Have you ever loved something so much that you felt you couldn't live without it?

For Paint Branch senior Chaya Blount, that thing has always been music.  She has been singing since she was 2, dancing since she was 5, and writing music since she was 13. Chaya feels that music is “basically my birthright." 

All of us have important moments in our lives that shape us and Chaya is no different. According to Chaya this moment was  “My dad passing and getting closer to God, which has pushed me to operate at my highest ability socially, mentally, physically with everything in life.”

Some of her favorite movies are the three Creed films and her favorite TV series is Love Island USA. One of her favorite foods is pineapple pizza or any kind of pasta. 

Chaya is a very social person but oftentimes finds herself needing some space to be alone and escape. When she takes this time for herself, Chaya says “nine times out of ten you’ll catch me writing, making music, sleeping, or being outside with and without family and friends.”

As for how excited she is for her future on a scale of 1-10, she puts herself at about a 10. She feels, “I've never been so ready to start building something special for my life in my life. I just want to succeed, be driven to do so, and enjoy doing it.”

The last gift she gave a friend was a gift box filled with letters and their favorite snacks. She doesn’t exactly have a favorite music artist because of how many songs and different artists she listens to because she grew up surrounded by all kinds of music. Her mother used to manage Dru Hill, the American R&B group, as well as a Baltimore group called “The Corporates”. Chaya has also  been in the record studio, which has given her the chance to make her own music.