Taylor Cullen, BSN, RN, combines two loves – nursing and music – for a well-rounded life.
She began writing music at 9 and wrote her songs in a pink notebook she still has today. Taylor taught herself to play the piano and guitar. She has written and recorded her music and in 2016, she received an invitation to try out for “American Idol.” She has opened for Clay Walker, Phil Vassar and Mark Chesnutt and sang “God Bless America” before a packed crowd at Kauffman Stadium.
Today, Taylor performs regularly around the metro, including Walnut Creek Winery in Holt, MO. She is recording music with a producer in Nashville and hopes to become a country songwriter. Singer Katie Gish recorded one of Taylor’s songs.
“I have wanted to write music and sing my whole life,” Taylor said. “Nursing gives me a stable career and provides flexibility, so I can pursue music, which is my creative outlet.”
A self-described night owl, Taylor works the night shift on Labor and Delivery. On her nights off, she finds her most creative sparks occur around 3 a.m.
“Music allows me to express myself in a way nothing else really can,” Taylor explained. “I write about my life and difficult things I experience so I can touch other people’s lives and express emotion that may be difficult for them to share.
One of Taylor’s most emotional performances occurred at last year’s Walk to Remember where she wrote and performed the song “Butterfly Wings.” The annual event is for families who have experienced a loss because of miscarriage, stillbirth or early infant death.
“There was a lot of energy and love surrounding me when I performed the song last year,” Taylor smiled.
At one point, attendees release a butterfly while saying the name of their baby. Taylor used butterflies as the song’s theme and wrote lyrics to commemorate a loss with butterfly wings.
“I cried when I wrote that song. I think it’s been inside of me for some time,” Taylor added. “I just needed an excuse to get it out and put it on paper. It was therapeutic for me to share it.”
Taylor has been busy writing new music and looks forward to a new project in 2025.
“My number one goal is to be happy – whether I’m playing music for my dog in my living room or for a huge crowd,” Taylor said.
Find Taylor’s music on streaming platforms and social media.
