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I’ve just made some changes to my website that the eagle-eyed/stalkers among you may have noticed.
And the reason? I’m putting less emphasis on my music for a while* to concentrate more on writing. I actually began this process at the start of this year – but my site now reflects the shift, and thus will, hopefully, help me to continue in this direction. So, the ‘ABOUT’ section has been rewritten and renamed ‘MUSIC’; my WRITING section is fleshed out a little more and moved over in the navigation to sit alongside MUSIC; and my homepage now declares me to be a ‘jazz vocalist and writer‘.
Which I always have been, to be fair – in the sense that I’ve been doing the two for exactly as long as each other. Freelance writing was something I stumbled into as a means to keep a roof over my head while I tried to launch myself as a professional musician; but at some point, I realised I enjoyed writing as much as making music.
I started both careers about five years ago. In a previous life** I was, variously, the manager of an arthouse cinema (remember when we used to call them that? Aww), a temp, a PA, a stand-up comedy promoter and an interactive TV manager. And before all of *that*, I was a student of French and German. Neither of which I’ve spoken a word of since. Well, only when I’ve met someone who lives on a no-through road, or when I’ve wanted to take pleasure in other people’s misfortune.
In short, I’m something of a late-starter in life; and it took a while for me to really begin pursuing what I’d always wanted to do, in my heart of hearts, ever since I was a little girl. Indeed, when I look back at the various jobs above, I realise that I essentially worked with and around creative people – facilitating them, or being involved in the fruits of their labour – when actually, all along, I wanted to *be* one of them. And looking back, I also realise that the belief I carried with me ever since I was that wannabe-all-singing-all-dancing little girl was this: that such a life was for *other* people, not for me. It took me to actually properly leap into it – by becoming a professional singer – to understand that it *could* be for me after all; that I was just as much entitled to it as anyone else.
So here I am, writing my first screenplay and no longer seeing myself as solely a musician, or indeed even primarily as one, but as a writer-slash-musician. Well, if I can bring myself to ever actually say ‘slash’, of course. Which I can’t. So let’s say I’m a ‘writer and a musician’, eh? That’ll do nicely. Very nicely indeed, in fact.
*I mean, figuratively. I shall literally continue to emphasise the ONE and the THREE
**not literally
Tom says
Only yesterday found you and your website.
You are very beautiful. I like your songs and your web. It would be great to see you in live performance.
Will follow you on twitter and your web.
I wish success in future work. Thumbs up!! 🙂
Greetings from Latvia! 🙂
Becky says
From another late starter turned jazz singer, I hear you sister!
Andrea says
Becky – that’s wonderful! Good for you. Would love to see you live sometime.
Tom – thanks! Greetings back to Latvia!