The Weight of Dreams || Greta Van Fleet

Chapter 1: The Only Life I've Ever Known

"Thank you, and goodnight!" I yelled, running off stage as the lights went down. I could still hear the screaming from the wings of the stage as my team quickly worked to un-mic and unzip the outer jacket of my final outfit. The "deconstruct" as we liked to call it was like a perfectly choreographed maneuver every time; every member of the backstage team was crucial in their part to get us out of the building and onto the bus before the crowd was let out of the venue. We had been warned many times by security that we had to be off the premises immediately as to not create any large crowds around the venue.

I missed the intimacy of the smaller shows from the beginning of my career. Some of my favorite moments on tour were going outside after a show and meeting all of the fans that waited out by the buses. It was what kept me grounded, getting to talk to actual people, and being treated like a human being. But that felt like lifetimes ago.

Both of my parents worked in Hollywood. My father a director, my mother a classically trained dancer turned actress. That's how they met, and they later forced me into music, I'm assuming to cover all of their bases. This was the only life I had ever known, and I felt more and more detached from it every single day.

"Amazing show, Juliette!" Someone said from behind me, swiftly pulling a wire through the back of my corset. I didn't recognize them, but I smiled.
"Thank you." I said, facing forward again. I lifted my arms as they pulled the remaining pieces over my head. I always felt a pang of guilt whenever I interacted with someone I didn't recognize, but the team was rotated out so often that it was impossible to know everyone by name, which even after all these years, you never got used to.

There were only a few people that have remained constant, and I held onto them for dear life. There was Amy, who was my personal stylist and confidant. Where I go, she goes; my image and sanity relied heavily on her. She had worked in this industry for years, but more importantly worked for me, so she became more like a friend (despite being one of the highest employees on my payroll). I tell myself that that only played a small part in her loyalty.

Then there was Tony, my tour manager, but became more like a father to me than my own. Tony was never afraid to tell me "no," something I've come to be very thankful for growing up in this industry. When you end every night with what feels like the world screaming your name, it's hard to not feel invincible. Tony never hesitates to bring me back down to Earth, and has saved my life numerous times because of it.

And finally, there was Don, my boyfriend of what felt like forever. His parents owned the record label that him and I were signed, so it was almost predetermined that we would eventually get together. He was the lead singer and guitarist of his own band, Fatality, and our tours were always scheduled together, compliments of Tony. You learn early on that long distance relationships never work in this industry, so you're basically tied to the people you tour with. You also discover that who you're associated with can make or break your career, so it was important that we always maintained that image of the "perfect couple." Both of our parents had been Hollywood's "It" couple and now it was our turn. 

On paper, my life was perfect. This is all I had ever known. What more could a girl want?

"Ready?" I heard from behind me. I turned to see Amy, holding her hand out. I grabbed it, slipping out of my heels and into a much more comfortable pair of sneakers. I felt someone's fingers run through my hair, tying it up into a tight bun, and then slipping a baseball cap onto my head. Sticking my arms out, a dark denim jacket was placed onto my back, and I quickly slid my arms into the sleeves, moving it into place. The deconstruct was complete. 

"We're moving." Amy said into her walkie-talking as she guided me down the hallway to the back exit of the venue. The closer we got to the doors, more security began to gather around me. As they pushed the door open, I held my head down, covering my eyes to hide from what felt like thousands of camera flashes. You quickly learn how important it was to have sunglasses on you at all times when leaving and entering a building.