What seemed to be a run-of-the-mill cold at the very end of 1999 turned out to be an inner ear infection that went undetected during Alaria’s initial medical visits. As a result, she became legally deaf in her left ear and developed Meniere’s Disease, a crippling, unpredictable, and incurable illness that causes severe bouts of violent vertigo, extreme sensitivity to noise, nausea, vomiting, and dizziness. For more than a year and a half, she was unable to even listen to music, much less create it. She also developed extreme allergies and chemical sensitivities that made it impossible to go anywhere. Because of these health issues, Alaria didn’t leave her house for months at a time, and nothing the mainstream and alternative doctors recommended seemed to do her any good. She was quickly coming to the conclusion that her life was over.

But in 2002, a ray of invigorating light entered Alaria’s life. Having exhausted all other possibilities, she called area churches looking for possible methods of spiritual healing. One church was particularly responsive, and sent two women right away. This proved to be the turning point in Alaria’s life. The two women, who dubbed themselves “prayer warriors,” knew nothing about Alaria except her address and that she was very ill and extremely depressed. They walked into her home and said, “You are supposed to be doing music...that is your mission in life.” They stayed for more than four hours, praying over her and offering her something she had lost a long time ago…hope.

Almost immediately, Alaria took a significant turn for the better. Her allergy symptoms began to lessen, and the Meniere’s attacks were much less frequent. Early in 2003 a medication change, gallbladder removal, and an old friend bringing music back into her life came together as the final step of Alaria’s healing. Not only was she able to bounce back and become more like her old self, but she was now blessed with a new perspective and greater appreciation for the little joys of life. She compared her renewal to being released from prison, and this is what she wrote about in the song “Immunity: The Turnaround,” which she never could have written without having been through what she has been through. She now knows that everything happens for a reason, and she thanks God every day for the opportunities he has given her. Alaria hasn’t suffered a Meniere’s attack since June of 2003, and she continues to feel well.

Alaria Taylor is an award winning singer/songwriter with numerous regional and national awards including: Billboard Magazine Songwriting Contest, Songwriter of the Year: Songwriters of Wisconsin, Pop Songwriter of the Year: Wisconsin Composers Circle, Great American Love Song Contest, WAMI CD of the Year, WAMI Song of the Year nominee and many others. An accomplished live performer, she has performed in coffeehouses, nightclubs, colleges, theater, operas, cover bands, aboard cruise ships and on radio & TV. Most recently, she has been named director of the Milwaukee chapter of Chick Singer Night, the largest and longest running female singer showcase in America.
Listen to her here! Tell Alaria you saw her on Love to Sing!