Can I major in Rockstar?

I am the type of person who should be listening exclusively to showtunes, Hilary Duff, and boy bands. But seriously. I think that's what most people secretly expect upon first meeting me. As a musical theatre major, the showtunes are a given; as a generally peppy, bubbly, loud person, the other music just seems to stereotypically suit my personality. Don't get me wrong--I do love my showtunes, and The Lizzie McGuire Movie soundtrack was my jam, and I was obsessed with both NSYNC and the Backstreet Boys for a long, long time.

However, at around that same age, I was also obsessed with Metallica.

True Life: I'm a Metalhead.

Considering that the first concert my parents attended together was Sammy Hagar, it shouldn't be too surprising. My musical bipolarism started way early. I grew up listening to my mom's favorite country artists, bubblegum pop, The Phantom of the Opera, and the myriad CDs my dad had in the basement. I would comb through showboxes of rock: classics like Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin; hair-metal from Def Leppard to ZZ top; hard rockin' genius like Metallica and Megadeth (and, for the record, I love them both, and Dave Mustaine's voice is awesome, okay?). In middle school, I had an hour-long bus ride to school, and this became the perfect time to explore these magical mysteries of rock. I remember listening to Creed for a long, long time (haters gonna hate), before their Favorite Band throne was unceremoniously usurped by Metallica. I was a goody-two-shoes drama geek, a teacher's pet and Student Council Vice-President, and I was rockin' out to ...And Justice For All every day before school. I distinctly remember telling a bewildered kid in my homeroom about my theory that Megadeth totally ripped off Metallica's "Wherever I May Roam" because "A Secret Place" had the same Middle-Eastern vibe. I was in the 7th grade. It never occurred to me that that was odd.

Now, Metallica is still up there, man, but my favorite genres have expanded to the nether regions of metal: symphonic metal from far-off Nordic countries; female-fronted screamo, with pretty, petite lead vocalists who scream and growl and bellow like men or possibly bears or dragons; fast-paced progressive stuff with catchy vocals and lots of falsetto. As is true with every genre of music, I love and appreciate and devour it all. Nothing is too weird, or too scary, or too heavy. There's something a little silly about metal, sometimes, but there is also something deeply emotional about it--and not all that emotion is anger. Metal has moved me to tears. Metal has made me think. Metal has awed me with its intricacy. Metal is just as valid, expressive, emotive, and beautiful as any other genre of music, and I wish more people would realize that.

So, guys, I'm pretty sure I should just give up this whole musical theatre thing, and just go on to major in Rockstar. Check out my band someday. I'll be the one smiling a lot and baking cupcakes for everyone after I've bellowed and growled and broken an electric guitar over my own head.