By Carolyn Brown For the Valley Advocate Thirteen-year-old Victoria Narvaez of Florence knows she’s a star — and she has a new song to prove it. Narvaez released her debut single, “I’m A Star,” at a listening party at her family’s business, Goodworks Coffee House in Chicopee, in early No vember. As of this writing, the song has nearly 2,200 Spotify streams. “What I love about singing is, I really love to connect with the audience and to see them happy,” Narvaez said. The song is about how Narvaez is a star who shines “so bright, so bright, I might blind you,” no matter the obstacles she’s had to face: “I walked through the dark, now I’m standing tall / You can try to block me, but I’ll never fall.” “They see the spark / They feel the fame / Everywhere I go, they call my name,” Narvaez sings. “No shame, no doubt / I rise above / I was made for this, I shine with love.” “I think what makes me a star is that I’m really understanding and that I have something that people see in me, and they just want to see more of that, and they see potential of it,” Narvaez said. At the launch party, Chicopee Mayor John Vieau congratulated Narvaez on the release of her song, and state Rep. Shirley Arriaga, D-Chicopee, presented her with a citation to celebrate its release. “I had so much fun,” Narvaez said. “… It was really fun hanging out with my friends and family and listening to my new song.” Narvaez started singing when she was 10 years old as part of her school choir. The choir director encouraged her to take solos, and she soon started singing lessons. Her manager is her father Victor, who is also a singer, said his role “brings him immense joy and fulfillment,” according to a press release. Since then, Narvaez has gotten a number of public performances under her belt, including singing the national anthem at American International College women’s volleyball and football games, at a Westfield Starfires game and at a Springfield Thunderbirds game in front of 7,000 people. “When there’s more people, I don’t get nervous, but when there’s less people, I get more nervous,” Narvaez said. “I was a bit nervous [at the Thunderbirds game] because I’ve never sang at a really big event like that, but when I was up there, I was really enjoying singing, and it was really fun.” In a statement made in advance of the launch party, Springfield Thunderbirds president Nate Costa said, “As many people in this region have learned, getting your break with the Springfield Thunderbirds can lead to big things! We are thrilled to learn that Victoria, who recently sang the national anthem at one of our games, will release her first single. Check her out, she’s incredible.” Narvaez’s vocal coach is Michelle Brooks-Thompson, a Grammy Award nominee and finalist on the third season of “The Voice” in 2012, who lives in Springfield. Brooks-Thompson said in a statement that Narvaez’s “powerful vocals at such a young age, combined with her ability to sing various styles of music, sets her apart from her peers.” “It’s really fun working with her because when you make mistakes, she just wants to make sure you’re okay, and she gives me really good song suggestions that I like,” Narvaez said. “I love working with her because she shows me new techniques that I’ve never learned before.” Brooks-Thompson connected Narvaez with her friend Ty Juan, the Atlanta-based producer and songwriter of “I’m A Star.” He’d written a few songs that he let her choose from, but she chose “I’m A Star” because she liked the beat. “I liked how it sounded, and I think I could really connect people with that song,” Narvaez said. She recorded it at TRAQ House Recording Studio in Chicopee. Narvaez said that her ultimate dream with her music is to win a Grammy or to be on a show like “The Voice.” In the meantime, she said, “My goal is to sing at more events and get more comfortable with my voice and with engaging with the crowd. When I’m in my 20s or the really far future, I really want to become a famous singer and inspire others.” “I’m a Star” is available on major music streaming platforms, including Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube via distrokid.com/hyperfollow/victorianarvaez/im-a-star. For more information about Victoria Narvaez, visit instagram.com/toriarlene. ...read more read less