Been streaming your song for almost an hour straight 🤩 and pacing the floor trying to mix my voice like you. Alas, I can’t :(( I love singing and I’ve done it for years, but I have a strong chest voice and a strong head voice without a gorgeous mix like yours to connect them. Your mix gives your high notes so much flavor!! If you see this, do you have any advice for me?
I love that even the ‘perfect’ brother sings some of the parts. It drives home to idea that just because he was successful doesn’t mean he didn’t struggle with the high expectations from his parents as well. It’s HER story, but also acknowledges that he struggled too.
God the lines “when excellence is expected praise is a luxury” and “when success is respected there’s no room for mediocrity” hit so hard. As a straight A honors student, getting 100% on a test is no longer some great achievement, it’s just what is expected. It’s gotten to the point where I get disappointed in myself if I get a score in the low 90s. Absolute hard hitting song
University grading is unreasonable. Being a Honors Student is reasonably easy in high school and below. They aren't as unreasonable as to have more than 60 points hinge off of exams that not even most graduates can ace. One or two mistakes per exam and you're in the B+ category. Extra credits are a thing but professors who offer that are unicorns.
It's difficult to get used to the marking scheme in uni in Ireland. I've been told that if you get in the 80s up you can literally publish, you have to quickly get used to being ecstatic with 60s and 70s which is hard to cope with at times
i like how the first time 'when excellence is expected, praise is a luxury', david just closes his eyes as if he knows and accepts this as a fact, while katherine looks as if she's just realized this. it's a really brilliant move also, david just looks tired and exasperated this entire time, like he knows all this already another brilliant move
To add to this, when Katherine asks a question, David just plainly states the thing she’s asking. For example the line ”why do my achievements define me?” gets cut down to ”my achievements define me” for David.
KATHERINE !!!!!! You and Romelo sound incredible in this song Q_Q the "you've lived a life of sacrifice" line hits like a truck for any American-born child of immigrant parents 😭 Excellent job with this, it's gonna be on repeat.
Ok If this in a certain other songs to were part of a play /Musical 1) First it will start with some song can I like waking up to go to school currently have not found a song for it 2)Then he’ll start playing “ Top of my class “ (Great song by the way) As a addition to the character A 3)And then after that it will start playing “ little miss perfect “ into Bring conflict into the story 4)Currently do not have a transition song to “ Little Miss perfect “ to “ ordinary “ to introduced character B (5 kinda like a act two)“ Ordinary “will start playing showing the side of character B view 6)A song similar to “its a bad idea me and you” From the musical waitresses 7)Maybe another song about the Conflict with other characters (C, D, E, : Other classmates, Or sibling) (8 act three?) Then it well starts up with “ price of perfection “ Showing how Character A Has been condition to be perfect Unsure if this will be like the main plot or a side love plot Similar to “ mean girls ” and “ be more chill “ To be honest I just really like all of the songs and is slowly making a musical out of all of them
"Why do my achievements define me?" The girl sings that question as a whole, shes asking why. David sings "Achievements define me" like he's come to terms with it. He's accepted it while she's asking and realising.
That's what I was thinking too, it can be a Broadway musical about a school where every student is expected to be "Perfect" meaning getting near perfect grades, impressing celebrities and professionals, and never acting out of order, and they get expelled if they don't act this way. The main character [Katherine in the songs], the top of her class, meets a boy who hates trying to be a "Perfect" student, though he does good enough to not get expelled. They become friends. On Christmas eve, Katherine thinks there is a test the next day, and is worried that if she doesn't study for it, she would get expelled. The boy asks her if she wants to go to an amusement park with her. She quickly refuses, telling him that she has to go home immediately. The boy says it's okay, and tells her to "Relax, it's Christmas" and she eventually agrees. As they go on the rides, the girl knows this is what she had been longing for since the day she entered that school, she just didn't want to because of its standards. There was also another girl, who was starting to pass her as the top student. That girl was jealous of Katherine and would always try to prove that she's better than her. Katherine didn't mind this, though. One night, Katherine talked to her friend [the boy], and told him about how there was someone she had "Always looked up to" the boy assumes she was referring to the girl she was competing with as the top of her class, and the story continues from here
@@LaptapGamer Hmm yeah you're right I'm just saying the school forcing her to be perfect would be a good plot for a Broadway musical, mainly because of the students :>
Damn, Katherine really said 'imma call out all the asian folks' huh. This song reached into my insecurities and ripped out my soul. Keep it up!! Don't be too hard on yourself :)
"you've lived a life of sacrifice", this hit so hard, despite how demanding and exhausting my parents could be I can't deny that they have sacrificed their entire life and all their dreams to raise me so a part of me felt responsible for being the best daughter i could be as well
Used to be a high achiever and my parents were proud....but now my studies are getting harder and harder...i can't keep my A's straight..my parents don't like my grades and punish me severely for being the third best of my class..i don't feel like studying any harder cuz the result will be the same..im lost and feel like i just need a hug..but im not the only one right..if ur here then u probably feel the same and couldn't stop listening to this song right
i cant even begin to describe the chills i got from this. this experience is shared among a lot of first gen children of immigrants, but the way you capture it with your own personal spin is just... stunning. im really blown away. and those high notes are something i could never DARE to hit. wonderful song and i cant wait to see more from you!!
