from dickhead to diva: how kate nash taught me to stand up for myself 🎤

bonus post: a journey of self-discovery, terrible open mics, and the power of a good f-bomb

tl;dr: this is a bonus post for paid subscribers. covering kate nash's "dickhead" wasn't just about music—it was a crash course in self-respect and the art of not giving a f*ck. listen to my cover of kate nash’s dickhead in the post below (paid subscribers) or on soundcloud (free).

---

My friend Simone and I in 2008, during this time of me playing in open mics. They’d usually do backup vocals to my songs and we’d sing so much together. Monie, hermane, te amo.

hey mi gente! 👋🏽

picture this: it's 2007, and i'm a wide-eyed college kid at aquinas college, grand rapids. my hair's a mess, my fashion sense is questionable at best, and i'm clutching a cd like it's the holy grail. that cd? kate nash's "made of bricks."

little did i know that this album—specifically the track "dickhead"—would become my personal anthem and a turning point in my journey of self-discovery.

The album cover for “Made of Bricks” by Kate Nash. Source: Wikipedia.

when i first heard "dickhead," it was like kate nash had reached through my speakers, grabbed me by the collar, and yelled, "wake up, edgard!" (in a charming british accent, of course).

the raw honesty, the unapologetic f-bombs, the way she called out toxic behavior—it was everything my people-pleasing self needed to hear. and before i knew it, i learned it on guitar and recorded my own cover of the song. why? because some lessons bear repeating, especially when they're set to a catchy tune.