Today we’d like to introduce you to Rallia Westrick.
Hi Rallia, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I started out singing at a very young age and got my first taste of theatre as a 6th grader playing the lead role of Marian the Librarian in “Music Man.” I knew from the first moment I stepped on stage that I wanted to be a star! I quickly gained more knowledge and passion for music when I joined West Orange High School’s choir department and met a man that would change my life, Dr. Jeffry Redding he taught us to look past the technicality of music and dig deeper to tell the story and feel the notes. “Touching and Change Lives Through Music” was his motto we all have that one influential teacher in our lives, and he was mine. He truly ignited that spark to use music to heal and touch lives through our gifts’ stories and musicality.
My parents were in the entertainment industry and worked at Disney for over 11 years. My mom was a singer and dancer, and my Dad was in their main band, the Gettings Brothers. He was smitten by my Moms graceful moves and voice the minute he saw her on stage. They started dating and were married after only 6 months! My Dad was an entrepreneur and built his dream studio on a lake in Ocoee, FL; I was born and raised at Starke Lake Studios. It’s been around for almost 40 years! It was there that I was truly introduced to all styles of music. I quickly became a session singer and was used on several gigs where I had to learn to become a chameleon in the different styles and genres of music. I had to become whoever the client needed me to be. And this is where I learned a lot of my stylistic traits. I had to sing things from gospel to rock, broadway, and even hip-hop. I joined the UCF knights and continued my learning working towards a BA in Music with an emphasis on Voice and a Minor in Education.
I was singing background vocals for my friend’s band at the time (who is now my husband). The girl I was singing with asked me a simple question that would change my life forever. “Hey, have you ever thought of being a vocal coach?” I was taken back because I had never really thought twice about it. She ended up being a vocal coach who got a job at Disney and needed to find someone to take over her studio in a cute little mom-and-pop place called Broadway Music Academy. She told me that I had an amazing voice and a great personality for coaching, so I asked her if I could shadow her for 2 weeks, and boom, I was hooked! I sat in her lesson room and kept getting these butterfly moments as I watched her work with these beautiful little artists. It was amazing to see her work through troubled areas of a song and hear it transform into this natural, effortless space where the sound poured out of them so beautifully! The light bulb moments that her students would have after overcoming a troubled spot were so infectious. She was truly making a difference in these artists’ lives, and I wanted to be a part of that. So I took notes on every student, learned their voices, and started working on becoming a vocal coach. I dove into my unwritten pedagogy book, explored YouTube, and crammed as much knowledge as possible!
I was thrown to the lion’s den and started right away because they needed someone ASAP. I didn’t have much experience, but I had a passion for people and helping others. As long as I was making them feel 100 times better walking out of my room than when they walked in, I was doing good in this world.. I learned to overcome my fear of not knowing everything about my craft and just figured it out through trial and error and became better every week. I started coming up with my analogies, referencing them to my books, and ensuring I was doing things right. I had a way of breaking down walls with these kids and building their trust. Soon I was getting sound out of them that they never imagined could come out! I felt so fulfilled and just “right.” This is what God intended me to do. I quickly became popular in the Oviedo area. As new vocal students started coming in, I was being requested. Typically they were supposed to alter them between the other teachers and me. There was a little bit of jealousy going on in the workplace. I brought one of the coaches to Starke Lake Studios to show him my parent’s studio. He mentioned that it would be a great place to start a music school. I agreed with him, which was the end of the conversation. Unfortunately, this got back to my boss, who thought I was trying to do this. He was going through a nasty divorce and saw me as a threat since I was so popular with the students and insisted that I was planning on taking all my students to start a new school. (He was kinda coo coo for coacoa puffs). That weekend the Sunday before, I was supposed to come in. I received an email that I was terminated and was not allowed to contact any of my students for two years due to my contract. I was completely devastated, and I felt completely lost. My students were my babies! I found out later that he lied to them and told them that my “sub” was subbing for me because I was sick. After 2 weeks, parents started to question things. So the text messages started pouring in. Luckily because they contacted me, it was legal. I explained what happened, and their parents were furious that he lied about the transition. He lost about 70% of my clientele. I had parents begging me to come to their houses for private coaching, but I am a sucker for rules and didn’t want to risk getting caught, for it was against my contract to teach them within a 50-mile radius.
