Singer-Songwriter on Autism Spectrum Pens Song Inspiring Acceptance

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Playing the piano is how Victoria Laing expresses herself.

“Music needs no translation,” said Lucinda Chen, Victoria’s mom. “It expresses the emotions and it’s a way for her to connect to the world.”

Victoria has been playing piano since she was four years old. Then when she was 12, she wrote a song called, “Like the Other Girls.”

“Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be alone?” Victoria sang while playing the piano in her Frisco home.

“I wanted to express my loneliness and depression so that gave me the idea to write down my song,” Victoria said.

She hopes that her song’s lyrics will help people be more accepting of others.

“Just because people are different, or special needs, or autistic, doesn’t mean that they shouldn’t be included,” Victoria said.

Victoria is on the autism spectrum. Her mom said she was diagnosed at just 2 years old.

“Kids with special needs — they can be just as important as normal kids and they can serve great purposes if they have the passion and motivation,” Victoria said.

Victoria’s passion and motivation inspired her to perform her original song at Hebron’s Got Talent. For Victoria, this talent show was nerve-racking.

“My body was tight and I had this like nervous gut feeling in my stomach, but then I also knew that there was this huge audience that was waiting for me. There’s this audience that needed to hear my message,” Victoria said.

After she complete her performance, the audience erupted in cheers — expressing their love for her music that came with a message of inclusiveness.

That night, Victoria earned the 2019 Hebron’s Got Talent People’s Choice Award.

“I felt very happy and appreciative. It made me feel really good,” Victoria said.

Then just two months later, Veronica performed her song in the Arbor Creek Middle School talent show.

“I won the grand champion prize award,” Victoria said. “I felt so special.”

She was praised for her efforts and her trophies sit proudly on her piano.

“But, winning the awards was not the most important thing to her,” Lucinda said. “She really wants to make this world better.” And she hopes to do that by helping people grow in acceptance toward those who appear different.

“Because we are all unique and special in God’s eyes,” Victoria said.

Victoria and her mom are working to start a website that will coordinate playdates between children with special needs and those who do not. They’d like to raise money to pay for the playdates and provide scholarships for those who participate.

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