Flora Feature

Young musicians find inspiration in the people and events that surround them. Flora Griffith is a female musician who finds satisfaction in speaking her mind and being a role model to others. The freshman participates in theater, choir and is part of a local organization called Omaha Girls Rock. “If I set my mind to something it’s going to happen but it’s going to happen only with the support of the people I love.” 

Due to her involvement in Omaha Girls Rock, Griffith has made several connections in Omaha’s musical world and she has been given many opportunities to perform around the city. “It [Omaha Girls Rock] is a week-long summer camp where you practice instrument instruction and you’re given a band the first day,” Griffith states, “You go to workshops about songwriting, but also about inclusivity and diversity. By the end of the week you’ve written a song that you get to perform.” 

After parting ways with another female freshman musician, Grace Titus, Griffith and Titus were reunited when volunteering at Omaha Girls Rock. Griffith gushes, “We were both junior volunteering for the younger girls [at Omaha Girls Rock] and I saw her perform as a lunchtime performer. She was SO amazing, I had never really heard her sing before then.” Next, Griffith approached Titus with the proposal to collaborate on some music and to perform together. Griffith and Titus began working together this year and Griffith discloses, “I haven’t had the chance to perform my own music up until this year when I met Grace and she had connections that allowed me to perform my own music.” 

Around Omaha, Griffith has performed at various locations and events. Griffith has sung at venues including The Slow Down, The Down Under and The Waiting Room Lounge, and she has also appeared on stage at the Close the Gap Talent Bash, BFFE Funfest and MAHA Music Festival. As a young woman, Griffith believes that lacking some confidence is natural. Since she is not totally confident in her singing, performances can be nerve-wracking. “The moment you get on stage is terrifying for me. When I get on stage, I’m not super comfortable, I am scared,” she admits, “I’m always really nervous- especially when I’m performing in front of people I know.”

Parents who create a supportive environment for their child help him or her to thrive in whatever he or she wants to do. Griffith identifies her mother as her biggest supporter and her rock, the person that she can always rely on to help her through anything. She is a very strong, independent young woman, but Griffith does not ignore her mother’s motivational words, telling her to do what she loves. “You know you have a supportive parent when they’re telling you to go do an incredibly risky job, to go pursue a passion- even though it could totally flop,” says Griffith, “because they believe in you and what you love. They believe that because you love it you will be able to do it. That’s who my mom is for me.” 

Being in tune with her emotions and opinions allows room for Griffith to value the embodiment of deeper meanings within music. Artists like Alicia Keys and Janelle Monae send messages in their music like those that Griffith would like to send in her own music. Griffith also adores local artists like Jocelyn Music and the band Bad Self Portraits. “She plays with gender roles and sexuality and she isn’t afraid to approach those things with her music and she’s proud. That’s what I want to do with my music,” Griffith raves about Monae, “I want to show people that it’s okay to be a little off beat, to not be mainstream all the time.” 

Performing and writing music acts as a creative outlet for Griffith. High school can be overwhelming and stressful, but she counts on music to allow her to express feelings and emotions that she normally would not be able to express with only words.  “When I get on stage I’m nervous but there comes a point in time and there will be like a lyric or something that I connect to and the entirety of the audience is just gone,” Griffith remarks, “It’s just me singing and connecting with the music that I’m singing and all of the fear drains away.”