My name is Sharai Hope. Ever since I was a little girl I wanted to be a superstar. My mom had four of us. I’m the oldest. Me, my little brother, and my two little sisters. We were born and raised in Saginaw, MI. A very small town. So all day long my sister Serena and I would always be singing and dancing. We made up songs and perfected performing them. We were poor, my mom was an alcoholic and was in abusive relationships. I was bullied every day at school and in the neighborhoods. I had very crooked teeth, so I didn’t smile much or laugh without covering up my mouth. When I would sing out, my teeth would show. So in my room was where I felt comfortable singing, and being the star that I knew I was. It was my peace. Music was all that I had. Music was all that I had to comfort me. And the dream that I had of becoming a star is what I held onto.

I was severely depressed as a child and was suicidal at 8 years old. I couldn’t understand the cruelty of people and I wanted to die. Well, on Thanksgiving 1990 my little sister Serena died. She was 7 and I was 10 years old. As you can imagine, it was bad for us and my family, especially with my mom already dealing with what she dealt with. My suicidal thoughts carried to adulthood. I was actually jealous and mad about my sister dying because I had to stay here in this cruel, harsh world while she was in heaven.

Well as the years rolled by, my dream still lived on but barely. My mom would have me perform in front of company. She said she was going to send in audition tapes to Star Search and Apollo. It never happened. I got pregnant at 16 and eventually had 4 kids by age 22. I got my GED at 16. I started community college at 17. My life was my family but the abuse and alcohol passed down to me. I still wanted to be a “star” but that dream was slowly dying.

I did not get braces until I was in my 30s. So now my kids are older and my teeth are straight. My confidence was boosted big time. Throughout all those years I was still writing songs here and there. I have songs that I’ve never let go of that I wrote back in the early 2000s. One thing about my mom is that I know she believed in me and my dream. Despite all our circumstances, she even paid to have the words that I wrote to some songs copy written for me in 2004.

Well, I am in 2023. I have a music video, and an album coming out!!! Me!!! My middle name is Hope. I realized after reading the book The Secret that a lot of the chaos in my life was manifested by me and my way of thinking. It was a struggle fighting to still believe in my dreams. I am living proof that you can do it if you never stop believing! My song is called “Somebody Better Than Me” and it is on every major platform. I am still manifesting things now and I am a star!!! My potential self is infinite. The book, The Secret, really changed my life and my way of thinking.

Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!