@@ship_in_a_bottle That all depends on ending the trend. My grandfather was first gen, who then pressured my father the second gen, who is now pressuring me as a third gen. My ancestors moved here to have a better life and each generation has been forced to acheive some standard of success with conditional love by a perpetuating trend, and I am determined to end it. So long as those who suffer try to understand a better way of doing it for their children the cycle will stop.
Being a perfect student, this song really speaks to me. I’ve been in the honors program all my life. In there I’m the top student. I almost always get the highest score in every test. My grades are perfect. But with being so called “gifted” also comes with a lot of stress. It has also caused me to become a perfectionist. If I don’t get a perfect score, even if I got the highest score, I feel like I failed. I study a lot. I study when I come home from school, I wake up extra early to study. I study so hard to get the perfect grade and when I do, I’m satisfied for a couple minutes and then I go back to studying and stressing about my next exam. This causes me a lot of stress but I try not to show it. There is also the loneliness that comes with it. I have no friends. That might not sound like a problem but it is. All I want is a single friend who understands me. I often fantasize about having friends, I write about it as well, it’s kinda like an escape for me. Despite being in the same high school for one and a half years (I’m currently in the 10th grade), all people talk to me is about how my grades are. I also get some very jealous treatment from others, sometimes bullying, because I didn’t share my answers with them and quote “think I’m so much better than them.”, when I really don’t. There’s a bit of popularity that comes with it as well but I have no actual friends. I tried to make friends before but everyone’s in their individual friend groups and it’s very hard to just “blend in”. The lines that really spoke to me were “Mom says, ‘ditch the hobbies, find a job to pursue’.” “Dad says, ‘don’t go chasing dreams if you can’t go through.’” “Now I’ve got something to prove.” I’m really passionate about music, theatre and writing and I really want to be a playwright and a performer when I’m older but my parents don’t think those are realistic jobs. Because in my country theatre isn’t cared about, at all. Being so called “perfect” also comes with very high expectations from those around me. “Why do my achievements define me?” also really speaks to me. Because everyone knows me for being academically brilliant, especially in science and math. Everyone thinks I would become a scientist, a doctor or a professor or something. But I don’t want to be any of those things. I don’t even like math or science much, I’m just very good at them because of how much I study. Instead I’d like to be a playwright and a performer because I’m very into theatre. But whenever I tell people about my dream they’re like “It would be better if you do something with science and math.” “Science can take you to better places in life.” I honestly have no intention on studying anything related to math or science past high school. I intend on studying so much that I get accepted to a great university for drama in the UK or in US. But I feel this immense pressure on me. I feel like if I follow my dream I would be seen as a “failed genius”. My family wants me to be a scientist as well. Because both my parents are scientists and their parents were also scientists, my parents friends are also scientists. They’ve also spent a lot of money for my tutoring classes, my textbooks and I don’t want to disappoint them. I’m also an only child so I feel like I have to make them proud. I feel like I can prove myself to them, if I manage to write a successful broadway musical and perform in it as well. That will take a long time, but I will still try. I will keep on trying for theatre, until I succeed. But I’m still studying, so I have a long way to go, but hopefully, someday, I will get there. I sometimes wish I never tried so hard in school, and was only seen for my creativity for writing and acting. Maybe then people wouldn’t see me just as the “smartest girl in school”, and I would actually have friends. But on the bright side my journey isn’t over yet. If I get into my dream university when I graduate I feel like I can finally be seen as me instead of “the perfect student”. I haven’t spoken to my parents about my real dreams in a while. The last time I spoke to them about it was when I was 11 and they just told me that was an unrealistic dream and my thoughts will change as I got older, but it didn’t. I’m 14 now and still want to be a playwright and a performer. Before I leave for university, I will have a serious talk with them to make them know about what I’m truly passionate about, and my real future plans. They probably won’t agree with my future decisions, but they’re great parents, they will try to be supportive. And even if they don’t, by then it will be too late, so they wouldn’t be able to do anything about it.
I live in the US. I have Pakistani parents. Despite this so called American Dream, even as a citizen here, Asian ideals are you still follow the dogma of become doctor, lawyer, or engineer. I’m between the latter and the second one, but my soul’s true desire is to be an author/poet (and musical theater-related stuff too). I hope you can come to a place where interests such as ours are valued. I do not intend in any way to discourage you in your endeavors, merely letting you know as an established US citizen of some time, we also have similar career problems to you. Best of luck and wishes in your dreams. May we all get what we wish. God bless. ❤❤
EVERY. NOTE. HIT. HOME. _This_ is perfection, and if the price of it is having this song stuck on loop in my head for days, it's a price I would gladly pay ...excuse me while I blast this to my perfection-seeking no-you-cannot-be-second-best family--
okay im just gonna put this out: BOYS CAN ALSO FEEL LIKE THE 'BURNT OUT GIFTED CHILD'!!!! ITS NOT ONLY GIRLS THAT FEEL LIKE THAT. and honestly this is a perfect representation of that. luv u katherine!!!!