I had just graduated college, which was my main income source. So, I moved back into my parent’s house. I felt lost and unsettled. I felt so right about the path my life was going on. I started cleaning houses and nannying to make ends meet and try to get back on my feet. I realized that I had to go after it myself. I asked my parents if I could give lessons out of their house; instead, they offered a room at their recording studio! I was ecstatic! However, I didn’t have any clientele in this area. So I came up with a vocal workshop, started hitting up the local school’s theatre departments, and offered a free vocal workshop, and boom, my vocal studio grew wings! I started gaining clientele quickly, and my name became passed around the Ocoee and Winter Garden area. I finally felt like I was home and truly making a difference!
Fast forward 5 years. I had married my college sweetheart and moved into my beloved Grandmothers house that we had renovated and purchased. It was 3 minutes from the studio and a perfect location for my work! We finally worked towards the American dream of owning our own home and business and began talking about starting our family! I had a successful growing business, and I also started working part-time with Central Florida Community Arts, one of the largest non-profit arts organizations in Central Florida. I loved being able to give back and share my talents. I also became a Legacy their pro vocal group member and performed around the Central Fl area. I began to get stand-alone solos in their main showcases at Northland. I performed songs like “The Winner Takes it All” with one of the largest orchestras in Orlando and a 300-person choir. It was truly one of the most cherished moments in my career! I was also heavily involved in their theatre department, working along side the famous Donald Rupe. He truly pushed me to be a better performer, and I felt like I found a place within the community through the arts.
It feels like every time things start to feel right, something comes in and takes you on a different path, and this one was the catalyst to my success now. But at the time felt like a blow to the gut. My parents got into financial trouble and hired an investor (a family friend) to help make the studio more money. He saw my studio room and figured they should make money off every square foot. So one day after my lessons, I was blindsided, and he sat me down in the conference room and explained that he was there to help and that I needed to pay $1200 per month for that tiny little room. I was soccer-punched to the gut because we had just purchased our home and had a $1300 mortgage, which was double what we were paying for rent. I was told I had to start paying in 2 weeks or get out. I wanted to throw up; I knew I couldn’t afford it. My parents were devastated for me. I told them that I didn’t blame them and that I knew they were doing what they needed to do for them to survive. I was thankful for the time they allowed me to have in the studio to grow my business. My Dad has always taught me to roll with the punches, and when one door closes, another one opens!
I started racking my brain. I had to come up with a solution. I started looking up “glorified she sheds” on Pinterest, and boom, I had an idea! I called up my Dad, who is my hype man. We drove up to Superior Sheds and looked at prepackaged modulated sheds. They build the parts off sight, drive it down from North Carolina, and have a crew that puts it together in 2 days! I got the pricing for the shed, concrete, insulation, drywall, AC unit, and electrical and went to work. I went to my bank, asked for a $20,000 loan, and built my own studio in my backyard! And my monthly payment was only $450 a month while adding value to my home! I figured all this out in 2 weeks and asked the investor if I could stay for 2 more months while it was being built, hoping he would take pity on me. Also, seeing that he was a family friend to no prevail, I was still told to pack up my things. Luckily I had very supportive parents of my students, and when I told them we had to move to my dining room nook in my house while this was being built, they had no problem and cheered me on the whole way! My husband was so supportive because it was in the living room kitchen area, basically in the middle of the house. As soon as he got home from work, he would get his workout clothes on and go straight to work out in the garage or spend his time in our bedroom or porch. He was so kind in allowing me to have space with my students. It was a cluster, but it showed me the love and support I had from my clients and family. They all believed in me and my journey.
I looked up a free 3D cad program to come up with the measurements for the superior shed people because I wanted large custom windows. I had to get them custom from Lowes. 2 months turned into 4 months as project managing and negotiating prices with men being a woman was not easy. I had to tell many contractors to (excuse my French) F* off because they thought they could walk all over me. I had a vision and a budget that needed to be done. I finally found someone decent in pricing and allowed Andy and me to help him on the weekends to help with the cost. I learned so much! I learned to use a nail gun, put up drywall, miter saw, install faux brick, distress drywall to make it look like wooden beams, and lay flooring. We were making my dream happen. After it was finished, I had a dream of a brick patio. We saw a big dirt pile dumping zone with a yon of bricks in it, so every weekend when it was empty, we took our truck and dug out hundreds of bricks that allowed us to make a brick patio. When I tell you so much blood, sweat and tears went into it. I mean it.
