Everyday Alchemy: How I Spin Stories, Songs, Raps & Poems From Real Life

By Lady Peta Young

There’s magic in the mundane—if you know where to look. As a multi-genre writer, poet, rapper, singer, illustrator, and songwriter, I’ve learned that inspiration doesn’t always come with a lightning bolt. Most days, it creeps in with the clink of a teacup, the hum of bees in the garden, or a quiet glance from a nonverbal child learning to say their first word.

Real life is the muse. I don’t wait for grand moments—I tune in to the quiet rhythms of daily living. I pull stories, songs, raps, and poems straight from the soil of experience and turn them into something vibrant, lasting, and true.

1. Storytelling Starts With Listening

Whether it’s a conversation overheard at the farmer’s market or a memory sparked by the smell of honeycomb, I keep my ears and heart open. Stories are everywhere—in the laughter of my children during homeschooling, in the stubborn resilience of my tomatoes, in the sorrow and joy I see in the world around me.

I don’t force narratives. I let them unfold naturally, often starting with a single image or feeling. Once it’s captured, I shape it—honouring its roots while giving it wings.

2. Poetry in the Ordinary

Poetry, for me, is how I hold up the moment and say, Look at this. Don’t miss it. It might be a dandelion pushing through a cracked pavement, or the way the evening light slants through my kitchen window.

I write with rhythm, but I also write with reverence. Poetry allows me to distill the essence of something small and make it sacred. I don’t aim to impress—I aim to connect. If one line makes someone pause, remember, or feel seen, I’ve done my job.

3. Raps & Rhymes With Backbone

When I rap, I bring the truth with swagger. My lyrics are born of grit, not glitter. I lace real-life lessons with sharp rhyme schemes and layered beats—sometimes playful, sometimes raw, but always grounded.

My raps speak to the strength in struggle. Whether I’m flipping bars about homesteading or highlighting social justice, I fuse knowledge with rhythm. I believe that the best rhymes aren’t just catchy—they’re catalysts.

4. Songs That Grow From Soil and Soul

Songs come to me like seedlings. A melody might sprout while I’m harvesting herbs, or a chorus might hit while I’m putting my little ones to sleep. I don’t rush the process. I give it air, time, and tenderness.

Each lyric is hand-tilled, rooted in real emotion. I don’t care if it’s radio-polished. I care if it’s honest. From lullabies to love songs, every note I write carries the scent of lived experience.

5. Turning Real Life Into Something Special

Here’s the secret: it’s not about crafting perfect content. It’s about creating authentic art. I honour the old ways—hard work, storytelling passed down by voice and hand—but I keep my vision forward-thinking. I innovate by staying grounded.

When I write, I’m not escaping life—I’m documenting it. I’m remixing it. I’m turning it into something someone else can hold onto, something that says: You’re not alone. I see you. I’ve been there too.

The Takeaway

If you’re an artist, don’t wait for the extraordinary. Start with what’s in front of you: the silence, the chaos, the small joys and aching truths. That’s where the gold is. That’s where the stories hide.

And when you find them? Speak them. Sing them. Write them. Rap them. Because when you turn your everyday into art, it becomes extraordinary—not just for you, but for everyone who hears it.

Stay grounded. Stay inspired. Stay creating.

Warmly,

Lady Peta Young

“From garden to page, from beat to book—my art grows where life lives.”