In my last newsletter I promised you that, as I am still in England, I would take advantage of the break away from my album project to share with you a little about my musical past.
Well, I would love to be able to tell you that I was a child prodigy, wowing my parents and their friends with my musical prowess. Sadly, No. I ground away at the piano, practicing my scales and fumbling my way through the endless classical pieces put in front of me by my piano teacher, passing all my exams but feeling decidedly un-musical. I could certainly read music and my fingers could do what the bit of paper in front of my eyes asked them to, but that’s about as far as it got. Remove the paper and I was stuck!
Leaving home put an end to my piano playing – the guitar seemed much more fun and practical and besides, I didn’t have space for a piano (especially true a few years later when I moved onto a boat and went sailing for 10 years!). I was soon happily strumming away and singing to myself, although was far too self-conscious to play in front of anyone but my very closest friends.
Jump forward a few years to Adelaide in South Australia where I met a guitar teacher who was keen to start giving song-writing classes, and so began my new life as a song-writer.
My first 2 songs were really ‘cheesy’ but I was so proud of them! From that point on, I can’t remember when I wasn’t writing songs. I recorded a few of them and burnt them onto a CD and made copies which I merrily handed out to friends and family (even if they hadn’t asked for one!) My apologies if you were one of those on the receiving end!
I was soon was starting to feel, however, that singing wasn’t my forte, and so I decided to concentrate on solely being a song-writer. This seemed to free up my songwriting as I didn’t feel the need to have to write for my own voice or style. Two songs I wrote in a Pop Alternative style in 2011 were recorded by Karma Valet featuring DeAnna Moore in the USA and both reached No. 1 on the Broadjam Pop Alternative charts in 2012. Here is a snippet of one of the songs with DeAnna on the vocals (don’t you just love her voice!):
Moving on again though to a couple of years ago when one of my songwriting mentors encouraged me to start recording my own songs . I was looking for a new challenge, so this came at a good time. My only doubt still was my voice, but I was determined to give it a go and so started vocal coaching.
Onwards again to January this year when I met up with the very talented Tasmanian musician Jimmy Reece and we started to collaborate on the album project I am now working on.
And the rest is history (as recounted in my newsletters).
Soon I’ll be back in Australia and I’m itching to start shooting a video for my first single off the album. Next time I write I’m going to fill you in a little more about that song.
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Until next time, take care!
Laini xx