music
You and Me Together
Tuesday 24 November 2015 LyricsNews
Part Two of the Smithfield Sessions is here!
And, as always, there is a journey to the story behind the music, which I want to take you on. (click ‘read more’ below for the whole story...)
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And, as always, there is a journey to the story behind the music, which I want to take you on. (click ‘read more’ below for the whole story...)
Read More...
Hold Him Again
Tuesday 17 November 2015 LyricsNews
This is a song that had been “cooking” for a very long time. It’s one that I wanted to get right.
How do you deal with the death of a loved one? My father-in-law died extremely suddenly almost two years ago. I loved him dearly, but it was clear to me that there were those who loved him so much more than I did.
It caused deep unrest within my spirit. How does a wife deal with the passing of a husband?...
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How do you deal with the death of a loved one? My father-in-law died extremely suddenly almost two years ago. I loved him dearly, but it was clear to me that there were those who loved him so much more than I did.
It caused deep unrest within my spirit. How does a wife deal with the passing of a husband?...
Read More...
Are You Listening?
Sunday 08 November 2015 LyricsBlog
We have been listening to some pretty intense free jazz this week in class. Intense. Like, the kind that you can’t even really tap your foot to because you can’t find the beat. And you definitely can’t hum along... I had no idea of where the harmony was, if there was a structure, a melody even...
It’s hard work listening to music like that. It’s the same with avant garde classical music, like the concert I went to a few weeks ago by Krzysztof Penderecki. Music like that puts you on edge. You can’t relax into it, like with Bossa Nova or a nice warm waltz. It wrestles with something inside of you.
It’s hard to listen.
So after talking about the boundaries that free jazz challenged, and what we found so hard about it to appreciate, we were asked the question, “what is listening?”
At first I thought it was a silly question. What’s listening? Well, of course it’s... it’s... but I couldn’t think of a coherent, succinct answer that could really sum up what listening means.
Actually, it is one of the most passive, sometimes even involuntary acts that we can do as humans. Don’t wish that you could just turn your ears off sometimes and not have to listen?
But even though it is such an automatic part of our lives, the act of listening is a complex process. It is, in it’s most basic form, turning our attention to the sound waves that are hitting our eardrums. If I listen now, I hear the steady hum of my air conditioning unit, I hear my fingers typing on the keyboard, I hear a muted wave of traffic 20 storeys below me, and occasionally I hear the call of a bird or the beep of a horn.
Listening reminds me of where I am. It places me squarely in my surroundings.
But listening to music can have the total opposite effect. When you really listen to music, you can be transported to other universes: lost in a sea of sound or emotion or memories.
When you actively listen to music, that is; when you give it your full attention (yes that means turning off all of your other devices...) you allow yourself to fully appreciate all that the artist has layered and placed into their work. There is a difference between hearing and listening.
For example, a lot of people have heard The Police’s song “Every Breath You Take”. In fact, it’s the world’s most played song on radio. But a lot of people have never really listened to it. Most people think it’s a nice, happy love song about being committed to each other.
But when you listen to the song, you will discover that it is about something much darker, much more sinister. It’s about control, about fear and losing love. It’s a little bit creepy, when you really think about it!
When we don’t listen, we miss the point. We don’t fully comprehend.
This is true for music, but also for so many other aspects of our lives. Who are we not properly hearing in our lives? Whose voice is being drowned out? Do we ever just listen to one singular voice? Do we ever make time for silence?
Are you listening? You might just hear something that will shake you up.
It’s hard work listening to music like that. It’s the same with avant garde classical music, like the concert I went to a few weeks ago by Krzysztof Penderecki. Music like that puts you on edge. You can’t relax into it, like with Bossa Nova or a nice warm waltz. It wrestles with something inside of you.
It’s hard to listen.
So after talking about the boundaries that free jazz challenged, and what we found so hard about it to appreciate, we were asked the question, “what is listening?”
At first I thought it was a silly question. What’s listening? Well, of course it’s... it’s... but I couldn’t think of a coherent, succinct answer that could really sum up what listening means.
Actually, it is one of the most passive, sometimes even involuntary acts that we can do as humans. Don’t wish that you could just turn your ears off sometimes and not have to listen?
