Living the dream...
I started my musical career at the age of 14 singing 60's Motown songs once a week in the local village pub. I went from a shy girl who spent her school breaks strumming her guitar to someone who just wanted to sing anywhere at any time in front of as many people as possible. What I probably needed was therapy!
My dreams of being a Singer/Songwriter/Performer were all I concentrated on and somehow, through sheer willpower and ruthless determination I succeeded in getting my first record deal with Chrysalis records aged 20 and by 23 I was signed to Epic and Sony Music UK and Capitol Records USA. It's all I cared about and all I wanted to do in my life.
I ate slept and drank music.
I got up at 6am, jogged around Holland Park in London, or went to the local Gym for an hour. Practiced singing from 9am - 10am and got to the songwriting studio at about 10.15 every day for literally YEARS.
Did it pay off?
Yes it did.
I took lessons with the best teacher in the UK Glynne Jones and worked my butt off until I became extremely competent. I was a session singer and backing vocalist performing on The Jools Holland Show for all sorts of well known artists until I got signed myself.
Did I have the best voice in the world? No. Did I work my backside off? Yes I really did.
In order to live the so-called dream, you have to make huge sacrifices in your personal life to become the best you, you can be.
If you are performing, you want to give your best to the world, especially if you want to change the world with a song!
If you have something to say, you want to say it in the best way you know how so take time to edit your work.
It's about self respect, respect for your listeners and then, being of complete service to others who need you to express all the things they are unable to express.
Perfecting your skills is a huge undertaking and you have to be open to objective criticism and different musical aesthetics so you can improve on what you have.
Personally, I am my own biggest critic and I am all too aware of the things I would like to change about my voice. However, we have to work with what we've got don't we? None of us have it all.
But... We all have something beautiful within us so let's all focus on that!
