind of had yellow in his head a little bit, maybe, but I don't know, maybe not. But either way, that this just this joyous uh uh depiction, this expression was was like all fresh in his head, and I know that you know, like any of us, when we have a certain, you know, when a when a certain feeling really touches us like very strongly, you know, you it's like when you get butterflies, you you you just it just takes over you and you can't really help it, right? And it it's so funny because then you just start to see in the movie, you know, everything's turning yellow. But it it's to me, it's my favorite part of the movie too, because it that that song that he ended up making was happy. And we've all probably heard the song. I wish I could play it for you, but then I'm gonna get it copyrighted here on the podcast. But it is it was one of the it's probably one of the biggest songs ever made for a movie, and he made it purely being inspired by what he saw in his son and the joy that was uh all around that. And it it really told a very it told a very valuable lesson when it came to you know art reflects reality, but also that he got it to put it into you know this movie, but then it became something more, and he talks about that, how like you know, as this movie came out and the music was so you know, the music was so popular for this movie, it was iconic. You register it with the Despicable Me films, especially that first one, but then you know Happy also came out and it was like it was a movement around the world. There was music videos and videos getting posted all around the world, people dancing to that song and sending him the clips, and then he was putting out different versions of a music video of just all these people dancing to the music, literally from every corner of the world, and even Oprah interviewed him about it because it was just such a big thing, and it was probably the biggest accomplishment to him up until that point. And he gets emotional in that interview, just talking about how I would have never imagined it would become this. And he said, like when I saw these this movement happening, like it wasn't even my song anymore. It didn't feel like it was my song, it felt like it was the world's song. And then he even talked about you know, just how he got to also learn so much about people in general. People were coming up to him on the street or anywhere that he went saying, Hey, you know, this you know, the song wasn't just a song of expression. It, you know, people were telling him, Hey, you know, my your song, you know, my mom, it got my mom through chemo. You know, we would listen to it every day, and it's what kept her somewhat happy, you know, pun intended, uh, you know, during that time, you know, or or hey, you know, we got evicted from our house, but you know, we we were hearing the song on the radio constantly or anywhere we went, and it was always a reminder that like things would be okay. Um, you know, and I know in my life, I sh I mean I'm not gonna sit here a lie, you guys. Like, there was a point in time like where I was at my lowest in life, and that was one of the songs that would definitely put me in a much better mood. And you know, I I I fun fact, I love to dance. I I love to dance, and that is a song that no matter what time of day it's put on, no matter where I am, if I hear that song, I'm gonna start dancing. Like, I love that song, it's just I don't get tired of it. So, you know, I I I I guess just overall, it's just a really cool thing to see the way he tell he told his story, but that was always the underlying message was like he just there there was so much that he learned about expressing himself, being his true self, and embracing that. Like, yeah, there were kids when he was young that would say he was weird or didn't want to hang out with him, but he also had other people that when he did embrace that part of himself, he realized he wasn't the only person maybe trying to find his identity or that wanted to let that artistic flow out of him. And that when he allowed that to happen, when he sees that opportunity, it was like it was magic. And it's also very, excuse me, contagious when you see that. Because you just can't help but want to do the same or just feel a little piece of that. So, you know, again, I can't recommend this movie enough. Especially if you're like a hip-hop fan or you're a fan of Pharrell or you even like Legos, I think you'll appreciate it. Um, I it's such a good, such a good movie. Um but and and and obviously if you like Pharrell's music, you know, it's a really cool th way to kind of like learn more about his you know the story of some of those songs. So again, the takeaway here is it's gonna be hard at times to try to find authentically who you truly are, and sometimes embracing that is hard around certain crowds, certain environments. Sometimes it is just difficult to want to be able to find yourself, find your that identity, and and and be able to put that authenticity forward, whether it's in a job interview, when you meet somebody for the first time, when you're in love around your family who you feel maybe has known you your whole life, has known more about you than you knew about yourself, and yet you can turn that on its head and say, No, I I have truly found who I am, who I want to be, and the things that I can put out in the world, the things that I can do for myself that can allow me to be that truest version of myself. So never shy away from the opportunity to try to find out who you are, and to never be ashamed to be authentically yourself, no matter how weird it might be, no matter how off the cuff or or or you know, removed from the grain, whatever the term is that you want to use. Don't don't be ashamed of it, you know. And and don't get me wrong, it doesn't mean that every time you find a way to express it, that it's gonna be the finished product or it's gonna be the best way you can express yourself. Definitely not. You're gonna have your mistakes too, or your times where you're, you know what? I thought at the time that was gonna be my truest self, but now having kind of like sitting in it a little bit, maybe it doesn't feel like the the the the most authentic version of myself. That's okay too. I think we all go through that. I think we all go through phases. You know, I in seventh grade I had a mohawk. What was I doing for that? No idea. Did I think it was a good idea at the time? I sure did. Do I look back at that now as probably one of the biggest fashion mistakes I've ever had in my young life? Uh yeah, without a doubt. Um I'm laughing to myself too because I'm thinking about all my college buddies. I that was probably one of the weirdest phases I had too, where I was I was my fashion choices were all over the place, and I don't think they were for the best. And I think as much as that was such a bad time for me, and my friends, if they're listening now, they're probably like, oh my gosh, we would tell him so much not to wear that or not to put that on. But what I will admit though, at the time, whatever my influence was or wherever I drew that from, I wore it with pride. I was so proud to do some of those things, and yet I look back on it now, I'm like, oh man, what was I thinking? But it was nice because it helped me evolve into you know, maybe what is somewhat of a better fashion sense now compared to at least what it used to be. Um, but again, you kind of gotta go through those ebbs and flows sometimes, and then somebody sometimes maybe gives a suggestion, and I think that's also not something to forget. Having certain suggestions or people around you that might try to guide you on that journey is also not a bad thing either. I think as long as you just don't lose sight of what matters to you most. Other than that, hey, express yourself, do whatever feels right. Trial and error is sometimes the best way to get to that uh that that that that that that beautiful finish line, so to speak. So I I I want to say that that that's it for today, you guys. Um, you know, thank you so much for listening. Um stay tuned for more. I'm gonna have a couple of bonus episodes coming in. Also, I I I forgot to address this in the beginning, but May is mental health awareness month, and there's uh a couple of other really cool things and subjects that I'm gonna be talking about this month, a couple of really cool um movies and possibly even a couple of TV episodes too. Um that that I want to be able to talk about here. Um, and even a couple of other things that I want to bring in, you know, maybe a a couple Q ⁇ A's throughout the month, just cool things to kind of address and talk about. I might even do a fun QA just about myself and and and so you can learn a little bit more about me. I can learn a little bit more about you. Um, I always want to keep doing that with you guys. So thank you so much to all of you, all of you daydreamers, thank you for being a part of this. I look forward to sharing more with you, hearing more from you. Please again spread the word on this. This is on Apple Podcasts, Spotify. I have the direct link on my socials as well, on my main Instagram page for the Daydreamers Podcast and my personal page. Please check it out, spread the word. Listen to the previous episodes if you haven't already. Check them all out. You won't be disappointed. And otherwise, I'll talk to you in the next episode.