Tuesday, December 10, 2013

Moving Forward

It's been a while since I last posted and introduced you to my first blog.  Keeping up with technology and social media has been a challenge, what with working full-time and balancing my pursuit of music....whether writing a new tune or fitting in studio time. But it's a necessity, especially since social media is now the new PR firm for indie artists. It's something I've been trying to stay on top of, not only to keep friends and family up-to-date on what I'm doing, but to build a fan base, and so here we are with my 2nd post! Woohoo! :-)

2013 was a challenging year, both personally and professionally. So many changes occurred, that sometimes I didn't know whether I was coming or going.  Studio sessions were nearly nonexistent because of these challenges.  When life throws you a curve ball, sometimes other things fall apart in the process.  We find that we must place all of our energy and focus on one issue at a time, in order for it to be resolved properly.  But despite the ups and downs that 2013 brought, music remained constant in my life. After tons of soul searching throughout the summer, I finally decided it was time to take the next step in my musical journey and begin working on my first EP album ever!

Music for me isn't about what's hot or the next big thing. It's about producing something that listeners can relate to, that fits who I am.  Sometimes artists fall into a lane, musically, that doesn't come to them naturally. They sing R&B when they're passion is rock. Pink started out in R&B and was none too pleased about being pigeon holed in one genre. She knew her lane was in Pop/Rock, and eventually she made it there with much success.
A lot of people asked me when would I be releasing an album? I always said "I'm working on it...it's coming...very soon."  But what they didn't realize was that I was struggling. Struggling to find my place in the music....to find my sound.  It took quite some years for me to reach this point, where I'm finally comfortable with the lane and direction I'm moving toward....where the music just flows. And it continues to be a work in progress.  Everyday is used as an opportunity to learn something new. One of the things I must credit to helping me find this lane was covering Sade's "No Ordinary Love." It was my first time recording a song by such a talented artist whose music is so timeless.

Covering this song, and feeling the comfort with this style of music, helped me grow immensely.
Working with influential artists like my sister Ruby this past year (https://soundcloud.com/omgruby) also helped me grow, and gave me the confidence in my ability to fulfill my dreams.

Lastly, another influential person who has helped me musically and who has been supportive of  taking the time I needed to find my sound, is Hazali (https://soundcloud.com/hazali), the founder of For the Lovers music group. He will also be the Executive Producer of my EP.  Surrounding myself with this talent has given me the push I needed.



So join me as I continue this journey leading up to my EP release in March. From photo shoots, selecting album covers, to performances....it's going to be a fun, rewarding ride!  Stay tuned!