As she plays back the recordings, I hear my former self—the softness, the timidity wrapped in shadows, the sounds I barely recognized.
It feels like listening to a ghost version of myself. The voice in the recordings is soft and unsure, as if she is afraid to take up space. My throat tightens as I realize how far I have climbed to get here.
“This is incredible!” Dr. Shapiro exclaims, her approval filling the room. “The difference is amazing, Raina. Look how far you’ve come!”
Tears brim in my eyes, almost catching me off guard as her words seep in. A blend of emotions wash over me, pride in how far I’ve come and a bittersweet pang for what I’ve lost. I brace myself, hoping that as the note fades, it will carry away the heaviness of what my voice used to be.
“What comes next?” I ask, my heart brimming with possibilities and anticipation as I contemplate the next steps forward.
The question lingers in the air like music, promising to intertwine with my own journey as I step forward into this new beginning, voice discovered and reclaiming every note that’s ever echoed in my heart.
“Well,” she says, folding her hands, “this is the part I love most.” She pauses for a moment, letting me wonder what it could be. Gotta love dramatic effect… “Raina, you’re cleared. Fully cleared. You’re healthy, your technique is solid, your stamina is excellent. If you want to go on tour… you can.”
The world tilts, warm and bright. For a heartbeat, I can’t speak.
“Really?” My voice cracks on the word.
“Really,” she says, smiling. “You did the work. You earned this. Just keep up your warm-ups, hydrate, respect your limits, but you’re ready. Your voice is ready.”
As I prepare to leave, Dr. Shapiro extends a small gift toward me. It’s wrapped in a soft navy ribbon. “I thought you might like this, it’s a practice journal,” she says, her voice gentle. “I hadVoice Foundembossed on the cover to remind you of this journey.”
I run my fingers over the soft surface. A tightness forms in my throat that has nothing to do with healing or scar tissue. This journal represents the future I once thought I had lost. It marks the effort I poured into earning my voice back.
“Thank you. This means the world to me,” I reply, emotions coiling within me like a beautiful melody, embracing the potential of my newfound voice.
I walk out of the office feeling lighter and steadier, as if each step carries the promise of a voice not only reclaimed but reborn.
Breaking News!
Raina Lexington Wins Landmark Lawsuit Against Lexington Productions; Awarded Her Masters and $1,000-Per-Day Penalty
By Marla Jennings—Staff Writer
In a groundbreaking ruling already sending shockwaves through the music industry, singer-songwriterRaina Lexingtonhas prevailed in her high-profile lawsuit againstLexington Productions, the label owned by her uncle,Clint Lexington.
A state superior court judge ruled that the label and its owner engaged in“deliberate, exploitative, and financially motivated misconduct”when they took Raina’s original songs—works she wrote and owned—and gave them to another artist under the label without her consent.
Legal experts are calling the judgment“historic,”especially for its implications around master ownership and punitive damages.
A Sweeping Victory for Artist Rights
The ruling grants Raina some of the broadest protections an artist can receive. She now has full ownership of all her masters—past, present, and unreleased—and the court has ordered the return of all stolen compositions, including lyric sheets, demos, and early recordings.
Publishing rights for any songs she contributed to will revert to her, and she is entitled to payment of all back royalties generated from her stolen work. The court also awarded a seven-figure financial settlement covering damages, lost earnings, and emotional distress, and ordered the immediate dissolution of her contract with no penalties or remaining obligations.
In an unprecedented move, Lexington Productions must pay Raina $1,000 per day as long as the company remains in businessfor knowingly stealing an artist’s work. Additionally, the court mandated full reimbursement of her legal fees, cementing one of the most comprehensive victories for artist rights in recent history.
Judge Coram wrote:
“This verdict ensures that no artist will be coerced into surrendering the core of their creative identity. Ms. Lexington’s masters belong to her—where they should have been all along.”
A Family Betrayal Exposed
The case revealed that Clint Lexington knowingly exploited his niece’s trust, using his position of authority to siphon her music to benefit another artist on his roster. The court found that he acted out of both financial greed and personal control.
In the ruling, the judge stated:
“Family does not absolve exploitation. Blood does not erase theft.”
