Just doing my thing

It is human nature to always want more in life, even when you’re blessed with a lot. I’m eternally grateful for my life. After being married and having kids, I still get the opportunity to perform on stage. i couldn't imagine a better life than the one I have now. I know some people would ask me or wonder, since when did being married and having kids stopped anyone one from pursuing their dreams?? Trust me, I have been told “no” a lot of times when I drop proposals for live band performances, just because I’m a wife and mother…….. Their loss. You’d be amazed at the level of discrimination and stigmatization out there. Anyway back to the subject matter.

As a music artiste, one should be thrilled every time one gets the chance to perform live, with a live band, and in front of a live audience. That is a true test of your musical abilities and a chance to show that one deserves that massive airplay, topping chart etc. I always look forward to my weekends as I get a chance to do justice to some numbers that I have been singing in my bathroom, lol. It’s very rewarding when you do a song and you can see happy cheering faces, get standing ovation, sometimes sitting ovation lol, money sprays, and people dancing with you and singing along. Sometimes you get to see people peeping through their windows in neighboring houses watching the performance. It’s great to know that people appreciate what you do and want to see you do more, for that I’m grateful to my fans, friends and family, especially my loving husband who has been very supportive from the get go, especially the nights I come back really late. You are one of a kind darling and I appreciate you.

I’ll be uploading more videos soon, for now here’s a performance by me and thrillers band at Pat’s bar. Tata folks!

The inlaw factor

So i just got a call from a friend of mine who complained bitterly about her sister inlaw who always influences her hubby's decision as regards running the home. As in from whether househelp stays or not to what kind of food her kids should be eating. The said inlaw in this scenerio is an older sibling to my friend's hubby and isnt married and has no boyfriend, based on that alone one would say "its easy to see why she has a lot of time on her hands". When i was growing up,My dad was always sceptical about us going to spend time in any relatives house just because somehow you will end up being a third wheel and just constantly being in their line of sight only , can be uncomfortable. It is a known fact in some cultures in Nigeria that once you are married to your spouse, you're literally married to his or family members as well. And so sometimes, the line is often always crossed by the inlaws. If you have fantastic inlaws like i do,then good on you mate, but if its the opposite , then you automatically have a new prayer point. For me, i think its important for both spouses to communicate well and on any level. Be clear on what is acceptable and what is not. Getting confrontational with inlaws can be best avoided when both spouses help draw the line for them, kind of like playing the 'good cop bad cop' situation. So to the couples, keep calm and love your inlaws. To the inlaws, *in bill rancic's words* "inlaws are just....inlaws".

New dawn

Hi people, hope you had a great weekend. Its another fresh week , another opportunity to win, live ,love and conquer. So be extraordinary , but still be yourself , sounds confusing ba? . I love  these quotes, so i thought to share.  Have a great week.

He who breathes well, sings well

..... And i mean that literally. The air you inhale and exhale is chiefly responsible for the sound you produce when you sing or speak. Learning how to breathe correctly and breath control is imperative for great singing.

Work it Honey

Babies can breathe, yell and scream with optimum effect because they use their entire lungs without conscious thought. As we grow older, some people become lazy in their habits only using the upper part of the lungs, taking a shallow breath instead of a deep one.

Breathing process

 

Surrounding your lungs is a muscle system called the diaphragm which is attached to the lower ribs on the sides, bottom and to the back acting as an inhalation device. When you breathe in the muscle lowers displacing the stomach and intestines. When you breathe out the diaphragm helps to manage the muscles around the lungs (abdominal muscles) control how quickly the breath is exhaled.
If you breathe out quickly, the diaphram does nothing but when you breathe out very slowly the diaphragm resists the action of the abdominal muscles.
A very basic exercise in achieving this is , get in an airtight room, inhale slowly and deeply. Hold your breath for as long as you can. Now exhale as slowly as possible with a lit candle infront of your mouth, such that the flame doesnt flicker at all.

Do this as many times as possible, this helps in sustaining  notes when singing for a longer period of time .

The best way to check that you are breathing correctly is to lie flat on your back, when you inhale your stomach should move up an out and when you exhale it relaxes. Most people breathe with their diaphram when lying down as opposed to when standing.

Breathing from your diaphram helps you achieve maximum and effective singing.

I wouldnt want to make this post so lengthy, so for now i will let you guys practice your breathing. However, if you desire to know more and understand this better you can mail me eslk_classic@yahoo.com or just ask your question in the comment section.

Happy breathing!

Ol'School Friday

You all know i love great music and the kind or genre i instantly gravitate towards is RnB/Soul. So im gonna dedicate fridays to some great old school love songs..

The Commodores

Today features a 1985 classic. This song, dedicated to two great RnB sngers Jackie Wilson and Marvin Gaye who both passed away in 1984, at the time of its release was a monster hit and it also bagged a grammy. It was the first hit song by the group,The Commodores, following the departure of Lionel Richie from the group. This song for me is an all timer and i recommend every great artist/singer should definitely have this on their playlist,yup.
So people, enjoy the great classic ,Nightshift by The Commordoes .

.

Shelt! Why not!

Oh wow! Its been ages since i posted anything on this blog, i even almost forgot it ever existed..lol. Where do i start from now ^:-/ . Well... Alot has happened in my life since the sabbatical leave, and i will tell you all about em...., maybe just what needs to be said.

SLK

So let me get my broom and dust off the cobwebs and from this blog, join the unending list of writers/bloggers( im a songwriter,so why the hell not) and dry bones shall rise again. Lol.
With that i sign out..for now o, with this great song by Michael Buble,its called Home . Enjoy peeps.

We are Free

This song is one my favourites i've ever recorded,so simple and pure. it works for me everytime. it was inspired by a lot of things, a lot of people can identify with it. it was produced by the Tolu Okeowo, a UK based music producer. For me the song reminds me of one Enya's songs(i listen to her too).
Listen and enjoy
cheers!