@@imthebossmermaid3648 it has nothing to do with gender, but this person is just saying that boys can also feel burned out and that it's a stereotype to say that boys don't get to feel burnt out, I don't get why your so upset abt that
This is simply magnificent, as you always do things so beautiful and of such quality that it is inevitable that all the songs you do are among my list of favorite songs. I love everything you do✨
o o f all the lyrics hit waaaaay too close to home. the song did an amazing job of conveying the uphill struggle of trying to stay perfect for so long, and you grow up and realize that perfection is impossible but dont know how to break out of the cycle your parents created. amazing piece!
THIS AND TOP OF MY SCHOOL COULD TOTALLY BE 1 MUSICAL!! top of my school could be the act 1 "I Want" song and this could be like the 11 o'clock number turning point
Anyone back here after the Canadas Got Talent performance? Been subscribed since the beginning of the ATLA days and I’m just so proud to see how much Katherine has grown and how talented she is. I can’t wait to see what’s next
Everyone really needs to hear this! Katherine is very very talented! Listen to her "Top of my school" song right now! I've been listening to her in the past days! I'm relieved!
God this song gave me so much emotions when I first heard it ages ago And now to update it makes me feel even worse and relate more My brother always was top and the one thing he didn't do or have was medicine so I made sure to build myslef on that so that I could have SOMETHING and then he gets a medicine offer... For his second degree And I realise how much my dreams weren't mine And how much my parents and family celebrated him as the first doctor in the family ANYTHING I DO NOW will be as if i copied and pasted Songs like this really need to be heard more I've finally realised how much I've wasted and now I'm gonna prove them all wrong and become successful without a stupid medical degree OR ANYTHING
I started to follow after the first clip of “there is no war in ba sing sa” and my god Katherine !!!! This is fantastic!!! It’s so amazing to see how your (incredibly promising) career is going from the audience!!!! I just know you’re gonna do great things !!
Lyrics for those who want to sing along (lmk if I got any lyrics wrong or missed any): David has a bachelor's and master's degree David's married, soon to have a family of three David makes six figures, and what about me? Yeah, call me a 'wannabe' Mom says, "Ditch the hobbies, find a job to pursue" Dad says, "Don't go chasing dreams that you can't go through David couldn't do it, so neither could you" Now I've got something to prove 'Cause I'm so sick of second best I'm so sick of not impressed This family's obsessed, with validation and reputation American Dream (American Dream) Tell me, what's the price of perfection? Tell me why I crave your affection When excellence is expected, praise is a luxury American Dream (American Dream) Why do my achievements define me? Why does life feel so damn confining? When success is respected, there's no room for mediocrity I overcompensate in everything that I do I bring home all the trophies that I won just for you You see a starving musician in debt from tuition I'm never enough for you 'Cause I'm so sick of being stressed Working hard at your request This family's obsessed, with validation and reputation American Dream (American Dream) Tell me, what's the price of perfection? Tell me why I crave your affection When excellence is expected, praise is a luxury American Dream (American Dream) Why do my achievements define me? Why does life feel so damn confining? When success is respected, there's no room for mediocrity You've lived a life of sacrifice Nothing I do could dare suffice I'll never stop trying and trying to be enough Enough for you (Da, da, da, da, da, da, da) (Da, da, da, da, da, da) American Dream (American Dream) Tell me, what's the price of perfection? Tell me why I crave your affection When excellence is expected, praise is a luxury American Dream (American Dream) Why do my achievements define me? Why does life feel so damn confining? When success is respected, there's no room for mediocrity
It just feels really nice, knowing that somewhere out there, there are people who understand how it feels. Having been forced to be perfect, unable to allow themselves to become anything else. Just wanting to be mediocre and happy and have that be enough.
I can't think of any other artist where every single song they write is amazing. All of your songs have such a fantastic melody! They're literally all beautiful!
The second time, David wasnt questioning but only states the same effect that has on him while You were still on the questioning stage which I think is a nice detaile
"I bring home all the trophies that I won just for you" Sometimes when you ask yourself, "why am I doing this?" You don't have an answer. Until you realized is not you who wants it, is them.
i honestly love this. even though there are parts of this song where it relates mostly to american immigrants, i can still relate to the theme of being compared to others and being defined by your achievements. excellent song, made me cry, 10/10 :>
please tell me there is a full-on musical that includes "top of my school" about a 2nd generation immigrant girl who learns that she doesn't need to be perfect for her family to love her, that includes romance and comedy, and it's beautiful. cuz I NEED this.
I listened to "Top of My School" not too long ago, thought it was really nice. And now that I've listened to this, I've realized that I have to subscribe to her. She almost perfectly describes a POV of being perfect in school. This is amazing !
This was so powerful not only as a song but also in the text, it's so relatable to those growing up with the burden of expectations put upon them - that being articulated in song form shakes me to the core!
i really enjoy the first time you ask "American dream tell me what's the price of perfection" cause you go from a smirk an being this cheeky person asking all sarcastically to almost a child like saddened look when the lines "When excellence is expected Praise is a luxury" are played through its a really nice touch in acting while singing
Thank you so much for this masterpiece! Sobbed so hard the first time I heard this. Being a 2nd gen desi immigrant, every word hit home. (Also, being David is hard). Been looping this song since it came out. I can't even begin to say how much this matters to me. You've done something amazing with this song and I'm looking forward to hearing more of your songs in the future!!
