From Army to Artist: Finding Your Voice Later in Life with VTS Student Ashley Kalina

One of the biggest myths in music is this:

“If you didn’t start young, it’s too late for you.”

But if you’ve ever wondered if you missed your chance, please listen to Ashley’s story.

Ashley is a singer-songwriter who picked up her musical journey later in life—after serving in the military. She didn’t grow up with years of formal training or performance trophies on her shelf. She just had a love for music, a story to tell, and a willingness to put herself back in the game.

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🎧 Singing After a Break

🎙 Ashley: “I sang growing up... but then life happened. And after the military, I had to figure out how to find myself again.”

Ashley talked about growing up surrounded by music, then putting it on the back burner as life took her down a different path. But something kept calling her back. The feeling that music was still a part of her—even if she hadn’t touched it in years. And when she decided to answer that call? She found that her voice hadn’t disappeared—it was just waiting for her to come back to it.

Even if you never sang in your life, but something is calling you to do it now, just go for it! It doesn’t matter if you’re 20, 40, 70 years old! With practice, everyone can get better.

🎧 You’re Allowed to Start Where You Are

One of the biggest things Ashley struggled with was comparison—feeling like she had to “catch up” to singers who had been training since childhood.

🎙 Lara: “There’s no expiration date on your voice. You get to start from exactly where you are.”

You don’t need to be the youngest, the fastest, or the most technically perfect singer in the room. You just need to show up—with your real story, your real sound, and your real heart. Ashley’s journey reminds us that artistry isn’t about checking boxes. It’s about connection, courage, and honesty.

🎧 Turning Poetry into Songs

🎙 Ashley: “I’ve always loved writing. It started as poems... and it slowly turned into songs.”

Another beautiful part of Ashley’s story is how she used writing as a way to reconnect with her artistry. Sometimes your voice doesn’t come back through scales or exercises—it comes back through words. Through creativity. Through telling the truth, even if your voice shakes a little. Ashley’s willingness to let her writing lead the way helped rebuild her confidence—and gave her a roadmap to build her unique sound.

🎧 Progress Looks Different for Everyone

🎙 Lara: “Sometimes we think if we can’t do what we used to do, it means we’ve failed. But actually—it just means you’re starting a new chapter.”

Ashley’s voice isn’t exactly what it was when she was a teenager. But that’s not a bad thing. It’s a new chapter—with new colors, new textures, and new power.

This is something I have struggled with in my own journey too. There were times where I didn’t sing much for months (even years) and when I got back into it, I immediately felt the regression in my voice. I’m not gonna lie, but this is an awful feeling… It’s frustrating when you can’t reach certain notes anymore.

But here’s the thing… just wishing for these notes to come back isn’t gonna work and we can’t turn back the clock. All we can do is accept where we are now and put in the work to get back to where we were before - and beyond!

If you keep waiting because you’re feeling frustrated you will say to yourself in a couple of years “Had I only started back up earlier…”. Again, we can’t rewind the clocks, but we can take action TODAY.

🎧 You’re Not Too Old, Too Late, or Too Far Behind

If you’ve ever wondered if you missed your shot at singing, please hear this:

It’s not too late.

You’re not too old.

You’re not too far behind.

Your voice is still here.

And it’s still waiting for you to use it.

🎧 Want to hear the full conversation with Ashley—and get inspired to start wherever you are?

Check out Ashleys music here: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1r1NVSICCPGjWmSV7Oh7tb?si=rgJuM3-7Rom7eIkX5Xo8Qg

Follow Ashley on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/stellaaaaaahhhhhh

Check out Delicate Minds - Ashley’s Label: https://www.delicateminds.com/

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