It took me until I was 15 years old to go to my first pop show.

I grew up in a house that listened primarily to classical music. I've played classical piano since I was 4, and the only music I listened to that wasn't classical was Stevie Wonder, The Beatles, and Michael Jackson.

That changed in seventh grade, when my friend showed me Linkin Park. I was hooked. Once I discovered that other music existed, I dove in and tried to explore every genre I could.

What really morphed my life for the better, though, was my first show: Coldplay.

The scene: Washington, DC. The date: October 31, 2008, just days before Barack Obama would be elected President. My friend asked me last-minute if I could come to the show; little did I know she had seats in the first ten rows.

I already loved Coldplay's then-new record, Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends (my friends at classical music camp introduced me to it that summer!). Seeing it live was a completely new experience.

Lasers and strobes illuminated the entire arena. Butterfly confetti flew from the sky. Chris Martin and the band, each clad with a guitar, walked to the back of the crowd to sing an acoustic version of The Scientist.

I knew the lyrics to almost every song, except one. When they started playing it, I remember loving the first verse, but asked my friend the name of the song. "Cemeteries of London!" Of course. I remembered the track name on the album, but had never listened it.

This moment sticks with me, and the whole evening was transformative in my life. I have been to countless shows and festivals since that night, and 10 years later, I'm living out my dream as a professional performing musician. When I perform, I always remember Cemeteries of London and that mystical, unforgettable night.