I came here from Top of my School. It's the middle of an Australian singer yet from 2:33 i had full body chills and goosebumps, Kathy n cast's here to slay once again 😭
I actually got this played because I forgot to put a song I was listening to on loop and it auto-played the next vid... HOWEVER, hearing this even for just 3 seconds instantly caught my attention! I am absolutely loving the algorithm for letting me witness this masterpiece! I am putting it in my playlist as well as one of my favorite songs to sing.
Another absolute banger of a song! 😍 I love your music~! I remember that _Top of My School_ was part of a musical idea you had- is it safe to assume that this is the progression of the main character from that song? 🤩 Either way, can't wait to hear more! 🥰🥰🥰
I feel the sentiment here but for the opposite reasons. I went to a STEM high school as a non-STEM person. I didn’t feel safe or valued as a person at school or home and my grades suffered. Excellence wasn’t expected of me, it was assumed I was incapable of it. Good grades weren’t met with praise but reminders that I shouldn’t get used to it. Now I’m a college student taking classes I like and that make sense to me and I’m doing great academically but I still push myself to accept nothing less then perfection because mediocrity would mean they were right about me. It’s amazing how much parents can screw their kids up both by expecting too much and by expecting nothing at all.
Stream "Price of Perfection" on Spotify and Apple Music:
distrokid.com/hyperfollow/katherinelynnrose/price-of-perfection-feat-lilianne-coeverden
Been streaming your song for almost an hour straight 🤩 and pacing the floor trying to mix my voice like you. Alas, I can’t :(( I love singing and I’ve done it for years, but I have a strong chest voice and a strong head voice without a gorgeous mix like yours to connect them. Your mix gives your high notes so much flavor!! If you see this, do you have any advice for me?
AAA I LOVE IT!!
This song and "Top of My School" has been on loop for the last two hours.
I love that even the ‘perfect’ brother sings some of the parts. It drives home to idea that just because he was successful doesn’t mean he didn’t struggle with the high expectations from his parents as well. It’s HER story, but also acknowledges that he struggled too.
THIS
ATE QUEEN
Slayed
EXACTLY
@@Luckymepancitcanton0 ate and left no crumbs
God the lines “when excellence is expected praise is a luxury” and “when success is respected there’s no room for mediocrity” hit so hard. As a straight A honors student, getting 100% on a test is no longer some great achievement, it’s just what is expected. It’s gotten to the point where I get disappointed in myself if I get a score in the low 90s. Absolute hard hitting song
I foresee a great disturbance in the force during your university life. I was once a honor student like you, but I took a professor to the knee.
University grading is unreasonable. Being a Honors Student is reasonably easy in high school and below. They aren't as unreasonable as to have more than 60 points hinge off of exams that not even most graduates can ace. One or two mistakes per exam and you're in the B+ category.
Extra credits are a thing but professors who offer that are unicorns.
I feel you
It's difficult to get used to the marking scheme in uni in Ireland. I've been told that if you get in the 80s up you can literally publish, you have to quickly get used to being ecstatic with 60s and 70s which is hard to cope with at times
This is so relatable ngl-
i like how the first time 'when excellence is expected, praise is a luxury', david just closes his eyes as if he knows and accepts this as a fact, while katherine looks as if she's just realized this.
it's a really brilliant move
also, david just looks tired and exasperated this entire time, like he knows all this already
another brilliant move
To add to this, when Katherine asks a question, David just plainly states the thing she’s asking. For example the line ”why do my achievements define me?” gets cut down to ”my achievements define me” for David.
@@kamu6359 oh shit i didn't even notice that
wow you have really sharp ears
@@beetheaxolotl2883 i got em sharp knives
you got em sharp eyes tho bro
shit wtf 324 likes thank you
@@beetheaxolotl2883 325, you deserve it for being so observant
KATHERINE !!!!!! You and Romelo sound incredible in this song Q_Q the "you've lived a life of sacrifice" line hits like a truck for any American-born child of immigrant parents 😭
Excellent job with this, it's gonna be on repeat.
HI EMIRICHU I LOVE UR ART 💞💞✨
Thank you so much Emirichu 💙💙💙
EMIRICHU HIII
Ok If this in a certain other songs to were part of a play /Musical
1) First it will start with some song can I like waking up to go to school currently have not found a song for it
2)Then he’ll start playing “ Top of my class “ (Great song by the way) As a addition to the character A
3)And then after that it will start playing “ little miss perfect “ into Bring conflict into the story
4)Currently do not have a transition song to “ Little Miss perfect “ to “ ordinary “ to introduced character B
(5 kinda like a act two)“ Ordinary “will start playing showing the side of character B view
6)A song similar to “its a bad idea me and you” From the musical waitresses
7)Maybe another song about the Conflict with other characters (C, D, E, : Other classmates, Or sibling)
(8 act three?) Then it well starts up with “ price of perfection “ Showing how Character A Has been condition to be perfect
Unsure if this will be like the main plot or a side love plot Similar to “ mean girls ” and “ be more chill “ To be honest I just really like all of the songs and is slowly making a musical out of all of them
Lol first-generation immigrant struggles
I love the "top of my school" song
So having high expectation for this.
love your voice by the way
This comment is kind of ironic now lol
@@amclark8225 yes indeed, my good sir🧐 👌
this song slapped me in my face, told me i'm a burnt out gifted kid who's a perfectionist, and i played it on loop for an hour lmao
Same like omg I try so hard but don’t get even a phrase like “well done” or “I’m proud of u” guess I’m asking too much from my Asian parents
thank you so much for having me on your song! it was a pleasure playing your mom (and i swear i am nicer in person lol) 💗
Aweeee your voice is beautiful!! 🤩💞
Your voice is so good😭❤️
Your acting and facial expressions are just so spot on and believable!