I moved into my new studio space, and life was finally right again! My family and clients were so proud of my hard work in making this dream a reality! I began getting more and more clients, and the clientele ranged from 6 years old to high school students to professionals working for Disney and cruise ship entertainment. I began vocal producing my clients, recording sessions at my parent’s studio, continuing to bring them business, and even producing one of my student’s first music videos! My brother and I were asked to sing a song for Carlos Solis. He wrote a song for his wife, who was diagnosed with Cancer. He is well known in the Latino community, and I got to go where ever the band went to perform this beloved song. His band consisted of award-winning grammy musicians. It was an incredible experience. His song was nominated for a Grammy! So I guess you could say I was a grammy nominated artist! Lol
A few years later, we found out we were pregnant with our first child. Boy, what a whirlwind that was! Being an independent contractor, I don’t get paid time off. So I had to bust my little booty to save money to allow me to take off work when my son was born. It was no easy task, but I did it! After he was born, we quickly realized we needed more room. We happen to look at some new build homes in Winter Garden just for fun and to dream. That dream turned out to be much more attainable than we thought! A week later, we signed the papers and called my Uncle, who is a realtor, to put my beloved Grandmothers house on the market!
Here’s the kicker, we had to move back into my parent’s home for what we thought was only going to be 6 months (turned out to be 9) with a 6-month-old baby, and I had to find a place for my studio again when I tell you I have to most incredible parents I mean it. My parents offered their basement for my studio and even offered their main suite to Andy and me! They had just gotten new hardwood floors, so they were already empty. Wow, what a gift. Did I mention they didn’t charge us a dime for the 9 months we stayed there? Blessed, trust me, I know! It just made sense.
I was struggling with postpartum depression at the time. God knew I needed to be close to my mom and family. Teaching my students was like therapy because I felt better when making others feel good about themselves. I have had students with me since I arrived at my parent’s studio. So they have been on this journey with me too. They have watched me grow as I have watched them grow, equally pouring into each other. These students weren’t just “clients.” They were family. My lesson room was a safe place for my students and me, whether in a professional setting or my parent’s basement. It is where walls are broken down, and vulnerability is attained through working through a technicality. Still, once that is attained, it’s looking past that and digging even deeper into the words and figuring out how to connect put story with the story of the song. I think that is my favorite part about teaching. Helping them to find a way to connect their story to what they are singing. My son had his first birthday in my childhood home, and we were able to save, down to the penny, our down payment for our forever home, thanks to my parent’s generosity! I won’t even go into the cluster. It was to get it all squared away. Let’s just say we almost lost the house due to a silly mistake of the bank’s fault. God prevailed, and we moved in October 2019. This house was amazing, and I checked off everything on our list! Everything was going so smoothly, and we were settling into our beautiful new home and also trying to recoup from the initial cost of purchasing our dream home, and then Covid hit 2020 I couldn’t win.
Covid-19 devastated my business, and I lost 90% of my clientele. I had moved to online lessons, made a YouTube channel with weekly warm-ups, and gave inspirational quotes and messages to my students to try to keep their spirits up in a time when it felt like hope was gone with the entertainment industry. When Disney shut down as well as Universal, Sea World and the cruise lines. 50% of my students lost their jobs, and my high schoolers, most of their parents, were furloughed. It was a dark time for the entertainment world. I kept trying to inspire my students to keep practicing and working hard because when the world finally opened up, people would need entertainment more than ever after such a dark time. I continued to do what I could and worked online with the students that weren’t financially affected. It wasn’t many, but I dedicated myself to them and my self-development. I got in killer shape and also invested in Cheryl Porter’s Vocal Method. She’s my queen! She is one of the top vocal coaches in the world and spreads so much joy and life into this world! She is such an inspiration! I adore her!
We ended up having to furlough our mortgage as well. We couldn’t afford it. It was a terrifying time for us. Luckily my husband could keep his job, but it wasn’t enough. Fast forward months later, things slowly started opening back up, but my business was still struggling; entertainment was one of the last things to come back, and I had to be patient. But finally, when it did come back, to my surprise, people were eager to get back into the swing of things, and my business boomed! Unfortunately, we were playing catch up financially, but I was happy to be back in the swing of things!
