As a young girl who loved to sing, I was always inspired by Christina Grimmie’s YouTube covers. It only feels right for me to write a post in honor of the extremely talented Christina, who was terribly shot and killed after her show in Orlando, Florida just two Saturdays ago. I looked through Christina’s old YouTube videos and chose five of her covers that I believe best capture Christina as the beautiful young woman that she was.

1. "Dear Friend"

This song is about one friend encouraging, praying for and reminding another friend of how valued she is. Christina was a friend to many. Even as she rose to fame, Christina stayed close to her childhood best friend, Sarah Happlesful. At the funeral, Sarah said about her best friend, “She’s more alive than she ever was, praise Jesus.” Because of Christina’s apparent faith, I think this song is probably a representation of what her and Sarah’s close friendship was like.

2. "I Won't Give Up"

Christina started making YouTube videos as a young teenager, but she didn’t instantly become a star. She posted videos for years before she was actually signed to a record label. While this song is about not giving up on love, watching Christina sing it just makes me think of her determination and how she never gave up on her singing dream.

3. "In Christ Alone"

Selena Gomez, who was a close friend of Christina’s, said, “It’s just that she had faith.” Christina made it clear to others that faith was important to her, and stated multiple times that she was unashamed to call herself a follower of Jesus Christ. Christina believed in Christ alone.

4. "Forget You"

This cover just showcases Christina’s creativity and pure TALENT. She puts a completely unique twist on this song and hits impressive notes all throughout her cover. The way that the singer liked to “spice up songs,” as she says at the end of this video, is something that will never be forgotten about Christina.

5. "My Heart Will Go On"

Christina’s heart will always be remembered by her loved ones and those that she touched during her lifetime. If she truly was a saved Christian, her soul will dwell in heaven for eternity. While Christina’s earthly life was ended tragically, we can all find comfort in knowing that, in a sense, her heart will go on.