Heerraa Ravindran, a 24-year-old singer-songwriter from Kluang, Johor, is gaining recognition for her music through a series of live shows in Nashville, Tennessee. Her latest single, "Note to Self," which she wrote at 19, reflects on overcoming insecurities and connecting with her younger self.

Performing at the Bluebird Cafe in Nashville is a significant achievement, as it's renowned for hosting artists like Taylor Swift and Faith Hill. Heerraa's acceptance as a voting member of the Recording Academy (home to the Grammys) is another milestone. She's pursuing a Bachelor of Liberal Arts at Harvard Extension School, all while co-founding a youth organization called Ascendance and building her career as an independent artist.

After receiving a scholarship from the Nilai International School to complete her upper secondary studies, she chose an unconventional path of pursuing a Bachelor of Liberal Arts at the Harvard Extension School, a division of Harvard University. Heerraa acknowledges the support of her mother and mentors in helping her achieve her goals.

The programs at Ascendance, led by her younger sister Harsha, are making an international impact on students aged 10 to 18. Despite being raised in a single-parent family, Heerraa and Harsha were instilled with confidence and determination from a young age.

Sheer ambition and hard work are what make Heerraa a trailblazer! Having had a strong role model in her mother, who courageously quit her high-paying corporate job to pursue her own venture as a C-suite executive coach, Heerraa has followed suit and taken her own path. With her experience of starting vocal lessons at 11, attending guitar and keyboard classes as a teenager, and writing her first song at 14 - Heerraa proves that with dedication and perseverance, we can achieve our dreams and reach our highest potential.

From making a difference in communities to captivating hearts with soulful melodies, our former Diana Award recipient has now written over 100 songs.

Besides singing, Heerraa is co-founder of Ascendance, a youth empowerment group that has grown to become an international movement for 13,000 youth since its establishment six years ago, and received the Diana Award in 2019.

Between juggling youth empowerment and making award-winning music, Heerraa has also found time to be a consistent top-scorer in her studies at Harvard. Previously, Heerraa won a Rampage Music Award and her hit song "Feel Alive" garnered her the Best Female Single of the Year at the International Singer-Songwriters Association Award (ISSA), reported Free Malaysia Today (FMT).

Heerraa is an inspirational figure for many young individuals who are looking to forge their own paths and create meaningful futures.

Source: The Star / FMT / ET Boost