Witch one are you
Playing my mom-
"Why do my achievements define me?"
The girl sings that question as a whole, shes asking why.
David sings "Achievements define me" like he's come to terms with it.
He's accepted it while she's asking and realising.
Somebody call up Lin Manuel Miranda on the scene, because the high notes and the scats are SICK
Yass
This feels like it should be a Disney song...
Seriously, good job! This song is amazing, and I love it as always!
Try Broadway
That's what I was thinking too, it can be a Broadway musical about a school where every student is expected to be "Perfect" meaning getting near perfect grades, impressing celebrities and professionals, and never acting out of order, and they get expelled if they don't act this way. The main character [Katherine in the songs], the top of her class, meets a boy who hates trying to be a "Perfect" student, though he does good enough to not get expelled. They become friends. On Christmas eve, Katherine thinks there is a test the next day, and is worried that if she doesn't study for it, she would get expelled. The boy asks her if she wants to go to an amusement park with her. She quickly refuses, telling him that she has to go home immediately. The boy says it's okay, and tells her to "Relax, it's Christmas" and she eventually agrees. As they go on the rides, the girl knows this is what she had been longing for since the day she entered that school, she just didn't want to because of its standards. There was also another girl, who was starting to pass her as the top student. That girl was jealous of Katherine and would always try to prove that she's better than her. Katherine didn't mind this, though. One night, Katherine talked to her friend [the boy], and told him about how there was someone she had "Always looked up to" the boy assumes she was referring to the girl she was competing with as the top of her class, and the story continues from here
@@lily1998 well the school isn't trying to make the kids perfect her parents are.
@@LaptapGamer Hmm yeah you're right I'm just saying the school forcing her to be perfect would be a good plot for a Broadway musical, mainly because of the students :>
Honestly, she’s way too good for Disney
Damn, Katherine really said 'imma call out all the asian folks' huh. This song reached into my insecurities and ripped out my soul. Keep it up!! Don't be too hard on yourself :)
I still can't draw Asian ayes without being racist to my own kind lmao.
I’m not even Asian and I relate
OMFG this might be a POC parent thing in general, because my father is black and expects so much from me.
"you've lived a life of sacrifice", this hit so hard, despite how demanding and exhausting my parents could be I can't deny that they have sacrificed their entire life and all their dreams to raise me so a part of me felt responsible for being the best daughter i could be as well
This should be in a Disney movie representing all try-hard “gifted” and naturally gifted students alike.
encanto technically
Super awesome song! Love it! The perfect prequel to Encanto’s What Else Can I Do.
Ohmygosh yes
111 likes lets gooo
Used to be a high achiever and my parents were proud....but now my studies are getting harder and harder...i can't keep my A's straight..my parents don't like my grades and punish me severely for being the third best of my class..i don't feel like studying any harder cuz the result will be the same..im lost and feel like i just need a hug..but im not the only one right..if ur here then u probably feel the same and couldn't stop listening to this song right
i cant even begin to describe the chills i got from this. this experience is shared among a lot of first gen children of immigrants, but the way you capture it with your own personal spin is just... stunning. im really blown away. and those high notes are something i could never DARE to hit. wonderful song and i cant wait to see more from you!!
EXACTLY. I hope second generation immigrants will be able to breathe more. 😅🥲
@@ship_in_a_bottle That all depends on ending the trend. My grandfather was first gen, who then pressured my father the second gen, who is now pressuring me as a third gen. My ancestors moved here to have a better life and each generation has been forced to acheive some standard of success with conditional love by a perpetuating trend, and I am determined to end it. So long as those who suffer try to understand a better way of doing it for their children the cycle will stop.
holy crap this is so good! it really punches hard. great work!
I know I’m not the only one who relates to this song 😭 but it is an absolute bop omg!!!!!!!
Being a perfect student, this song really speaks to me.
I’ve been in the honors program all my life. In there I’m the top student. I almost always get the highest score in every test. My grades are perfect.
But with being so called “gifted” also comes with a lot of stress. It has also caused me to become a perfectionist. If I don’t get a perfect score, even if I got the highest score, I feel like I failed. I study a lot. I study when I come home from school, I wake up extra early to study. I study so hard to get the perfect grade and when I do, I’m satisfied for a couple minutes and then I go back to studying and stressing about my next exam. This causes me a lot of stress but I try not to show it.
There is also the loneliness that comes with it. I have no friends. That might not sound like a problem but it is. All I want is a single friend who understands me. I often fantasize about having friends, I write about it as well, it’s kinda like an escape for me.
