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“From the Dark” Release Show
So, it’s been about a week since the very successful release of my debut EP “From the Dark”.
The show was held at the wonderful Ybor City venue, Crowbar, and from the bartenders to the door guy to the owner and promoter, the entire staff was so friendly, helpful and excited about the show, it was awesome! I have to give the sound guy a special mention here because he totally rocked! You could hear the lyrics and everything sounded amazing both on stage and off! We had a great turnout and everyone was on point. All the other bands that played, John Gold, The Sun Society and The Grecian Urns, were awesome and such pleasures to work with. A huge thanks to them for making the night that much more incredible!
My musicians never cease to amazing me and this night was no exception. Thank you guys so much for always having my back and making me look good! I would trust any of my songs to you anytime!
Thanks to all the other helpers I had, makeup, merch, photographers, videographers, street team, etc. You all are SO appreciated, you have no idea!
And a HUGE thank you to everyone who came out to enjoy and celebrate the night with me! I had a blast and I hope you did too! I’ll let you know when the next show is, got a few we’re lining up right now. And for those of you who couldn’t make it, my EP is now out on iTunes so go check it out and leave your thoughts!
Thanks for reading.
Hana-li
Posted in Journal
Tagged "From the Dark", Crowbar, EP, Hana-li, iTunes, John Gold, music, show, The Grecian Urns, The Sun Society, Ybor City
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New Game
Have you ever heard of Running Charades? It’s just like Charades but with teams.
One person makes a list of about 15 movies, bands, books, etc. and this person is the list holder. He sits in between the two separate rooms (so the other team doesn’t hear) where the teams act out items from the list. You start by having one person from each team get the first title on the list and they go back to their teams at the same time and start acting. Whoever guesses from each team gets to act out the next item. The holder’s job is to keep track of what title each team is on. Whichever team completes the entire list first wins! Then it’s someone else’s turn to write a list and be the holder.
Each round gets louder and louder, more exciting and more intense. You’ll have a blast and may you never be the same again! Just wanted to share that with you. Enjoy!
Thanks for reading.
Hana-li
Singin’ in the Rain
There’s something about the rain, you know?
It makes me want to curl up and read forever while drinking hot chocolate or chamomile tea. Or write a love song that makes you feel like you’re caught up in some wind that has no direction but where you want to be. The rain romanticizes the world, gives everything that soft feel, that gentle haze or fog. Rain makes everything magical…especially kissing. Why do you think there are so many movie kisses in the rain?
To drink the rain is like drinking diamonds. To feel it on your face, tracing lines down your smile like happy tears…mmm.
I love to run and dance with my hair whipping around me soaking my face, singing to whoever is listening.
When I was little, my mom would take me out in the rain and I’d laugh, so much so that she gave me the nick name Laughing Rain.
There you have it, I love the rain.
Thanks for reading.
Hana-li
The Favorite Color Dilemma
Must we have a favorite color? How does one pick such a thing? What does it even mean? Are we talking about your favorite color to wear, look at, eat, the color you use most when painting? How has this question become so common in our society?
You can have a million favorite colors, one for every tiny facet of your life. I know I do!
When I’m on a walk in the woods, my favorite color is that perfect shade of green in the trees. When I’m at the beach, it’s the magnificent blues of ocean and sky. When being playful, it’s pink. For clothes, definitely black and for eyeshadow, well, every color of the rainbow and all the colors in between.
Colors express mood and one should be allowed to shift their colors with their moods. Who wants to wear yellow when writing a dark song? And who wants to use black and white film when photographing the sunrise? Not I!
So the next time someone asks you what your favorite color is ask them to specify. It might be fun.
Just something to think about…
Thanks for reading.
Hana-li
Video Killed the Radio Star?
Video killed the radio star? I don’t think so. Music is more relevant and important now than it’s ever been. Throughout histories, down through the ages and eons, in times of political, economical and personal, emotional stress, music has been turned to as a point of relief and release.
When you’re in a bad mood, what do you do? Turn on the radio and probably turn it up. When lost in sadness, one puts on soft and soothing tunes to ease the pain or simply to have a voice to cry to. When we’ve won a victory we sing a chant. And at every restaurant, party, cross country drive or grocery store we have music. Why? Because music is the soundtrack to our lives. I’ll bet if you look back to your favorite summer you’ll have at least one song that goes with it. How about Christmas? New Year? Your first kiss or first dance with your true love.
Movies my play a huge roll in all of our lives, I don’t deny it. But nothing in this world is more personal and connecting in the same moment than music. Listen well!
Thanks for reading.
Hana-li
The Art of Singing
Tonight what’s on my mind? Singing.
Ever since I was a little girl this art has captivated me in its uniqueness. There’s nothing else in the world quite like it. The way it feels to have notes slip up through your throat and out your lips, turning from nothing, non-existent, into sound, music.
It’s magical. It’s global, cutting across all races, religions, ages, every barrier that we, man, have put up between ourselves comes crashing down in the presence of music and in particular, singing.
What is singing, and I mean really singing? I don’t think it really has much to do with singing itself as much as communicating. I’d rather listen to Janis Joplin screaming out her soul through her raspy lungs than some “perfect” singer who says nothing, feels nothing.
To really connect with your lyrics, your melody, yourself…and then pour that out into the universe in a completely unselfish and devoted way to others…now that’s singing. That’s the whole point of music and the wonderful art of singing in my humble opinion.
That is what I attempt to do in every show, always.
Thanks for reading.
Hana-li
