Justine is a singer and ARIA-nominated songwriter who’s performed over 700 live shows in five years and is responsible for writing hits for loads of artists, such as Proud for singer Casey Donovan for Eurovision Australia 2020, and Green Light and Gentle Man for Jasmine Rae. Justine is also an ambassador for music rights management organisation APRA-AMCOS, advocating for disability awareness in the Australian arts sector. She collaborated with The Bodzilla for the music video for her song Colourblind, about accepting ourselves for who we are. ‘I realised I had rejected and shamed parts of myself I had deemed as flaws. The truth is we are all different, and that is our magic.’
HI JUSTINE,
I am writing to you to let you know all the incredible and amazing things you have ahead of you. I want you to hang in there, even though everything feels overwhelming and confusing at the best of times.
I know school feels like the best and worst thing in your life, and the changing friendships and chaos at home has planted dreams in your heart for bigger and better things. You have been fuelling all that stuff into your songwriting, which is awesome! Keep doing that, you’re going to write powerful music that will touch the world. I don’t want to spoil it for you, but you’re going to write #1 songs and have Australian ICONS sing them! YES BELIEVE IT.
You are warm and friendly, and that will be your greatest asset and sometimes your biggest downfall. People will take advantage of your trusting nature, so work on listening to your own intuition and don’t be afraid to speak up and stand for what you believe in. I want you to trust and believe in yourself more than anyone else. Your self-belief is going to make you strong, successful, and limitless.
While you’re taking the bus every day and spending more of your time either at school or at home, the good news is you’re going to travel the world one day. You’re going to climb mountains, and swim under waterfalls.
You’re going to fall in love in Florence, and dance through European clubs at 2:00 am. You’re going to eat waffles in Amsterdam and go shopping in New York. You’re going to do it all! So, soak up every second as a teenager and as a student, because everything happening now is the reason all these great things will come. Your work ethic and perseverance are the reason you will achieve your wildest dreams.
The teacher who said ‘you can’t do that subject’ or the family member who told you ‘you aren’t smart enough’, they were wrong. You know deep inside you can do whatever you put your mind to, and you’re going to prove it to yourself and for yourself. I know your low vision and blindness has made school harder than it should be, but you are going to ace the subjects you love and you’re one day going to get a Master’s degree. You always find a way to make things work, and you live by the motto of ‘you’ll either find away or you’ll find an excuse’.
You are a brilliant ball of energy that can create and dream anything to life. The world is waiting for you, so for now, work on yourself, create good habits, and be someone you are proud to be. I believe in you.
JUSTINE XX