Despite being in the same high school for one and a half years (I’m currently in the 10th grade), all people talk to me is about how my grades are. I also get some very jealous treatment from others, sometimes bullying, because I didn’t share my answers with them and quote “think I’m so much better than them.”, when I really don’t. There’s a bit of popularity that comes with it as well but I have no actual friends. I tried to make friends before but everyone’s in their individual friend groups and it’s very hard to just “blend in”.
The lines that really spoke to me were “Mom says, ‘ditch the hobbies, find a job to pursue’.” “Dad says, ‘don’t go chasing dreams if you can’t go through.’” “Now I’ve got something to prove.”
I’m really passionate about music, theatre and writing and I really want to be a playwright and a performer when I’m older but my parents don’t think those are realistic jobs. Because in my country theatre isn’t cared about, at all.
Being so called “perfect” also comes with very high expectations from those around me.
“Why do my achievements define me?” also really speaks to me. Because everyone knows me for being academically brilliant, especially in science and math. Everyone thinks I would become a scientist, a doctor or a professor or something. But I don’t want to be any of those things. I don’t even like math or science much, I’m just very good at them because of how much I study. Instead I’d like to be a playwright and a performer because I’m very into theatre.
But whenever I tell people about my dream they’re like “It would be better if you do something with science and math.” “Science can take you to better places in life.”
I honestly have no intention on studying anything related to math or science past high school. I intend on studying so much that I get accepted to a great university for drama in the UK or in US.
But I feel this immense pressure on me. I feel like if I follow my dream I would be seen as a “failed genius”. My family wants me to be a scientist as well. Because both my parents are scientists and their parents were also scientists, my parents friends are also scientists. They’ve also spent a lot of money for my tutoring classes, my textbooks and I don’t want to disappoint them. I’m also an only child so I feel like I have to make them proud.
I feel like I can prove myself to them, if I manage to write a successful broadway musical and perform in it as well. That will take a long time, but I will still try. I will keep on trying for theatre, until I succeed. But I’m still studying, so I have a long way to go, but hopefully, someday, I will get there.
I sometimes wish I never tried so hard in school, and was only seen for my creativity for writing and acting. Maybe then people wouldn’t see me just as the “smartest girl in school”, and I would actually have friends.
But on the bright side my journey isn’t over yet. If I get into my dream university when I graduate I feel like I can finally be seen as me instead of “the perfect student”.
I haven’t spoken to my parents about my real dreams in a while. The last time I spoke to them about it was when I was 11 and they just told me that was an unrealistic dream and my thoughts will change as I got older, but it didn’t. I’m 14 now and still want to be a playwright and a performer. Before I leave for university, I will have a serious talk with them to make them know about what I’m truly passionate about, and my real future plans.
They probably won’t agree with my future decisions, but they’re great parents, they will try to be supportive. And even if they don’t, by then it will be too late, so they wouldn’t be able to do anything about it.
I believe in you. ❤
@@Dr_Esjamin Thank you, this means a lot to me.
Being realistic is not a reason to not pursue your dreams, keep trying, and maybe talk to more people sometimes all you need to do is reach out :)
I live in the US. I have Pakistani parents. Despite this so called American Dream, even as a citizen here, Asian ideals are you still follow the dogma of become doctor, lawyer, or engineer. I’m between the latter and the second one, but my soul’s true desire is to be an author/poet (and musical theater-related stuff too). I hope you can come to a place where interests such as ours are valued. I do not intend in any way to discourage you in your endeavors, merely letting you know as an established US citizen of some time, we also have similar career problems to you.
Best of luck and wishes in your dreams. May we all get what we wish. God bless. ❤❤
Good luck, and follow your dreams. You only live once, so don't live for someone else, live for yourself and pursue your passions.
"When excellence is expected praise is a luxury" hit hard
EVERY. NOTE. HIT. HOME.
_This_ is perfection, and if the price of it is having this song stuck on loop in my head for days, it's a price I would gladly pay
...excuse me while I blast this to my perfection-seeking no-you-cannot-be-second-best family--
okay im just gonna put this out: BOYS CAN ALSO FEEL LIKE THE 'BURNT OUT GIFTED CHILD'!!!! ITS NOT ONLY GIRLS THAT FEEL LIKE THAT.
and honestly this is a perfect representation of that. luv u katherine!!!!
What does this have to do with gender? Honestly.
Nothing to do with gender lol, its about the struggle and pains of the 2 asian siblings
@@ashleylightheart126 Yeah idk why everyone's always all "boys can struggle too!!!" like try harder to be oppressed willya? 🤷🏾♀
But i don't see a comment saying things about gender
@@imthebossmermaid3648 it has nothing to do with gender, but this person is just saying that boys can also feel burned out and that it's a stereotype to say that boys don't get to feel burnt out, I don't get why your so upset abt that
This is simply magnificent, as you always do things so beautiful and of such quality that it is inevitable that all the songs you do are among my list of favorite songs. I love everything you do✨
when we needed her the most SHE CAME BACK WITH A MASTERPIECE
She's like the opposite of the avatar LMAO
This is a MASTERPIECE!! Katherine and the ensemble did WONDERFUL!!!
Just for the record, "The cost of perfection is infinity.".
