'Don't be afraid of first class'

For the past four years, this past week has been a struggle for me. From March 16-20, Austin Texas hosts SXSW (South by Southwest), one of the music industry's largest music/tech/networking festivals.

When I first started out in music, I knew about the festival but figured it was something that only the artists that were "on" got to go to. I attended the festival in 2014 as a spectator and had a lot of fun. The energy of it all had me determined to come back and play on someone's stage in the next few years.

After a great year in my career during 2015, I submitted my application, put the SXSW logo on my #DreamBoard at home and told myself that 2016 was the year. In January I got the rejection email. I beat myself up pretty badly about this for a month.

Last week was even harder as I scrolled through my social media timelines and saw thousands of posts from performers playing various showcases. I had all the typical, "Are these folks really that better than you?" and, "Are you really making an impact?" conversations with myself. I don't recommend this sort of self-deprecation, but we all know it happens.

The universe set out to answer all the questions I was asking myself last Wednesday. The Hip-Hop Family Day Festival in Columbia, South Carolina, announced its line-up for 2016, which had my name on it in a size that you can actually see. (That usually doesn't happen.) The headliner for the festival is hip-hop legend KRS-One.

Last Thursday, the Mill Hill project video was released that features me running through Fort Hawkins while my song "Wanna Be" is playing. I've been blanketed with nice compliments and I've met a lot of folks who are new fans.

Last Friday, I gave the new Bearfoot Tavern on Second Street a try while watching Michigan State ruin my March Madness bracket. An older gentlemen sat next to me and we talked for about an hour or so. I usually go out alone and I don't talk much, but if someone engages I listen and try to participate.

We talked about politics lightly, traveling the world and how pretty he thought one of the bartenders was. He kept saying something that stuck with me. He said, "Dream big, and don't be afraid of first class." He talked about not being so hard on ourselves and to enjoy what we like doing more.

I took that advice for the rest of the weekend.

Later that night, I had awesome tacos at the new El Camino restaurant, became a new fan of Alanna Royale and saw Lee Fields crush it at the Cox Capitol Theatre. I hung out in Tatnall Square Park on Saturday afternoon at the new fountain and danced (yes, I dance sometimes) a little later in the evening at Rhythm & Rye with DJ Bruce Wonder.

I woke up Sunday morning and booked a first-class ticket to a city that I'll tell you about later. What was I beating myself up about again?

Floco Torres is an artist/songwriter. Contact him at flocotorres@gmail.com.

This story was originally published March 24, 2016 at 6:43 PM with the headline "'Don't be afraid of first class' ."