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!

So it begins...

Welcome to my journey..one of hardships, triumphs, love, and laughter. One of insecurities, disappointments, self-discovery, and overcoming fear.  Wanna know who I am?  Then take a ride with me through this journey of "blessings." 

This ride towards seriously pursuing music started over 5 years ago. But what most people don't know, is that singing was a passion of mine since I was a wee child...so much so, that I was thisclose to applying to the Laguardia High School for Performing Arts.  Yes, ya'll, the FAME school!  Here I am, a young child going through the dreaded high school directory, trying to pick the 10 schools I wanted to apply to, but the ONLY one I wanted was Laguardia. I obsessed about it...I dreamt about it...I KNEW this was where I belonged.  As I read through the criteria and requirements for applying...something caught my eye that stopped me dead in my tracks....AUDITION!  For anyone wanting to apply to any of the music related classes, whether you played an instrument, danced or sang, you had to audition. Which meant going up in front of a stranger or two (maybe more) and singing. To me, at that age, the slightest thought of singing in front of ANYONE on a stage, was terrifying. Oh yeah, I sang my little heart out in front of my family, but that was at home, to songs playing on the radio.  The mere thought of performing? No way! 

A decision that, if I could go back in time, in a funky, cool DeLorean, I would soooo make that audition!  Fear paralyzed me. It took a hold of me in the worst way.  But I learned that I was the only one getting in the way of my dreams.  As I moved on to college, opportunities became available for me to perform, either at campus events or shows, where I made a conscious decision to start overcoming this fear. These moments began to chip away at that doubt I had as to whether or not I could do this without falling flat on my face because I was no nervous.  Oh, I was still a wreck when it came to performing (and I have video to prove it....how stiff was I?? LOL) but those nerve-wracking moments made me realize that it WAS possible! With more practice, I can nail this thing.  Over the years, public speaking and facilitating workshops helped me overcome my fear of being in front of a group, all eyes on me.  My confidence skyrocketed! 

Fast forward, and here I am.  Making something happen now, that I couldn't do then.  I can beat myself up, and whine about how much I regret not going to that audition. I can wonder "where would I be now had I gone to that high school? How different would my life be?"  But I don't, because all experiences I've had since then have led me to where I am right now.  And this was where I was supposed to be, all along.  

As I move forward into the next phase of this journey, persistence, hard work, focus and support from my family and friends will push me to the end result I've always wanted.  This, right here, right now....is my audition.  And it's time to take the stage.

First performance in the LES