"when excellence is expected praise is a luxury" MY HEART. GOD. OUCH. ME
Yet another song to add to my “songs I relate to way too much” playlist. Great work!
someone get broadway on the phone, these masterpieces CANNOT go unnoticed!!
YES KATHERINE GET IT!! So good as always, freaking proud of you and all that you do
HOW did I catch this masterpiece 18 minutes after release… I loved top of my school and I ADORE this!!
I can't wait for the song to come out !
o o f all the lyrics hit waaaaay too close to home. the song did an amazing job of conveying the uphill struggle of trying to stay perfect for so long, and you grow up and realize that perfection is impossible but dont know how to break out of the cycle your parents created. amazing piece!
THIS SONG OML🛐🛐🛐
Also your vocals are GORGEOUS??!
I have to fight the urge to make an animatic music video for this qwq
PLEASE DO IT ARE YOU KIDDING
@@katherinelynnrose WAIT FR?? OKAY🙇♀️🙇♀️🙇♀️
DON’T FIGHT THAT, FULFILL IT!!!
It's amazing watching you grow as an artist. The light growl is insane!
AHHHH I LOVED IT you should turn this and Top of my school into a musicaaal 💛💛💛
Your voice has grown up sooooo much ✨ I feel like a proud mom rn
THIS AND TOP OF MY SCHOOL COULD TOTALLY BE 1 MUSICAL!! top of my school could be the act 1 "I Want" song and this could be like the 11 o'clock number turning point
Anyone back here after the Canadas Got Talent performance? Been subscribed since the beginning of the ATLA days and I’m just so proud to see how much Katherine has grown and how talented she is. I can’t wait to see what’s next
YES KATHERINEEE THIS IS SO AMAZING!!! ‘twas an honor to be part of the ensemble :)
Everyone really needs to hear this! Katherine is very very talented! Listen to her "Top of my school" song right now! I've been listening to her in the past days! I'm relieved!
God this song gave me so much emotions when I first heard it ages ago
And now to update it makes me feel even worse and relate more
My brother always was top and the one thing he didn't do or have was medicine so I made sure to build myslef on that so that I could have SOMETHING and then he gets a medicine offer... For his second degree
And I realise how much my dreams weren't mine
And how much my parents and family celebrated him as the first doctor in the family ANYTHING I DO NOW will be as if i copied and pasted
Songs like this really need to be heard more I've finally realised how much I've wasted and now I'm gonna prove them all wrong and become successful without a stupid medical degree OR ANYTHING
I started to follow after the first clip of “there is no war in ba sing sa” and my god Katherine !!!! This is fantastic!!! It’s so amazing to see how your (incredibly promising) career is going from the audience!!!! I just know you’re gonna do great things !!
THIS IS SOO GOOD!! you literally cant release a bad song
I was the top of my class back then and this stills hits so hard
I wanted to reply so I did.
@@silverbemyname me too mate
"When excellence is expected, praise is a luxury" shivers
Lyrics for those who want to sing along (lmk if I got any lyrics wrong or missed any):
David has a bachelor's and master's degree
David's married, soon to have a family of three
David makes six figures, and what about me?
Yeah, call me a 'wannabe'
Mom says, "Ditch the hobbies, find a job to pursue"
Dad says, "Don't go chasing dreams that you can't go through
David couldn't do it, so neither could you"
Now I've got something to prove
'Cause I'm so sick of second best
I'm so sick of not impressed
This family's obsessed, with validation and reputation
American Dream (American Dream)
Tell me, what's the price of perfection?
Tell me why I crave your affection
When excellence is expected, praise is a luxury
American Dream (American Dream)
Why do my achievements define me?
Why does life feel so damn confining?
When success is respected, there's no room for mediocrity
I overcompensate in everything that I do
I bring home all the trophies that I won just for you
You see a starving musician in debt from tuition
I'm never enough for you
'Cause I'm so sick of being stressed
Working hard at your request
This family's obsessed, with validation and reputation
American Dream (American Dream)
Tell me, what's the price of perfection?
Tell me why I crave your affection
When excellence is expected, praise is a luxury
American Dream (American Dream)
Why do my achievements define me?
Why does life feel so damn confining?
When success is respected, there's no room for mediocrity
You've lived a life of sacrifice
Nothing I do could dare suffice
I'll never stop trying and trying to be enough
Enough for you
(Da, da, da, da, da, da, da)
(Da, da, da, da, da, da)
American Dream (American Dream)
Tell me, what's the price of perfection?
Tell me why I crave your affection
When excellence is expected, praise is a luxury
American Dream (American Dream)
Why do my achievements define me?
Why does life feel so damn confining?
When success is respected, there's no room for mediocrity
It just feels really nice, knowing that somewhere out there, there are people who understand how it feels. Having been forced to be perfect, unable to allow themselves to become anything else. Just wanting to be mediocre and happy and have that be enough.
the girl playing the mother has absolutely *nailed* the Disapproving Mom look
How do u write such amazinc lyrics
Chills litteral chills
OMG JUST FINISHED LISTENING TO THE SONG-
SO GOOD 😩😩
Yessss I'm excited!!!
“Not enough for you” that’s just so relatable
I don’t know what I was expecting, but this is AMAZING!
I can't think of any other artist where every single song they write is amazing. All of your songs have such a fantastic melody! They're literally all beautiful!
