February is off to a creative start with new original songs, a Fringe gig, and at least two more musicals in the pipeline.
January was epic having wrapped up Shrek The Musical last Saturday. I am stoked that I overcame the challenge with an amazing team and I am so happy with the outcome. Read a review of Shrek here.
I have been rehearsing with two beautiful singers, Sarah Whiteley and Casmira Hambledon for an upcoming cabaret at the Adelaide Fringe.
The show is called From a Distance: The Glory of Bette and as of this morning, it is a SOLD OUT season! I’m looking forward to this gig and I really love harmonising with these talented ladies.
On the songwriting front, I have reunited with the session guitarist whom I used for my EP launch in Adelaide way back in 2008! Yes, you read right, it was ten years ago!
His name is Sam Brittain and he’s been kicking some serious music goals over the last decade. I’m so happy to be back in the studio writing with this multi-talented singer / songwriter.
Since Wednesday, Sam and I have been turning conversations into lyrics, then progressing to melodies, and music. The sessions have been cathartic and serendipitous with the right balance of laughter, tears, caffeine, and creative output that we’re both happy to attach our names to.
There is nothing better than working with a like-minded artist whose passion for music is on par with mine. I really can’t wait to bring you the next record, and if the last 72 hours is any indication you are in for a treat.
On top of all of this, I have agreed to play keyboards for two musicals being staged in April/May. One is Sideshow and the other is Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. I have kept myself busy and am loving going to work every day.
Today, I spent six hours creating a new song with my piano, notebook, and notation software (it’s called MuseScore, how fitting).
The wolf was my muse today and a dear friend once gave me an excellent book called Women Who Run With the Wolves by Clarissa Pinkola Estes, a Jungian analyst who has observed that woman’s genuine nature has been repressed.
I love using literature as a basis for my writing and in this case, I have written a song called Eve, a reference to the first woman in Genesis who fell out of favour with God for eating forbidden fruit. It’s not just about Eve, it is dedicated to any woman who has been oppressed, abused, punished, and caged.
I read a quote this morning that inspired my creative direction for the day. It was by Nikita Gill: “Some days I am more wolf than woman and I am still learning how to stop apologising for my wild.”
The entire time I was writing this song, I felt a primitive connection to the earth. I heard the cry of women whose stories I have read and cried over. I felt connected to these souls and I think I have captured a fitting homage to their plight through this song.
I imagined myself as the wolf in the wild running through forests and trees, hunting and howling in the openness. Then, I poured my heart out onto the page.
I already feel like this year is going to be crazy good and I’m loving it. New music is coming soon, my friends!
