Week 11/Easter Catch Up - A Lot of Not Much

Hellooooo, so my uni had 2 weeks off last week (which I know doesn’t really mean much considering we’re in lockdown anyway and all the days are merging into one) but I thought I’d take some time to myself and focus on songwriting, as well as trying to catch up on work, especially with the deadline extensions we’ve been given. However, I didn’t get as much work done as I wanted to. I did need a break, I was working myself so hard so I just wanted a bit more of a relaxed time doing work, but I’m a bit disappointed I didn’t get as much done as I wanted to. I also have a deadline due in super soon so I was and am currently focusing on that quite a lot! The main thing I’m going to be reporting on is my songwriting section as that’s pretty much all I’ve been doing.

Lockdown is starting to get to me a bit now. I would’ve gone home to see my family over easter but obviously that wasn’t possible so I was feeling a bit down, but I've also got so much work to do and I'm not feeling that motivated, and I'm feeling frustrated, but it's the card we've been dealt and we have to do what we can to protect ourselves and everyone else in the country.

Here's some pics of what I got up to over easter:

Performance

Not much has changed in regards to my performance. I’ve got a few parts from people, but everyone is a bit snowed under with work at the moment I think, especially as we’ve got a deadline on the 28th, so I’m hoping to get those soon and record my own soon. I’ve been thinking about what I can do to show my stagecraft through video, and I do think it will be through facial expressions, use of staging and environment, funny faces, talking in between songs, and the use of cameras. I’m actually excited about it, I just hope it turns out how I want it to.

I thought I’d also talk about performance of my own music and how I’m dealing with that in lockdown without a studio. Like I said last week I’m struggling to perform and sing as well as I know I can when I’m in the house, also I’m not using my voice to the fullest potential and I’m not going to singing lessons anymore obviously. I also feel like I’m not listening to or singing along to music as much anymore. I might start doing vocal warm ups and filming myself singing more as it might help me get over that anxiety, and try to spend an hour or so singing every day, even if it’s just covers. I also need to believe in myself, I can do it and I’m good. Self belief means a lot, trust me.

ALLORA

It’s a similar story, not much has changed with ALLORA, I’ve finished editing one more interview so I’m going to put that up soon, I also need to edit the final ones too and put those up soon. ALLORA have uploaded the first in the ‘Getting to know ALLORA’ series onto their own instagram too which I’m happy about, as more people get to see it and hopefully it helps them a lot. I tried to create content that people think is funny and want to share.

I am aiming to start the new marketing document for ALLORA in the next two weeks, which may be after their new single is coming out very soon (a little later than originally planned but let’s be honest almost every plan anyone has had has completely gone out the window when COVID happened), but it will include things they can do to market that new single, as well as how they can market their singles and themselves in the many months and years to come.

I also thought I would wait until that’s released and upload the Caty interview to commemorate that release, so watch out...new stuff coming soon!!!

Songwriting/own artist section.

This is going to be a BIG one. I mostly did songwriting over easter, which was quite a lot of Clairo inspired songs, it is much harder than you think. I do love songwriting though, but sometimes I struggle with melody ideas and fitting melodies together, but sometimes they come naturally. I can depend on the song and the ideas.

I wrote quite a few songs, one of the songs was called “Better off this way”, which was written around an apple loop. I struggled with the verse melody and the chorus melody, as well as the lyrics. The chorus had two parts to it, melodically, they were similar but not the same and I struggled to fit them in, so I got rid of them in this song, and I’m going to do a second song with the same instrumental but different melodies and lyrics. I’m quite happy with how it is at the moment. The lyrics are available here and the demo is available here, I think it just needs a bit of a re-record and a tiny bit of production and mixing as it’s pretty much got the vibe I want at the moment.

I also wrote a quick song called “We’re Not Free”, the lyrics are available here, and the demo is available here. I don’t think it needs much doing to it. This one was written quite quickly, it came from the heart (as do most of my songs), a demo of it is available here.

I have songs which I LOVE either the verse or chorus melodies to, but can’t find a good fitting melody for the other part, such as ‘don’t go’ which the lyrics are available here. I adore the chorus melody, but the verse melody doesn’t fit, so I’m going to try and rework it at some point I think.

I do also want to find music for some of my lyrics and I did lots of little ideas, which have mainly stayed as a chord progression and melody ideas, as well as a couple more apple loops which I want to work with at some point in the future, but maybe not for this project, not just yet. For now I need to focus on the songs that I’ve already got

I’ve also rediscovered some of my older songs, which I want to do something with, but I’m going to focus on my favourite ones first and make them good, then go back I think. I’m also going to be writing lyrics in between now and then to stay creative, and because I can’t help my brain from doing it - I just love it, even though it drives me crazy sometimes, I love it.

I also NEED to take pictures - I’m terrible I know. I know the vibe I want still, I’m just not 100% sure on the actual pictures which I think is where I’m getting stuck. I also still want to do more videos but I’m being shy with singing so I’m singing to my full potential, as my voice is quite loud and I use a lot of power so I’m scared of messing up and everyone hearing me, but it’s something I know I need to deal with, it’s just a natural mental block.

Hopefully I’ve got some more pics by the time you next check in. I’m going to keep writing a little but more focus on finishing at least a few songs for you! So watch out and keep checking back.

Thanks for reading, speak soon!!!