Sabrina

Germany

Ever since I was a child, makeup and costuming have been great passions of mine, passions my love for Ghost has revived. I love to put my creations into theatric scenes, telling stories with them. For me, it's also about self-expression: when I put on the facepaint and a costume, I feel truly like myself. As someone who often had to hide parts of herself to make herself more palatable to the people around her and to find at least some tolerance (growing up visibly disabled in rural Germany isn't a fun experience, let me tell you), letting out the "weird", the "dramatic", the "strange" is freeing. However, participating, for me, isn't about winning. This contest gave me the motivation to actually do something that I love - something that often gets lost in everyday life. Lost in the struggle to fit in. Lost in the struggle to unlearn all the narratives that have been put into my head by other people over the years. It's reclaiming part of myself from the inner voice that would say "this is silly" and "this is weird" and "no one would like you like that". And that already feels like a win in itself. Ghost has played a great part in reclaiming myself and my joy, healing the wounds that have been left from certain experiences. Like it says in Cirice "I know your soul is not tainted, even though you've been told so" - hearing that for the first time really healed something in me because no one had ever said that to me before. A first step to realizing I am good and worthy as I am. Participating in the contest also means joining an activity with the community that gave me so much - I've made true friends through our shared love for Ghost, in fact, I met my two best friends and many more. As someone who always felt rather alone, that was a gift beyond compare. I would also like to take the opportunity here to thank Tobias for everything, the band and crew, and the team organizing the contest. I wish you a truly happy and Ghostly Halloween <3

Darkness At The Heart Of My Love