My name is Driano Rhikel. I was born in Lima, Peru on May 20th 1986. I arrived here in United States with my family when I was 7 years old. Since then, I have remained here in Miami.

Growing up, I was a loner. I kept to myself almost all the time. I had a few friends at school and around the neighborhood, but I never really belonged to a group or clique. My privacy was also felt at home. I rarely spoke to my parents about events that happened to me; however, they always gave me advice and lectured me. I never understood why exactly I was this way, but my loneliness comforted me. I liked being alone. I spent my time drawing, writing, and doing all sorts of creative things. I lived in my own world.

As the years progressed, I became uninterested in school and in life in general. Maybe it was a sign of depression, I thought. I eventually dropped out of high school and spent most of my time relaxing and going to the beach. The beach was my spot. I admired the smell, the sounds, and the scenery. It was my place of peace.

I ultimately found myself reflecting upon my life: past, present, and future. I wanted to do something with my life, something meaningful that I loved and had a passion for. I thought about well-known careers such as law, medicine, and computer programming, but nothing seemed to catch my attention, that is, until I thought about music. I was pretty good at playing the keyboard my uncle bought me a few months back and I enjoyed it, so I thought why not? I immediately enrolled for GED classes at Miami Dade College and ended up graduating. Afterwards, I majored in Music Business, now currently finishing up my degree.

To end with, I feel as if I have changed as a person over the years. I now know what I want, which is to make a living in music, composing for films, artists, and video games. My attitude has also changed. I am now more social and friendly and more aware of the world around me; nonetheless, I still do enjoy my alone time. I spend it playing the piano, composing, and trying to better myself as a person. I like to think that I’m here for a reason and making a difference in at least one person’s life.