At just 18 years old, Raja Green-Hornes is pursuing his passion for music as a singer, songwriter, and dancer while navigating the challenges of autism.
Green-Hornes began taking music seriously at 13, when he wrote his first song, "Better," on the piano. Since then, he has recorded several songs, including "Dip" and "Roll the Dice," which also has a music video.
For Green-Hornes, music is a way to communicate his feelings and connect with others.
"Music is like a way for me to express myself," he said.
His passion extends beyond writing songs.
"I love performing in front of people. I love giving people a show," he said. "It's nice. It gives me a good feeling in my body."
His music has also attracted attention from classmates. Green-Hornes said students at schools he has attended have watched his music videos in class, with some even asking to take pictures with him.
"Everybody's like, 'Man, this is so cool. We've got a celebrity walking the halls,'" he said.
One of his biggest supporters is his mother, Charlitra Johnson-Hornes.
Johnson-Hornes has encouraged her son's musical interests since childhood. She still has home videos of him singing when he was young. However, raising Green-Hornes has also come with concerns.
Johnson-Hornes said her son attended speech therapy as a young child and was later diagnosed with autism and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD.
"It was scary at first," she said, recalling her concerns that people would label him because of his diagnoses.
Green-Hornes said staying focused can sometimes be difficult.
"It caused me to get looked over by certain organizations or people because of how I acted," he said.
His mother hopes his experiences will encourage the entertainment industry to become more accepting of artists with autism.
"The industry needs to be more aware that there are artists who have autism," Johnson-Hornes said. "And it's OK. There's nothing wrong with them."
Despite the obstacles, Johnson-Hornes said watching her son develop into a talented performer has been rewarding.
"Anything he touches, he does so well at it," she said. "Raja, he's just amazing."
Still, she acknowledges having concerns about his future, particularly who will support him when she is no longer around.
"Who's gonna be there for our kids when we're gone?" she said. "I just want to make sure he's OK."
For Green-Hornes, those challenges haven't stopped him from pursuing his dreams. He hopes to continue releasing music, performing and inspiring others who have faced similar experiences.
"It's OK, though. I'm still doing good," he said. "I'm still making it on my own."
