Looking up at the musicians up on stage, the audience is mesmerized. Little do they know, the bandmates had to sacrifice so much just to be on that stage performing.

Sophomore Alejandra Benavides is the daughter of professional musicians; music is in her blood. Somehow, sometime, Benavides was bound to become a musician. Her mother, Judy, plays guitar in a Mexican folk band and has always supported Benavides in her musical endeavors.

“My parents really pushed me to join bands and play music with others,” Benavides said.

At the beginning of middle school, Benavides joined a punk rock band to start off in the music industry. Performing came naturally to Benavides; music was an escape that hid her away from her hectic life.

“I was getting in a lot of trouble at the time for stupid things,” Benavides said. “Music was my gateway.”

Starting off playing the guitar, Benavides soon realized she actually had a good singing voice. She soon started to experiment with new instruments and learned to play the bass and the drums, making her a quadruple threat.

After starting young in the music industry gave Benavides the chance to do something she loved with others who shared a common interest.

“I loved that I shared common interests with others who were around my age,” Benavides said. “I also loved the energy and excitement that came with performing.”

Being onstage came naturally to the young musician, however, along with the fame came the struggle.

Constantly being around bandmates and having packed practice schedules was not what the public cracked it up to be.

To people on the outside, the music industry is all glitz and glam but to the musicians themselves, it is a stressful and ugly world.

“It is a lot of work and it is very stressful,”  Benavides said. “It may seem like a crazy fun party but it’s not.”

Despite the long hours of rehearsal, constant fights with bandmates and struggle to define herself as a serious musician in a stressful environment, Benavides stuck with her band for two years until finally deciding that the music industry was not for her.

Benavides also soon realized that the music industry is a dirty business, especially for a young girl.

“I was constantly fighting with bandmates and being put down for being a female in a predominantly male industry,” Benavides said. “Even showing up to rehearsal was a hassle for me.”

Her experience marred and her expectations crushed, Benavides had to make a decision.

Although music will always be an important part of her life, Benavides can never see herself going back to the tough industry.

“From all of my experiences, I realized music is not my passion,” Benavides said. “I have been scarred from ever returning.”