First Aid Kit ‘Emmylou’
(Source: vimeo.com)
My exploration of how to move forward, since inspiration seems to have left me behind. (Song)writers block: I will defeat you.
• About Elissa
• Ask me anything
There's always something
• About Elissa
• Ask me anything
There's always something
To live more fully.
Today I remember Michael Fleming. He was full of grace, courage, joy and maturity.
In my time with him, I was taught that every person is of value, every day is new, and if you love things you make time for them:
I remember when he took a 4 hour bus ride to downtown Toronto just to see me sing at the (now-closed) Savannah Room. It was my first show in a while.
I remember how Mike made us stay to see all of the acts (there were four that followed) until Caro, Mike, my Dad and I were the only people left in the audience.
The last performer was an elderly balding man who played classical guitar.
I remember how I wanted to get home and relax- was ready to leave after my set; but Mike sat with his chin in his hand, leaning against the table, making that man playing the guitar feel like his music mattered more than anything else.
And when he stopped playing, Mike went to shake his hand and ask about CDs. You could tell that this guy was used to being ignored, that Mike had somehow seen him and it made a difference.
That night we all ate lasagna sitting on the kitchen counter and I was excited for our new friendship and for the winter that lay ahead.
And even though that is my last memory and it’s personal, I’m sharing in the hope that it will inspire you to be more like Mike.
To celebrate life, and to live with grace and respect. To treat every person with the knowledge that they are a soul worth valuing, and to make time for what matters.
And to laugh.
Lately I have been trying.
Which essentially, means I haven’t been as productive as I’d like. I do think there’s a difference between trying and doing. There is more resolve in doing- it doesn’t mean half-heartedly sitting at a piano or writing lyrics on a napkin, it means protecting time for those things, and defending that time like nobody’s business.
Did you know this is my last semester of undergrad? It’s so strange to know that I’ve been studying Journalism for 4 years; there have been great moments, and I’m glad to have the degree. But at the same time, it’s like the things I truly love have been on hold for those 4 years as well.
In my spare time, I’ve been working part-time, mostly modelling, to save up. And this year, I’m also working on a magazine and that is taking up time.
But this isn’t to say that nothing is happening music-wise. It just means it’s harder. It just means I get home at night and all I want to do is watch some romantic TV show and read and drink tea until I sleep. Instead, I slothfully sludge over to my piano and say
“Hello, I’m still here and soon will be our time.”
The piano sighs in A minor, feeling neglected and wondering when it will feel joy again.
“Just have a little faith”
“Okay… fine.”
That is hard, to find inspiration late at night or in between classes or while doing homework.
I’ll leave you with an update for what’s next and what I’ve been working on:
1. Did a RogersTV segment last week! I was more nervous than I thought but it went okay- I’ll share the clip when it airs in the next week weeks.
2. I’m doing two weddings this Spring; for one, I’m doing covers. For the other, I’m writing a love song; that has been a huge challenge. Do I write in the first person? (ie., “I’ve always loved you”) or do I write as if I’m telling a story? (“they first met on a dark street”). It’s difficult to know what someone else would want to walk down the aisle too, especially with a lack of time. But both couples are wonderful people and I will do my best to do these projects justice.
3. I will be recording in early February! I’m still looking for the perfect space (a piano that sounds old and rustic but is perfectly in tune; a room with just the right amount of echo).
4. I have a show on February 23rd at The Silver Dollar Room! More details and poster to arrive in the coming weeks.
5.Thanks for supporting and encouraging me. May you be inspired today.
-Elissa
(via 400blows)
First TV appearance where I am playing myself!
Look for me on RogersTV tomorrow singing some songs and playing some piano and saying some things in between!
But what song should I sing?
It’s a dilemma.
whitelinens:vneckandacardigan:
Erato - “Call Your Girlfriend” (Robyn cover)
Goes to show you that a cover can be mind-blowing while being perfectly simple, too. I love just-voices.
Shad reviews Kanye/Jay-Z show. Check this out
I love the idea of musicians reviewing other musicians. Not only is Shad’s review intelligent and witty, it has insights that a plain old journalist would miss.
Plus, I think the average person trusts insights like this more because Shad understands what its like to record and album- and can consider a live performance like this in a refreshing way.
Not bad, National Post.
Lana Del Ray’s song Video Games is absolutely beautiful.
I often look to female artists in order to reflect on my own music; what do they do that works? How do they make music that connects with people?
However, Lana confuses me a bit; there is vulnerability in her music, yet the re-branding of her music allegedly meant lip enhancement, a change in hair color, and a more overt sexuality.
I don’t have issue with any of these things in a judgemental/personal way; everyone makes their own decisions, and obviously her re-branding (from Lizzie to Lana) meant her music was finally widely heard.
However, it bothers me that her equally lovely older songs never got any widespread attention. And it irks me that the re-brand suggests this had something to do with her appearance. Some people say its because her older promotional vids were too amateur, but when I look at them they seem to have the same lo-fi quality as this one, which went viral.
This is what I always fear with music; at some point will we all be asked to sacrifice things for the sake of branding? And if there is money involved, how do we prepare ourselves to resist the loss of our true selves?
Side note: some people protest blog posts about this, saying “but if she’s an artist and you like her music, why do you talk about her image? What does her lip enhancement have to do with it?” I talk about it only because it seems to have mattered in her career just as much as her music, and I wonder whether it should have. I worry that women with talent have to be transformed into sexual objects before their music is celebrated.
Ironically, Video Games seems to be about a woman that’s overlooked.
That’s why I’m blogging about it.
I’d love to hear what you think about this.
Sigggh. I did not win. Thanks for voting friends; your support was inspiring and I will keep singing!