As things started to come back, a series of unfortunate events happened. Along with the rest of the world, our family was affected by Covid. Andy’s Dad suddenly passed from covid complications. Soon the loss of their son was too much, and his grandfather and grandmother declined quickly and passed. Then my Uncle passed after fighting cancer for 4 years, and soon after, my best friend’s father got into a car accident and became paralyzed from the neck down and decided he wanted to be with the Lord. This all happened within a year. Through this troubling time, I have submerged myself in my family, work, and others, for I truly understood the idea of “we are never promised tomorrow, and to live every day like it was your last.”
Fast forward, and things have never been better! God has shown me that with healing, his grace, and my passion and drives to keep fighting, I can do anything with his strength. I began to ponder if he had bigger plans for me. I knew I was making a difference in the world, but I could only take so many students a day. I started getting inquiries for new students but had no time slots left. My reputation is known for teaching vocal technique, but more importantly, instilling self-confidence. That is the “it factor” that all vocal coaches should bring. I had to find a solution to bring more people in, spread my teaching philosophy, and manifest a “vocal sisterhood” of coaches who could bring the same vibes, teaching style, and love to these students. But where do I find someone I can trust who knows my style and technique? Well, my students, of course!
It was perfect! I started thinking about the students I had who had been taking with me for a while, and grace was perfect! She had a servant’s heart, a beautiful voice, and a passion for people! She was a perfect fit! Alecia came soon after introducing Heath, praise and worship leader who had toured with the famous Eddie James! I forgot to mention that in all this crazy, we found out we were pregnant with our second! So God knew that I would need to expand my business to bring in more money for our growing family and subs for my students while I take maternity leave!
But my dream didn’t stop there. This was my 1-3 year plan. My 3-5 year plan was to build another house with a garage with 3 vocal studios on top separate from my home; my 5-10 year plan was to have a brick and mortar! Westrick Vocal Studios’ vision is to provide a safe environment and collaborative workspace for performing and diverse artistic talents from all over. Westrick Vocal studios will bring a new modernized innovative hub for performing artists and creative minds, providing customized workspaces tailored to your talents and needs. From videography, writing, dancing, podcasting, live/virtual events, recording, or practicing, this platform will be for you! Whether you are a local artist needing a quiet space to hone in on your skills and let those creative juices flow, or a traveling band looking for a venue to perform, we will be a one-stop shop for all your artistic and performance needs.
I happen to mention my 5-10 years plan to a good friend whose daughter takes lessons from me, and let’s say God worked in mysterious ways, and I am currently skipping straight to my 5-10 year goal! I, unfortunately, can’t give any details about this project. But I will tell you that big things are happening in my life and my family’s life. I am proud of what I am doing and making my mark. God has been very loud and clear on the path I need to take, and I am so thankful that he has allowed me to begin building this new platform and reach larger audiences with my passion for the arts!
Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I have been a private vocal coach for 11 years now. I specialize in your voice and performance. I am known for having my favorite superpower, “instilling confidence.” I have found a way to create a safe environment for my students in my lesson room. When they walk in, they feel at home and know they will get a good dose of lovin’ from Momma Rallia. Yes, I critique them on their voice but they never really feel judged. They feel more loved. Every failed not only brings us one step closer to vocal freedom.
Breaking down walls is my specialty. These students open up to me about their lives and share their life stories with me, their struggles, successes, tears, laughter, and their deepest darkest secrets that have created their insecurities. These moments help me bridge the gap and find a way to connect their story to the song. Every song has a story, and it’s our responsibility as entertainers to tell it and bring it to life.
I am most proud of the legacy I am leaving. The imprints I am putting on people’s hearts and the courage I am giving these students to chase after their dreams, giving them the tools to vocal freedom and allowing them a place to call home when they need that extra push. Watching my students perform is my biggest highlight. Seeing all their hard work come to fruition. It is the proudest moment I have had as a teacher.
I think there are a lot of excellent teachers out there, but I want to be the “Dr. Reddings” in my students’ lives. He was the teacher who changed my life, and I always strive to be that one teacher they can always talk to about anything. They can always count on that person for moral support and someone who will guide them in their personal and professional career.
Risk-taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
I have taken a lot of risks in my life. It is all explained in my story from the first segment! I am sorry; I put everything in that first segment! lol
Contact Info:
- Website: https://hjgettings.wixsite.com/westrickvocalstudio
- Other: https://www.starkelakestudios.com