But even though it is such an automatic part of our lives, the act of listening is a complex process. It is, in it’s most basic form, turning our attention to the sound waves that are hitting our eardrums. If I listen now, I hear the steady hum of my air conditioning unit, I hear my fingers typing on the keyboard, I hear a muted wave of traffic 20 storeys below me, and occasionally I hear the call of a bird or the beep of a horn.
Listening reminds me of where I am. It places me squarely in my surroundings.
But listening to music can have the total opposite effect. When you really listen to music, you can be transported to other universes: lost in a sea of sound or emotion or memories.
When you actively listen to music, that is; when you give it your full attention (yes that means turning off all of your other devices...) you allow yourself to fully appreciate all that the artist has layered and placed into their work. There is a difference between hearing and listening.
For example, a lot of people have heard The Police’s song “Every Breath You Take”. In fact, it’s the world’s most played song on radio. But a lot of people have never really listened to it. Most people think it’s a nice, happy love song about being committed to each other.
But when you listen to the song, you will discover that it is about something much darker, much more sinister. It’s about control, about fear and losing love. It’s a little bit creepy, when you really think about it!
When we don’t listen, we miss the point. We don’t fully comprehend.
This is true for music, but also for so many other aspects of our lives. Who are we not properly hearing in our lives? Whose voice is being drowned out? Do we ever just listen to one singular voice? Do we ever make time for silence?
Are you listening? You might just hear something that will shake you up.
An Artist in Turmoil
Tuesday 08 September 2015 LyricsBlog
It has been a little bit too long since I last shared with you all...
And the reason?
Turmoil...
OK, perhaps that sounds a tad melodramatic, and it probably is. But the truth is, life has been largely unsettled and un-routined for the past several weeks. With moving back to Asia, starting a new school and picking up old projects, without a permanent place to stay or organised belongings, I have felt... to put it lightly, flustered...
And it has got me thinking about the parameters that I seem to require to be creative.
This isn’t to do with productivity; I can get things done, whether it is writing papers or moving projects forward or practicing scales.
It is more about creating the right environment, both internal and externally, to foster creative thinking and outputs.
One of the things that I have often found strange is my need to have a tidy and organised creative space. This feels in some ways atypical for an artist - the classic picture of the creative genius is one of a studio littered with sketches, semi-read books, coffee cups, notes, and the occasional odd sock or half eaten sandwich. My husband’s studio is often like this, a highly complex mass of cables and equipment, with several things piled up on and under and around the desk. I wonder how he can see through the chaos.
I also have to tick everything else off of my to-do list before I can give myself over to the wash of creativity that trying to be an artist requires.
In essence, I have to clear my physical and my mental slates.
And I wonder why.
Perhaps it is that I don’t assign enough priority to just taking time to create. Other needs become more pressing; I would love to call my mum, I need to pick up something for dinner, so-and-so is expecting me to send her my review... These things are important. But should they top the list and stop me from doing what I call my first passion?
Perhaps it is just a focus issue; my husband is able to (sometimes unwittingly) give 100% of his attention to whatever he is doing. It makes me jealous! I can’t help but be distracted by the nagging to-dos and visual anomalies that surround me.
Perhaps it is lack of routine; if there was a time and space that was repeatedly given to music and writing, maybe I would be able to look past the usual obstacles and get into the discipline of creating.
But I think, one thing has to be true for all of us who have to create: your space should be a little haven. It should be a stimulating and peaceful place, where art is glorified as the highest achievement. It should be somewhere that you long for, get lost in, a creative womb where your most spectacular ideas can be birthed.
In Hong Kong, it will be hard to devote a whole room to creative space since the number of square feet at my disposal will be severely limited!
But, I will find a perfect corner of our little home, and keep it sanctified as my little temple of creativity.
How do you set up yours?
And the reason?
Turmoil...
OK, perhaps that sounds a tad melodramatic, and it probably is. But the truth is, life has been largely unsettled and un-routined for the past several weeks. With moving back to Asia, starting a new school and picking up old projects, without a permanent place to stay or organised belongings, I have felt... to put it lightly, flustered...
