There are some dreams a young girl has that are obviously not going to come true, and their friends and family have to give them tough love to avoid disappointment down the road.
When I was 10-years-old, I wanted to be the first female quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Unfortunately, being under the weight requirement to try out for the elementary school football team left my dreams shattered.
At the age of 11, I had a new dream — to meet Aaron Carter. I also wanted him to be my first kiss (but he missed the boat on in it back in my teenage years).
Friends and family were quick to shut out any hope of that happening. He was adored by thousands of girls and surrounded by a lot of security.
Thankfully, being as stubborn as I am, I didn’t let this dull my sparkle.
I decorated my room with posters from M and Pop Star Magazine, wrote fanfiction, had the dolls and all of the merchandise I could get my hands on, and rocked those CDs in my portable CD player every morning on the way to school.
Not much has changed; I was definitely listening to Aaron Carter on my iPhone while walking into The Jambar office today.
I even went so far as to dress up as Aaron for my 7th grade talent show and I lip-synced one of his songs. I won.
Anyway, my mom and big sister took me to my first concert when I was 12 and we obviously saw Aaron. I guess, if I couldn’t meet my pre-teen crush, my mom wanted to make sure I at least saw him. Of course, a significant amount of begging was involved.
My mom and sis were clad in matching Led Zeppelin shirts and I wore a yellow shirt with a motorcycle on it. I heard he liked motorcycles and obviously, we were meant for each other.
That is a memory I will never forget, because it was of me stepping through the doors of the concert world, which unbeknownst to me would turn me into the concert-holic I am today.
We were tenth row, right by the speakers. I remember getting mad at my sister for wearing earplugs, but my lack of hearing in my left ear today probably proves that she did no wrong.
What is the reason for being temporarily hearing impaired on my left side?
Well, after a twelve-year wait, I saw Aaron Carter live again.
I wasn’t sure what to expect since 12 years ago he was rocking the arena-sized venue Blossom Music Center in Cuyahoga Falls to a sold out crowd.
Yesterday, he was performing for a crowd of maybe 250 at The Musica in Akron.
I was more worried that he would be disappointed, but the downsize in venue didn’t dull his show. He utilized every bit of the stage, bringing Nikko and Trey Rich from America’s Best Dance Crew along with him.
He performed all the songs I loved as a kid, including “That’s how I beat Shaq,” “Aaron’s Party (Come Get It),” and the crowd favorite “I want Candy.”
He also did the song cover “Black and Yellow,” by Wiz Khalifa, which as a Pittsburgh Steelers fan, made me happy.
The smile never left his face, and the energy was present from the moment the lights went down until my head hit my pillow that night.
While trolling the Internet, I’ve seen a lot of fans being disappointed in him singing to a backtrack. Well, I can tell you with full confidence that while the backtrack was present, he actually sang the songs. Can’t fault him as he wasn’t performing with a full-band.
After the show, after twelve years of waiting, my dream came true and I met Aaron Carter.
Butterflies were accounted for and I don’t think I’ve ever been more star-struck in my life.
Having Aaron Carter call me a “gorgeous girl,” while we had a life talk was so much more than what 12-year old Marissa ever dreamed of.
I told him about how he was my first concert, how I’m getting ready to graduate from college and how I want to be a music journalist. He was genuinely happy that I stayed a fan over the years, and I definitely fell in love.
I later cried in my best friend Ashley’s car.
I’ve heard from peers and haters that he’s nothing more than a washed-up pop star trying to cash in on his teenage success.
To me he’s so much more than that.
We all have that pre-teen pop-star crush that sticks with us forever, and I can’t wait to see what happens next for Aaron.
I personally think the party is only getting started for Aaron.