The second time, David wasnt questioning but only states the same effect that has on him while You were still on the questioning stage which I think is a nice detaile
Such a great song, Katherine!! 💕 You did an amazing job, so did the ensemble!
Ooooooh yay :)
Omg! Can’t wait!
Edit: It was amazing!! ❤️
You did awesome!
So good AGAIN
I want moree
Can't get enough of your songs
I love the girl on the end of the second row, she looks like she's going: "What else do you want me to do?!"
Senior Year stress/burnout vibes, this song is literally all of the immigrant-parents-child vibes, love this
"I bring home all the trophies that I won just for you"
Sometimes when you ask yourself, "why am I doing this?" You don't have an answer. Until you realized is not you who wants it, is them.
daymn! this is beautifully done. Way to go! An absolute Bop!
I’m so excited!
i honestly love this. even though there are parts of this song where it relates mostly to american immigrants, i can still relate to the theme of being compared to others and being defined by your achievements. excellent song, made me cry, 10/10 :>
please tell me there is a full-on musical that includes "top of my school" about a 2nd generation immigrant girl who learns that she doesn't need to be perfect for her family to love her, that includes romance and comedy, and it's beautiful. cuz I NEED this.
THAT'S WHAT I WAS THINKING
SAME
we need a disney movie of a burnout princess and have at least one of Katherines song in it
I never thought a song would be so relatable especially 'When excellence is expected, praise is a luxury' love it
All I can think is Amy Santiago- but I’ve had this on repeat for so long, it’s too good of a song
..... as the 'perfect' child who is also never enough, never praised, never doing enough.... this hit so fucking hard.
Ваши песни такие живые, такие сильные! Это точно должно стать признанным!
Надеюсь что вы продолжите этот путь и будете создавать больше прекрасного♥️✨
OMG Justine’s in here I can’t wait 💖💖
I can already see the animations to this song, it’s an absolute headbanger!
AYEEEE!!!
"I'm so sick of being stress" "working hard on your request" hits me hard
Another Amazing Song!! In love with this
I can see the animatics coming
Eeeeeek I’m so excited!
I listened to "Top of My School" not too long ago, thought it was really nice. And now that I've listened to this, I've realized that I have to subscribe to her. She almost perfectly describes a POV of being perfect in school. This is amazing !
chills
This was so powerful not only as a song but also in the text, it's so relatable to those growing up with the burden of expectations put upon them - that being articulated in song form shakes me to the core!
i really enjoy the first time you ask "American dream tell me what's the price of perfection" cause you go from a smirk an being this cheeky person asking all sarcastically to almost a child like saddened look when the lines "When excellence is expected
Praise is a luxury" are played through its a really nice touch in acting while singing
Thank you so much for this masterpiece! Sobbed so hard the first time I heard this. Being a 2nd gen desi immigrant, every word hit home. (Also, being David is hard). Been looping this song since it came out. I can't even begin to say how much this matters to me. You've done something amazing with this song and I'm looking forward to hearing more of your songs in the future!!
THIS IS SO GOOD, I WILL BE STREAMING THIS EVERYWHERE. YOURE SO TALENTED!!
I came here from Top of my School. It's the middle of an Australian singer yet from 2:33 i had full body chills and goosebumps, Kathy n cast's here to slay once again 😭
i heard this in an animatic and thought it was from a musical or tv show! an original Broadway style song is hella impressive!!
ANOTHER EPIC SONG
i swear, your songs have to be turned into a musical already😭
Omg I felt that "excellence is expected, praise is a luxury"
I love when songs sound like they’re from a musical 😫
I actually got this played because I forgot to put a song I was listening to on loop and it auto-played the next vid... HOWEVER, hearing this even for just 3 seconds instantly caught my attention!
I am absolutely loving the algorithm for letting me witness this masterpiece! I am putting it in my playlist as well as one of my favorite songs to sing.
Another absolute banger of a song! 😍 I love your music~!
I remember that _Top of My School_ was part of a musical idea you had- is it safe to assume that this is the progression of the main character from that song? 🤩 Either way, can't wait to hear more! 🥰🥰🥰
Maybe but i do hope it is
This is my new favourite song. Every single lyric hits home, it feels so direct. Everything about this is so good
I can't be the only person who wants a full musical which includes this and Top of My school
This is SO perfect- I absolutely love it good job!
I’m sorry HOLY CRAP THE GROWLS 😩
How am I discovering her only now. This song is just Perfection.
I feel the sentiment here but for the opposite reasons. I went to a STEM high school as a non-STEM person. I didn’t feel safe or valued as a person at school or home and my grades suffered. Excellence wasn’t expected of me, it was assumed I was incapable of it. Good grades weren’t met with praise but reminders that I shouldn’t get used to it. Now I’m a college student taking classes I like and that make sense to me and I’m doing great academically but I still push myself to accept nothing less then perfection because mediocrity would mean they were right about me. It’s amazing how much parents can screw their kids up both by expecting too much and by expecting nothing at all.
What a bop bro
WHAT. I WROTE THIS 8 DAYS AGO?! IT FELT LIKE 1 MONTH AGO. BRUH WHAT IS TIME
Incredible!!!!!