It Wasn't Meant to Be Perfect: A Memoir

by Gaelynn Lea

Folk musician, Broadway composer, and disability advocate Gaelynn Lea's warm, funny, poignant memoir is a love letter to every kind of body, to music, and to making it work––inspiring us to embrace all of life's experiences with heart and determination  

Gaelynn Lea was born with Osteogenesis Imperfecta. Her parents were loving, cash-strapped theater kids, and she grew up racing about in her first electric wheelchair, taking adaptive ballet classes, and handing out playbills at her parents' dinner theater shows. Transfixed by an orchestra performance in 5th grade, Gaelynn was determined to play the cello. When her shortened limbs made playing the instrument challenging, she employed a familiar adapting. What if she held a violin upright in her wheelchair, like the world's tiniest cello? That what if was the key that unlocked her lifelong music career.

After winning NPR Music's Tiny Desk Concert in 2016, Lea became a full-time touring musician—and that's when she began truly to struggle with the inaccessibility of the music world. Out of necessity, she became a dedicated advocate and activist, pushing back against the prevailing stereotypes, assumptions, and barriers with her own gently defiant style. Lea's warm, funny, deeply-felt memoir addresses love and faith, sexuality and mortality, the frustration and the joy of difference. She shows how disability inspires and enables unique and indispensable contributions to the world, and reminds readers to think creatively, fight for what they love, and savor the journey.

Genres: Memoir

304 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication April 14, 2026

Reviews

[Edie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A bravely honest memoir tackling difficult topics with candor & humor. I have little in common with the author - in addition to being able-bodied, I can’t carry a tune or clap on the beat, and am in awe of those who can. It was a gift to peer into someone else’s experiences, to see the world from a different perspective. I sent a friend the part about teaching music students and she affirmed that’s exactly how she feels too. I think most readers will find parts of Gaelynn Lea’s story they recognize. And most of us will be confronted with situations we’ve never had to face. It is obvious the author chose her words with care. Reading It Wasn’t Meant to Be Perfect is a well-rounded experience - there are poignant emotional beats, timely political insights, and overall a prevailing atmosphere of hope. And kindness. Kindness permeates the entire book. Acknowledgement and gratitude for kindness received. And grace for the bad behavior of others. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the eARC.

[Pucemoment · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gaelynn Lea's memoir felt like an intimate conversation with someone who has insight into being a professional musician, growing up in an inclusive theater community, and what it's like to become an activist out of sheer necessity. She shares a glimpse into her life from the horrific, dehumanizing hospital experiences, to the stages of her musical journey (from student, to teacher, to professional), to her struggles with inaccessible spaces, to her current foray into activism, and to the important and diverse relationships (some more famous than others) she made along the way. I was equally outraged, encouraged, and amused as I read. With humor and grace, she shows just how much a person can make a difference with an approach that prioritizes kindness and community. I sought out this biography to better understand what I should be pushing for as an advocate and programmer at a non-profit library. It was eye-opening to see that much of Gaelynn’s education into the American Disability Movement happened after she left college and well into adulthood. That underscores just how vital education about the disability movement is for all of us, and how we should demand accessibility and accommodations in the spaces we inhabit. In addition to following her journey in navigating music venues in America and Europe, we also see just how much time and effort it takes to find success as a musician. I received the ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I have been recommending this book to my co-workers and friends.

[Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you netgalley for an eARC of this in exchange for an honest review

Gaelynn Lea is a musician that I knew of from their hauntingly beautiful NPR Tiny Desk performance, but I was unfamiliar with their work beyond it. It Wasn’t Meant to be Perfect was a wonderful look at their work outside of that performance, and their life as someone who has stuck so close to their morals, passion, and joy regardless of their circumstances. While many of the stories and dialogue are obviously either seen through bias or rose colored glasses, I was consistently struck with how much of Gaelynn’s positivity and community focus showed throughout.

While I would recommend the ebook version that I read, I feel like this book would really shine as an audiobook to get a taste of some of the songs as they are discussed.

[Marika · Rating 3 out of 5]

A moving memoir by musician Gaelynn Lea who was born with Osteogenesis Imperfecta. She was born to parents who were so-called theater kids, and as a result of them became immersed in the theater from an early age. It's when Gaelynn was in the 5th grade that she became fascinated with the cello and determined to play it, despite her shortened limbs making it difficult. She adapted and what an adaptation! She plays the cello upright like it's the world's tiniest cello and holds it! She eventually won NPR's Tiny Desk Concert in 2016 and started touring full-time. With touring came physical barriers that she had to overcome and in doing so became an advocate for herself and others.

I read an advance copy an was not compensated.

[Zach Strassburger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Strong memoir by a folk musician and disability activist. I hadn’t heard of her despite her winning NPR’s tiny desk concert. Most of the book is her story about being a touring musician, which is a hard life for anyone let alone when most concert venues are inaccessible to her wheelchair. I really liked the author talking about her thought process when trying to decide whether to play inaccessible venues. I also liked her writing about Judy Heimann and the disability rights movement—I liked the tracing of the history and the author placing herself within it.
I received this ebook for free in return for my honest review from NetGalley and the publisher.

[JXR · Rating 5 out of 5]

fantastic and warm memoir discussing the worlds of music and the theater and viewing the past of this impressive musician. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.