Nobody puts baillee in the corner

Dear Maya Rudolph,

I’m not writing this for you to ever see it nor for it become some viral thingy (yet again distinguishing me as a gen-Y and not a Millennial because there is definitely a difference). I’m writing this because I want to thank you. You see, I was in the audience for your Princess performance at Moontower right after Prince died. I was there when you spoke candidly after the encore of “Purple Rain.”

While I loved the show so, so much, I loved the aforementioned encore even more. As someone who struggles with depression, it’s rare for me to really connect with a celebrity’s, let alone one I truly admire,  plight. You changed that for me. When you stayed on stage alone and proceeded to not only cry but talk about how much Prince meant to you as well as the impact his death had on you both emotionally and psychologically, it meant the world to me. It was raw and vulnerable. It wasn’t staged. It was 100% you. I cried partially because I too was mourning Prince but also because I had never been to a performance where I could actually relate to someone famous on such a deep level. It moved me so much that I almost brought my raspberry beret up to you on the stage. Yeah, it was that important to me.

I didn’t know this at the time, but I would lose my grandfather less than a week later. In a way, your words helped me through that as well. I’m known for bottling up my emotions, but your openness in front of hundreds of people helped me to express myself. It contributed to me speaking at my grandfather’s funeral, which is by far the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do in my life. Thank you for that. Thank you for everything.

Your fan,

Baillee

P.S. Where can I get myself a Tampico?