And it has got me thinking about the parameters that I seem to require to be creative.
This isn’t to do with productivity; I can get things done, whether it is writing papers or moving projects forward or practicing scales.
It is more about creating the right environment, both internal and externally, to foster creative thinking and outputs.
One of the things that I have often found strange is my need to have a tidy and organised creative space. This feels in some ways atypical for an artist - the classic picture of the creative genius is one of a studio littered with sketches, semi-read books, coffee cups, notes, and the occasional odd sock or half eaten sandwich. My husband’s studio is often like this, a highly complex mass of cables and equipment, with several things piled up on and under and around the desk. I wonder how he can see through the chaos.
I also have to tick everything else off of my to-do list before I can give myself over to the wash of creativity that trying to be an artist requires.
In essence, I have to clear my physical and my mental slates.
And I wonder why.
Perhaps it is that I don’t assign enough priority to just taking time to create. Other needs become more pressing; I would love to call my mum, I need to pick up something for dinner, so-and-so is expecting me to send her my review... These things are important. But should they top the list and stop me from doing what I call my first passion?
Perhaps it is just a focus issue; my husband is able to (sometimes unwittingly) give 100% of his attention to whatever he is doing. It makes me jealous! I can’t help but be distracted by the nagging to-dos and visual anomalies that surround me.
Perhaps it is lack of routine; if there was a time and space that was repeatedly given to music and writing, maybe I would be able to look past the usual obstacles and get into the discipline of creating.
But I think, one thing has to be true for all of us who have to create: your space should be a little haven. It should be a stimulating and peaceful place, where art is glorified as the highest achievement. It should be somewhere that you long for, get lost in, a creative womb where your most spectacular ideas can be birthed.
In Hong Kong, it will be hard to devote a whole room to creative space since the number of square feet at my disposal will be severely limited!
But, I will find a perfect corner of our little home, and keep it sanctified as my little temple of creativity.
How do you set up yours?
An Artist in Turmoil
Tuesday 08 September 2015 LyricsBlog
It has been a little bit too long since I last shared with you all...
And the reason?
Turmoil...
OK, perhaps that sounds a tad melodramatic, and it probably is. But the truth is, life has been largely unsettled and un-routined for the past several weeks. With moving back to Asia, starting a new school and picking up old projects, without a permanent place to stay or organised belongings, I have felt... to put it lightly, flustered...
And it has got me thinking about the parameters that I seem to require to be creative.
This isn’t to do with productivity; I can get things done, whether it is writing papers or moving projects forward or practicing scales.
It is more about creating the right environment, both internal and externally, to foster creative thinking and outputs.
One of the things that I have often found strange is my need to have a tidy and organised creative space. This feels in some ways atypical for an artist - the classic picture of the creative genius is one of a studio littered with sketches, semi-read books, coffee cups, notes, and the occasional odd sock or half eaten sandwich. My husband’s studio is often like this, a highly complex mass of cables and equipment, with several things piled up on and under and around the desk. I wonder how he can see through the chaos.
I also have to tick everything else off of my to-do list before I can give myself over to the wash of creativity that trying to be an artist requires.
In essence, I have to clear my physical and my mental slates.
And I wonder why.
Perhaps it is that I don’t assign enough priority to just taking time to create. Other needs become more pressing; I would love to call my mum, I need to pick up something for dinner, so-and-so is expecting me to send her my review... These things are important. But should they top the list and stop me from doing what I call my first passion?
Perhaps it is just a focus issue; my husband is able to (sometimes unwittingly) give 100% of his attention to whatever he is doing. It makes me jealous! I can’t help but be distracted by the nagging to-dos and visual anomalies that surround me.
Perhaps it is lack of routine; if there was a time and space that was repeatedly given to music and writing, maybe I would be able to look past the usual obstacles and get into the discipline of creating.
But I think, one thing has to be true for all of us who have to create: your space should be a little haven. It should be a stimulating and peaceful place, where art is glorified as the highest achievement. It should be somewhere that you long for, get lost in, a creative womb where your most spectacular ideas can be birthed.
