Love, Travel, and New Music!

Happy Valentines Day!
   Whatever that means to you! or whether the holiday is a primarily capitalist venture pressuring couples into spending money on each other as opposed to time or genuine humble appreciation whenever/wherever they feel like it, that is besides the point.  I want to wish you all days and lives filled with love and sincerity, be it romantic love or love for your friends and family or passion for something intangible like art or a hobby or a career.  I can't help but feel we as a culture undervalue vulnerability and the necessity that it is to express affection to one another.  I don't mean you have to be all mushy and lovey all the time, but just remind people why they're important to you.  I make a habit of letting people know when I think of them, and if I reminisce about them, I reflect on how they've affected me positively or what they've taught me.  This could be a symptom of my ever-wandering brain but I think our thoughts stray to people from time to time and why not just tap them on the shoulder and give them a hug, figuratively or literally?  Times are tough for everyone, and you'd be surprised to know how much a bit of love can do.  So from the bottom...no, the ENTIRETY of my heart, I love you all for supporting me and helping me to be where I am today.  I sincerely wish you a day....no, a life during which you can see the magnificence in everything and fall in love with yourself and the people and surroundings and experiences around you!  Take a listen and feel free to download my song with Dyslexia and Sik Sense called "Warm Love" I have the last verse in which I talk about the affectionate relationship between myself and my listeners, and how without you I'd be unable to do what I do half as well!

Back on the road! (Island Hopping)

     I'm back on the road! This time last year I was in Houston, Texas with Alexa Dexa staying with our friend Nick!  I find myself at my grandmother's house again this year, about to take a four hour Megabus trip from NYC to Providence, Rhode Island. I've yet to visit Rhode Island, but it is the place that my favorite artist, the one who sparked my entire interest in hip hop music, Sage Francis, an artist who I can't emphasize the importance of in music and my life enough who I highly recommend.  He brings a cleverness, intelligence, and a candid vulnerability to hip hop and music in general that is just refreshing, jarring and beautiful.  I have missed being on the road very much, and once I release my new projects I am eagerly looking forward to traveling a lot more and bringing my art and passion to new places and people!  I've thus far tried to set a goal to be on a significant trip for music at least once a month this year!  As for the four hour bus ride, I'm rather excited for it.  It will provide me an opportunity to work on some writing I've been needing to get done.  It's sort of a mobile forced work-station.  Many people groan when they anticipate a long trip, even if I am driving, I simply don't mind the travel, I just put on some music and enjoy the montage that unfolds.  I have recently been listening to Eddie Vedder's Into The Wild Soundtrack, and it is beautiful and only fortifying and encouraging my wanderlust.  Highly advised you listen up!  Go adventure, the world is huge and the people are wonderful!  Onto the nature of the journey...  

Creative Differences: A Split

     The purpose for this trip is to make progress on my forthcoming collaborative album, which you should be able to hear in May.  I'm going to stay for a few days with my friend Owen aka D.o.drent, whom I've been working on this collaborative six song project titled "Creative Differences: A Split" for a while now.  The production on it is handled moodily and masterfully by UK producer Tony Mahoney whose gritty lo-fi beats provide the perfect backdrop for the most bare and emotional lyricism Owen or myself has released to date.  There are topics of passion, oneself, love for others, a sincerity for your craft and coping with heartbreak thus far addressed.  The format of the album is that we both get two solo songs, and then we are doing two songs collaboratively.  Everyone who has heard my material for this project thus far has generously claimed it to be some of their favorite work of mine, which I'm very proud to say, as I'm always trying to advance myself to a new level or uncharted territory.  This trip is the first time I've spent a length of time with Owen in person, although we've become close friends over the phone for a year or so now as we've worked on this project casually.  I did meet him when I took a trip to perform at All Asia in Cambridge with Aqua Cherry earlier last year, I've posted a silly photo from our hangout below!
         My big goals for this trip are as follows:
**Finish the writing of the album (Owen has some parts for our collaborative songs he's still working out, and the song that closes the album still needs a lot of leg work, I've yet to be told the concept or have a chance to write on it).
**Perform a few different venues, we have primarily open mics involved, as despite my hard work and research we couldn't seem to find anywhere fitting that had an open schedule.  My advice with touring is even when you can't find feature shows to book, spend those nights at open mics.  Often, these are even more advantageous than featured shows because they have a built in crowd and a more social atmosphere for you to meet people in the area.  This being true, I don't entirely view the inability to book shows (this time around, who knows what our experiences this weekend will bring for our opportunities next time) as a loss.
**Lastly, to record the majority of the album with Owen.  We have studio time booked for Sunday with Ryan Stack at Format Audio in Amesbury.  I've heard fantastic things about Ryan and his accolades are noteworthy.  My approach will be at least to get our collaborative songs done first, as we don't easily get an opportunity to work together.  I may record my two songs ( "Work In Progress" and "Quality vs. Quarantine") as well, I have them embedded in my head so I could probably just do them in one or two takes without referencing a lyrics sheet.  Here is a video of me performing "Work In Progress" the WITT live last month, courtesy of Peter Paprota.  We are also going to have Owen's friend from Mandee Rose Photography  film and document the whole studio experience so that we can later use the footage for teasers/videos/promotion/nostalgia whatever else.

Of course, my biggest goal is to enjoy the experience, take in all the new sights and sounds and spend time with a friend and make good memories and art!  I've got to finish this coffee and get myself ready for my departure!  I'll keep you updated!
So much love to you all!
Sincerely and ever lovingly,
-AllOne

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