The most influential musician in my life is undoubtedly Alessia Cara. It is the uniqueness and authenticity of Alessia's music that made me fall in love with her music. The cleverness ofAlessia's lyrics inspires me, and I am inspired by her talent as a songwriter. Music like hers has helped me to heal during some of my toughest times, and that is what I hope to do with my own songs. Creating a safe space for people to confront feelings that aren't often discussed is what I aim to do with my music. Why should people vote for you? Yamile (sha-MEE-lay) Saied Méndez is the author of Blizzard Besties, Random Acts of Kittens, Wish Upon a Stray, and many other books for young readers, including Furia, a Reese's YA Book Club selection and winner of a Pura Belpré YA Author Medal. She was born and raised in Rosario, Argentina, and now lives in Utah with her family. A Walter Dean Myers Grant recipient, she is also a graduate of the Vermont College of Fine Arts. Connect with her at yamilesmendez.com. Soon to be a major motion picture starring Jeff Bridges, Meryl Streep, Katie Holmes, Taylor Swift, Alexander Skarsgard, and Brenton Thwaites

The best part of theTake the Mic experience so far would have to be both being on set filming and getting to meet these amazing people who have such awesome ideas and collaborating with them to bring our vision to life for my song, as well as getting to actually experience what it was like to be on set filming a music video. Another amazing part has definitely got to be watching all the episodes and seeing everyone else’s amazing talent and finished products!! What drew you to music?Applications like Zoom and Skype are designed to communicate and they do their core jobs well, however, when they do not work troubleshooting them can be a nightmare. Grace by Darcie Badger -native Americans girl leaves her land as her mama marries a bride and they try to find a stable life. They decide to return to their land and step up for their land and beliefs.

Take the Mic was a great step for me as I was already writing and playing music and I wanted to get more into the music industry. I felt that creating a music video was such a new and exciting step into my dream future job. Tell us about your song? What was the inspiration? You should then see a line moving in the test area -beneath the words The mic test - whenever your mic "hears"a sound. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented." I believe people should vote for me because this is my dream and this is an incredible opportunity to make it come true. I believe that communities need to get behind artists. Also when living in a small town it is harder to get opportunities so I would appreciate the community to help me get this one. I believe I have what it takes, so watch my music video, listen to my song and decide for yourself. I need your vote! What’s your ultimate music goal?As always, a copy of this book was provided by the publisher or author in exchange for my honest review. This does not effect my opinion in any way. Music has always been something that I have loved and I’ve been performing and writing songs ever since I can remember. I believe that one thing that really drew me to music was that my dad was always playing it loud in the house and also in the car every chance he could :). Who’s your biggest musical inspiration? Hopefully people will vote for me because they like the sound and style of the song and music video that I had the privilege of creating. Also, maybe for some people they will vote for me because they have been in a similar situation or can relate to the song that I have written. What’s your ultimate music goal?

Mahesh has always loved technology. When he first got an Android phone, he started writing tutorials about how one can get the most out of one's Android device. He has covered many other platforms as well, including Windows, Mac, iOS, and the internet. The big film day was surreal. Spending the day working to create the music video that best conveys the meaning of my song was a dream come true. The people I worked with from the makeup artist to the camera crew and director, everyone was so supportive and made the experience so fun. I loved how much creative control I had and how my music video brought my ideas to life. What drew you to music? Honestly... Barney and Hi5. I used to love watching them as a kid, and I think that is where my passion for music started. Who’s your biggest musical inspiration?I would wholeheartedly appreciate it if people would vote for me, so that I can continue pursuing my passion. So that people can join me on this journey and watch as I grow and fully embrace this opportunity!! What’s your ultimate music goal? To let both Microsoft Store and non-Store apps use your mic, toggle on the "Let Apps Access Your Microphone" option.