In Hong Kong, it will be hard to devote a whole room to creative space since the number of square feet at my disposal will be severely limited!
But, I will find a perfect corner of our little home, and keep it sanctified as my little temple of creativity.
How do you set up yours?
And the reason?
Turmoil...
OK, perhaps that sounds a tad melodramatic, and it probably is. But the truth is, life has been largely unsettled and un-routined for the past several weeks. With moving back to Asia, starting a new school and picking up old projects, without a permanent place to stay or organised belongings, I have felt... to put it lightly, flustered...
And it has got me thinking about the parameters that I seem to require to be creative.
This isn’t to do with productivity; I can get things done, whether it is writing papers or moving projects forward or practicing scales.
It is more about creating the right environment, both internal and externally, to foster creative thinking and outputs.
One of the things that I have often found strange is my need to have a tidy and organised creative space. This feels in some ways atypical for an artist - the classic picture of the creative genius is one of a studio littered with sketches, semi-read books, coffee cups, notes, and the occasional odd sock or half eaten sandwich. My husband’s studio is often like this, a highly complex mass of cables and equipment, with several things piled up on and under and around the desk. I wonder how he can see through the chaos.
I also have to tick everything else off of my to-do list before I can give myself over to the wash of creativity that trying to be an artist requires.
In essence, I have to clear my physical and my mental slates.
And I wonder why.
Perhaps it is that I don’t assign enough priority to just taking time to create. Other needs become more pressing; I would love to call my mum, I need to pick up something for dinner, so-and-so is expecting me to send her my review... These things are important. But should they top the list and stop me from doing what I call my first passion?
Perhaps it is just a focus issue; my husband is able to (sometimes unwittingly) give 100% of his attention to whatever he is doing. It makes me jealous! I can’t help but be distracted by the nagging to-dos and visual anomalies that surround me.
Perhaps it is lack of routine; if there was a time and space that was repeatedly given to music and writing, maybe I would be able to look past the usual obstacles and get into the discipline of creating.
But I think, one thing has to be true for all of us who have to create: your space should be a little haven. It should be a stimulating and peaceful place, where art is glorified as the highest achievement. It should be somewhere that you long for, get lost in, a creative womb where your most spectacular ideas can be birthed.
In Hong Kong, it will be hard to devote a whole room to creative space since the number of square feet at my disposal will be severely limited!
But, I will find a perfect corner of our little home, and keep it sanctified as my little temple of creativity.
How do you set up yours?
The Collaborator
Thursday 13 August 2015 LyricsBlog
On the road, as I think I have thought about in previous posts, I knew I would find it hard to write music...
But I truly had no idea, that on a trip which is about music, how little I would actually get to play! Perhaps it would be different if I was a guitar player - I could pull out my guitar wherever we happen to be, with no need for electricity or amplification. But with my electric piano, no matter how much I love it, the number of times that I have been able to get it out just to play, practice, write... well I can count them on one hand...
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The Collaborator
Thursday 13 August 2015 LyricsBlog
On the road, as I think I have thought about in previous posts, I knew I would find it hard to write music...
But I truly had no idea, that on a trip which is about music, how little I would actually get to play! Perhaps it would be different if I was a guitar player - I could pull out my guitar wherever we happen to be, with no need for electricity or amplification. But with my electric piano, no matter how much I love it, the number of times that I have been able to get it out just to play, practice, write... well I can count them on one hand...
Read More...
The Words vs The Sounds
Thursday 02 July 2015 LyricsBlog
When I was younger, and I first started out writing songs, I never cared about the lyrics.
I wrote, experimenting with music and songwriting, and filled the lines with school-girl poetry. Not surprisingly, my first songs were almost laughable subject matter. I remember, at the age of 13, writing a song with my best friend that started with the lines:
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Song of the Week
Friday 26 June 2015 LyricsSong of the Week
Please Come Home - Gary Clark Jr.
The next Hendrix? Perhaps...
The solos in this live version of the slow, deep blues are intense journeys... you can’t have the volume loud enough!
But he doesn’t just play like a true master, his voice’s sumptuous vibrato and blissful falsetto rubs like silk against the grit of his raw guitar. And he keeps you hooked right until the last final, soulful, lingering lone tone.
