Alana Springsteen Celebrates Her 22nd Birthday — and Makes Her Grand Ole Opry Debut! See the Photos

The meaning of the day started to sink in when I drove up to the artist entrance and walked under that awning. I thought about the people who made that walk before me. You can't help but feel like you're becoming a part of something so much bigger than yourself. It's moment after moment of feeling like that for the rest of the night when you're making your Grand Ole Opry debut.

When I walked into dressing room No. 4, which is the same dressing room all artists are assigned for their debut, the first thing I saw was the piano and it immediately put me at ease. I have a piano at home, and I'll sit down at it at random times throughout the day. I'll play for a few minutes to calm my mind or get lyrics and melodies out. I was hoping there would be one in my dressing room. There's a Taylor Swift quote written on the wall in this room that says, "Oh my God, I'm on the Opry." I'm pretty sure it's from the day of her debut, and it's a simple but very accurate way of explaining how I felt. It was also my 22nd birthday, so I started playing "22" [by Taylor Swift] on the piano and threw some off-the-cuff lines in there. It turned out to be the perfect way to ease into the night.

This was during soundcheck an hour or so before the actual performance. I've heard so many of my heroes' voices through the speakers in that room, but it was my first time singing into that iconic mic and hearing mine. I can't wait to go back.

When I walked onto the stage for soundcheck, I got to meet the Opry band for the first time, which
speaks to just how versatile and talented they are as musicians. I'm pretty sure I was saying hi to Tommy White, who plays steel guitar, here. The second song I played was "Hate It When I'm Right." I wanted it to just be me, my guitar, and steel on that song. I'll never forget this, but Tommy came up to me after soundcheck and said, "Thank you so much for giving steel a moment on this song. It doesn't happen enough. It means a lot." Tommy, if you're reading this, it meant the world to ME that you played on that song with me. There's nothing like the sound of a steel guitar on a country ballad.

This was one of a handful of surprises throughout the night. I love to hand-paint Dickies pants and wear them for special moments. While I was out of the country a few weeks before my debut, my dad bought a pair and started painting them so that he could give them to me for my debut. He pulled me aside during the craziness and handed me the box to open. He did such an amazing job with these. Each of the designs are so intricate and personal. I can't imagine how long it must have taken him to paint them. I'm going to need the biggest frame in the world for them.

My team decorated my dressing room for my birthday before I got there. There was a huge "HAPPY BIRTHDAY" strung up across the mirror, presents all over the room, balloons, flowers, cake, and even a cactus plant (because I can keep house plants alive a lot longer than flowers)! There was so much love in the Opry and in my dressing room. It felt like we were all family. Everyone keeps their dressing room doors open so friends and strangers can pop in to say, "Hey!" It's one of the best vibes in the world. This is one of the few moments where we weren't packed shoulder-to-shoulder in there. My girl, Melissa Walsh, was touching up my makeup and I took a few minutes to clear my head right before I walked to the stage for my performance.

This is me hugging my manager, Basak [Kizilisik], side stage right before I walked out. This opportunity meant a lot to the both of us. It's hard to describe the kind of dedication, passion, and perseverance it takes to chase a dream like this. You can't do it alone. At the beginning, we promised each other we'd take every chance we could to find moments to be present and to enjoy the journey we're on. This was one of those moments. She took a second to remind me to take it all in while I was out there. I'm so grateful for her vision, hard work, and belief in what we're building. This debut was all about family and celebrating with my people, and she's been at the center of all of it with me.

This was taken during "Hate It When I'm Right." I wanted to play a song in honor of everyone out there with a passion that they're not sure they can chase. I wrote this song when I was 12, with a guitar that was twice my size. Back when the thought of playing the Grand Ole Opry was nothing more than something I dreamt about as I watched Luke Bryan play "Rain Is a Good Thing" from the pews onstage at 10. For anyone out there who doubts themselves or their ability to make their dreams come true, I'm proof that you can. Don't give up. I wish I could go back and tell the little girl who wrote this song that she'd play it in the circle 10 years later.

It's still hard to describe what it felt like to walk into that circle. Everyone told me I wouldn't feel the weight and meaning of the moment until I was standing there, and that's exactly what happened. I hesitated right before I took that first step and felt it all hit me in the few seconds it took me to get to the mic. I looked out and saw my family and fans [who have become friends] who drove hundreds of miles to share this experience with me. This night was also special because I announced the label deal I just signed with my fam at Columbia Records NY and Sony Music Nashville. I can't think of a better way to celebrate the songs that got me here and all the music to come.

That's a happy girl. There's nothing like this feeling. I also loved picking out this outfit with my stylist
Krista Roser. The shirt is Akira, the pants are Alice & Olivia, and yes, I wore Jordans at the Opry. We're calling these my "Opry Jordans." I'll only ever wear them on this stage.

Family is everything. This crew moved their lives from Virginia Beach to Nashville to chase this dream with me every step of the way. I am who I am because of these people right here. They're my heart and it means the world that I got to share this day with them.

During a visit to the Opry earlier this year, I was standing onstage, lost in my thoughts while looking down at the circle, when the one and only Jeannie Seely came up behind me and started sharing some of her stories. She said that some time ago, a friend had called her to ask if she was available to do something that evening and she responded with, "I'm sorry I can't, I have to play the Opry tonight." She said she thought about what she had said as she was getting ready before the show that night, and it occurred to her that she didn't HAVE to play the Opry — she was lucky enough to GET to. Since then, her response in situations like that has always been the same, "I can't make it tonight… I get to play the Opry."

After I was invited to debut, I asked the Opry to see if Jeannie could be there. I got to talk to her after I played and as we were saying goodbye at the end of the night, I remember turning around to her and saying, "Jeannie, I GOT to play the Opry!"