B.Y.O.H. Spotlight April 2011- Ayla Brown

The Be Your Own Hero Spotlight Series on AthleticCapital.com is a new, monthly feature that showcases the biographies and stories of real-life “Heroes” — men and women who, while brandishing a defiantly positive and determined mindset, are pursuing their dreams in spite of criticism, cynicism, and being misunderstood by those around them. The individuals showcased in this series have different beliefs, goals, and mantras for how to live life, however, they provide valuable lessons in unlocking your inner potential. I am very blessed to have had these “heroes” come into my life and I hope their stories can help in your own personal journey.

he·ro 1. a man or woman of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his/her brave deeds and noble qualities. 2. a person who, in the opinion of others, has heroic qualities or has performed a heroic act and is regarded as a model or ideal: 

Ayla Brown is a hero. Driven by her own determination and core values instilled upon her by loving parents, US Senator Scott Brown and television reporter Gail Huff, she has pursued a diverse range of endeavors to discover a life that is authentic to her. Her achievements in the short span of the last six years include; being an American Idol Semifinalist, recording artist of three albums, performing nationally and internationally, and supporting numerous charitable causes. Ayla has succeeded in achieving  some of her grandest dreams while also committing a tremendous amount of time to her teammates and studies as an NCAA Division 1 Student Athlete at Boston College. During her collegiate career, she was known as a leader athletically and academically, receiving a degree in Communications in 2010.

Immediately following graduation, Ayla became a regular on the CBS Early Show as a correspondent highlighting inspirational stories that have a strong social and cultural impact. These segments typically emphasized the importance and impact music/arts can have on children and young people. In 2011, Ayla made the decision to pursue an opportunity to perform in Afghanistan on behalf of Armed Forces Entertainment to entertain and inpire fellow heroes serving overseas.

In the beginning stages of her young career, Ayla continues to apply the lessons she has learned from her many life experiences as she follows her heart and creates her own path. Ayla Brown currently resides in Nashville, TN and has empowered thousands of young people to pursue their dreams and lead authentic lives. Are you ready to join the movement?. Be Your Own Hero!

1. You have experienced a tremendous amount of success at a very young age in many different aspects of your life. What are the short and long term goals that you are currently pursuing?

Ayla Brown: First of all, thank you. I consider myself someone who doesn’t take “no” and “you can’t do it” for an answer. From the time I was very young my competitive side has always kicked in with everything I do.

My short-term goals… Well first off, I want to release a CD that people of every genre and age can pop into their cars and really enjoy. I have made the official switch to country music. Many reasons drove me to do this, but the main one is that I truly feel like I can be myself when I am on stage singing about what this beautiful country has to offer. Country music is about stories and simple melodies. I want my music to reflect just that.

Another short-term goal I have is to open up some big shows for some big country stars. I want to share my music at festivals, fairs, and concerts throughout the country. I already have a couple lined up- one being the opener for Darius Rucker on the 4^th of July in Nashville! I haven’t been able to really travel the country and if music can allow me to do this then I am a happy camper!

My long-term goal is to be a household name. I want my song to come on the radio and people say, “That’s Ayla Brown!” I want to be financially stable to send my children to college and for them to have all of the opportunities I did growing up, whether that was through sports or music. And lastly, I want to be happy. The worst thing is when you lose the love for something you do. I never want that to happen with my music because I am grateful for every opportunity.

2. What has pursuing your dreams taught you about yourself? about others? about life?

AB: Pursuing my dreams has taught me how tough I am. Like I said before, I try not to take “no” for an answer. If people tell me I can’t do something, I work extra hard to prove them wrong. I don’t really know where this mentality came from. If I could blame/thank anyone it would be my dad. He put a basketball in my hands at a very young age and would push me to the limit. Just when I was about to break, he encouraged me and told me I was the best player he’d ever seen. That’s a way to coach a kid in my opinion. You push them as hard as you can but then reward them for all of their efforts.

I think because of this type of coaching I was always good at holding my teammates accountable. If someone wasn’t sprinting as hard as they could I was able to tell them to pick up the slack. It taught me how to deal with different types of teammates. Some can handle the pressure, while others are more sensitive.

3. Do you have special practices that help you along the way? What are you sources of inspiration?

AB: When it comes to my music, I try not to compare myself to other artists. I just interviewed country star and Grammy winner, Miranda Lambert, and asked what her biggest advice would be for me. She said, “Go out there and put on the best show you can and be yourself. You seem like a pretty cool girl. If you’ve done that and shown your personality then you’re fine. If they don’t like it then you can go to bed at night knowing that you’ve been yourself.”

I think that her advice is the way everyone should live. She’s so successful because she is true to herself, her beliefs, and her music. If there is anyone I want to be like it would be someone like her. In return, I want to come across to my fans the way she did to me.

4. In 2006, you were selected to take part in Season 5 of American Idol. What lessons did you learn from this experience? Was American Idol everything you envisioned it being?

AB: I tried out for American Idol because my mom wanted me to do something fun during my senior year of high school. I had already committed to play basketball at Boston College when I was 15 years old, so for two years I knew exactly where I was going to college. She knew I loved to sing and told me to try out! I had a BLAST singing on the show and it was everything and more than I expected.

Let me tell you, there is nothing better than being on a stage and singing your little heart out. Idol was the first opportunity I had in learning what my true passion was (music). I had never sung in front of people before I tried out for the show, and looking back, if I had never tried out for Idol then I wouldn’t be where I am now. I have my mother to thank for pushing me to step out of my comfort zone and trying something new.

5. You recently spent some time supporting the troops overseas? What brought this about? What did you enjoy most about this special trip?

AB: Ever since I graduated I’ve wanted to sing overseas and entertain our troops. The opportunity presented itself when some members of my band came back from Iraq in 2004 and told me to GO FOR IT, and that it would change my life. I completed the massively long application for the AFE (Armed Forces Entertainment) and submitted it. A few months later they called me and said that Outback Steak House was going over to Afghanistan to feed the troops and they were looking for entertainment to coincide with the trip. At first they had Tim McGraw as their artist, but there was a mix-up with his tour schedule and couldn’t come. SO THEY CHOSE ME!! I was so excited to hear this and jumped at the opportunity.

This trip changed my life completely. I was able to meet with all sorts of soldiers, marines, navy, and airmen. They were so happy and thankful that an American band flew 24 hours to perform for them. I made friends and fans for life and this is definitely something I would like to do many times throughout my life.

6. If you could teach a child only one thing, what would it be?

AB: To be nice to others. No one likes being picked on, no matter how old you are.

Please be sure to subscribe to Ayla’s email newsletter through her website (www.AylaBrown.com) to receive important information and downloads. You can also follow Ayla on her facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/aylabrownmusic) and on twitter @AylaBrown. She will playing a free show at the Mohegan Sun (Uncasville, CT) on April 21 for those interested in experiencing Ayla in person! Be Your Own Hero!