The next Hendrix? Perhaps...
The solos in this live version of the slow, deep blues are intense journeys... you can’t have the volume loud enough!
But he doesn’t just play like a true master, his voice’s sumptuous vibrato and blissful falsetto rubs like silk against the grit of his raw guitar. And he keeps you hooked right until the last final, soulful, lingering lone tone.
Do You Know Who You Are?
Tuesday 09 June 2015
“Do You Know Who You Are?”
This question sums up the struggle that we as artists face constantly, daily even, in creating authentic art for ourselves and our audiences.
And it was the question that I was asked by a music producer during our first meeting. It took me by surprise; perhaps I was hoping for some concrete advice, like “you need to work on this...” or “have you tried that...” or even “let me introduce you to...”.
But he simply asked me if I knew who I was.
I was surprised to find myself answering that Yes, I know who I am, and I think I could say with some clarity and conviction. In fact, I wouldn’t have been sitting in front of him if I didn’t know who I was. It is precisely because I know who I am that I have chosen to come on this journey and pursue music full time.
This question sums up the struggle that we as artists face constantly, daily even, in creating authentic art for ourselves and our audiences.
And it was the question that I was asked by a music producer during our first meeting. It took me by surprise; perhaps I was hoping for some concrete advice, like “you need to work on this...” or “have you tried that...” or even “let me introduce you to...”.
But he simply asked me if I knew who I was.
I was surprised to find myself answering that Yes, I know who I am, and I think I could say with some clarity and conviction. In fact, I wouldn’t have been sitting in front of him if I didn’t know who I was. It is precisely because I know who I am that I have chosen to come on this journey and pursue music full time.
But on the other hand, my authenticity has not been really tested or tried yet. I am sure that plenty of artists start out full of high ideals and unwavering commitment to the purity of their art form, but as time and opportunity and influence and responsibility and practicality keep pounding upon them, they are slowly worn down to just produce what sells, what is safe, what is expected.
Where does compromising your value as an artist start? If I change the structure of a song I write to make it more listenable by adding a chorus, is that compromising my value? If I adjust the melody to create a better hook, is that selling out? If I water down the lyrics to make it more acceptable, is that hiding my identity?
It is a fine line. And I hope it is one that tI walk for the rest of my life. Because it actually shows a deep commitment to making art that people want to access, as well as making art that rings true with my soul.
Creating requires that we look inside ourselves and examine what we find. I read a beautiful article that says “Creation requires us to dig deep within ourselves, to face the things we’d rather ignore, to confront our inner brokenness as well as the beauty stored up within.” And it necessitates knowing what we actually want to say through our work. Art without purpose is just form.
Art, like just about everything in life, is compromise.
But when you know who you are, you know the lines that you will not cross.
Striving or Settled
Wednesday 29 April 2015
“I’d rather be striving than settled.
I’d rather be moving than static.”
These sound like romantic, idealistic words. They are perhaps dreams that many of us have. But when it gets down to it, being unsettled is hard. Being on the move is hard. 
I am currently truly without a permanent address. We gave up our flat in Hong Kong. My family moved house in England. And in the USA we are tourists. When we came through immigration, I was absolutely stumped as to what to write as my “home” address...
Open Mic, Open Heart
Wednesday 22 April 2015
So I’m here: in the place where men and women from across the globe come to try and make their dreams a reality.
New York City. In some ways it feels cliché, trying to get started with music in the Big Apple. In some ways it feels like searching for a needle in a haystack... except that I’m the needle... and I don’t know who is doing the searching...
Direction
Tuesday 07 April 2015 LyricsNews
We are coming close to the date of our departure for the USA. And the album launch. And trying to get everything finished up with our Hong Kong roles before we leave.
But yesterday we took some time to work on a music video. As much as I have worked around cameras and help produce videos very often, I still get pretty nervous when I have to stand in front of the camera. What do you do with your hands?! ...
Read More...
But yesterday we took some time to work on a music video. As much as I have worked around cameras and help produce videos very often, I still get pretty nervous when I have to stand in front of the camera. What do you do with your hands?! ...
Read More...