AS CLICHE AS IT SOUNDS, MUSIC HAS ALWAYS BEEN A HUGE PART OF MY LIFE. GROWING UP IN A HOUSEHOLD WHERE THE STEREO WAS TURNED UP ALL THE TIME, I WAS BOUND TO FIND MYSELF INVOLVED WITH IT SOMEHOW.I STARTED ROCKSTATE AFTER ATTENDING A GIG BECAUSE I WANTED TO TELL PEOPLE JUST HOW AMAZING IT WAS IN A MORE FORMAL WAY - RATHER THAN FANGIRLING ON TWITTER. I WANTED IT TO BE A PLATFORM WHERE I SHOWCASED THE MUSIC I LOVE AS WELL AS SHINING A LIGHT ON THE OUTSTANDING TALENT WE'RE HEARING WORLDWIDE. I'VE BEEN SURROUNDED BY MUSIC ALL MY LIFE, ESPECIALLY GROWING UP IN THE VALLEYS (WE ALL KNOW HOW PATRIOTIC WE CAN BE) - FROM THE LOCAL PUBS BLARING STEREOPHONICS, THE PRIDE YOU FEEL WHEN WALKING THROUGH BLACKWOOD KNOWING THE MANICS HONED THEIR CRAFT THERE, TO THE BANDS WE GET TO SEE RISING FROM THE ESTATES AND ADVENTURING INTO THE CITY, THE LITTLE FESTIVALS KICKSTARTING THEIR JOURNEY IN THE GRUBBY 'OLD-MAN' PUBS TO THEM MAKING IT BIG TIME ONCE THEY PITCH THEMSELVES ON TOP OF THE WELSH MOUNTAINS - THAT'S WHAT HAS DONE IT FOR ME. THERE'S A BIG COMMUNITY OF LIKE-MINDED PEOPLE AND I KNEW FROM A YOUNG AGE THAT'S WHERE I WANTED TO BE.