Music was my first love, my escape, and my greatest source of purpose. It was the reason I moved to New York City at just 18 years old, with only $500 in my pocket, without a visa and a dream of becoming an artist. Life in Harlem and the Bronx was anything but easy, but my passion for music was always stronger than the struggles I faced. Every challenge became part of the journey, and looking back, I wouldn't trade a single moment.

 

As the years went by, my career in design took off, while my musical ambitions slowly faded into the background. Eventually, I found myself living in Los Angeles, where life confronted me with a series of deeply transformative experiences: multiple burnouts, the end of the relationship with the love of my life, and major career setbacks. I hit one of the darkest periods of my life.

 

Ironically, it was in that darkness that I found my way back to myself. I reconnected with music—this time in my mother tongue. It felt more honest, more vulnerable, and more like home than ever before. That's when my alter ego, Malakai, was born in early 2026.