Cian Ducrot has made no secret that he hasn’t had an easy path to where he is today.

At the young age of 28, Cian is now a Grammy Award-winning musician and recently celebrated a very sweet full-circle moment, but not before reminding his followers of the hardships you sometimes face in pursuit of your dreams.

The Cork man, who is dating fitness influencer Sofia Jane Cunningham, has revealed he’s been honoured with an Associateship of the Royal Academy of Music (ARAM), where he studied almost a decade ago.

Cian shared photos of him proudly showing off his Associateship document, writing: ‘When I was 19, I auditioned for the Royal Academy of Music in London to study classical music.

‘I remember people around me at the time telling me I should audition for multiple conservatoires just in case I don’t get in, but I had no interest in going anywhere else because that was the level I felt I would need to make a career.

‘More than that, I just really believed I could get in… Maybe it was being foolish and naive, but it worked…’

‘On the day of my audition, I was blessed enough to be offered a place at the school and a full scholarship on the spot!! A dream come true!!,’ Cian remembered.

‘I spent two years at the Academy, but after my second year I felt it was time for me to leave, so I dropped out… I knew I needed to pursue my calling to be an artist and felt that being at the academy was a safety net I couldn’t allow myself anymore.

‘Leaving was tough, for the first time in my life I was saying goodbye to classical music, to my scholarship and to London. I had to move back in with my parents in Ireland.’

‘When I got back to London, I slept on friends’ floors and sofas and would busk every day on Oxford Street,’ Cian said of his graft. ‘I got jobs in bars, cafes, restaurants, and handed out flyers for kebab shops. I did anything I could to survive.

‘Strangers helped me out of the kindness of their hearts, and real friends showed up. I remember hearing from friends at the academy that other people there were laughing at me, saying I was making a huge mistake and throwing my life away…

‘A few weeks ago, I was invited back to the Academy to be honoured with an Associateship of the Royal Academy of Music (ARAM).’

‘It meant the world to be recognised, especially as a dropout, by this prestigious institution for following my gut and my dreams,’ Cian sweetly penned. ‘I had left there without anything to show for my time there, and so being honoured now with this Associateship means a hell of a lot.

‘All of this to say, you never know where life will take you. Sometimes your path is unusual, and often people will laugh and judge when they don’t understand you, but that doesn’t mean they are right.

‘Never give up on yourself and never let other people’s interpretation of you determine what you can achieve! Especially in the hard times, trust yourself xx.’