DAY 22: Old Man COVER feat. Seth

CREATIVE TEAM
Seth: Guitar, Vocals
Cha Wilde: Background Vocals, Recording, Mixing
Davey Browne: Adventure Buddy, Snaps
The Boys at the Beach Campfire: Vibes


JOURNAL
Lesson of today: get out there into the world, to the cold water, to the campfire on the beach. Get out there and sing with other people beneath the sky in this one moment. This is the most beautiful organic creation of a song; right there on the spot together beneath the watching universe, alive and perfect just as it arrives.

DAY 21: Wildflower Lovely

LYRICS
Oh grandmother I'm too old to be shy
Oh grandmother I'm young enough to cry
Take your freedom from hands young
I'm the freedom of what you once sung

Take your freedom from hands young
I'm the freedom of what you once sung
Wildflower lovely, Take Your Freedom (x4)

Oh my mother, protect you I will
Oh my mother, protect you I will
Oh my mother, protect you I will
If an old breeze blows in a gives you a chill

Take your freedom from hands young
I'm the freedom of what you once sung
Wildflower lovely, Lovely Lovely
Wildflower lovely, Take Your Freedom

Great great grandma, who are you
A lot like me but something new
Take your freedom
Great great grandma, I thank you

For loving me the way you do
Take your freedom from hands young
I'm the freedom of what you once sung
Wildflower lovely, Take Your Freedom (x4)


CREATIVE TEAM
Cha Wilde: Vocals, Melody, Recording, Production
Dr. Sarah Sue Myers: Healing & Friendship
Maternal Ancestors: Being Here With me & In Me & Through Me


JOURNAL
My great grandmother was the black skull. Her mother played softly in the wildflowers on the American frontier. I know nothing of my great great grandmother but today I stood and felt her spirit. She was gentle and kind and looked down on us, four generations of daughters with the wisdom of time. She saw the playful spirit in all of us. She saw all of us fighting to protect ourselves, stiff in our rightness and striving so hard for what we wanted to the point of division. My grandma was there giggling, fingers in the dirt, soft shaped heart, loyal to the bone. I stepped in front of my mother to protect her from my great grandmother’s harsh glare. I respected my mother for her fight to rise and I wonder if she recognizes the ferocity she’s inherited from the same woman who scared her. So I look my great grandmother dead in her empty eyes and tell her she inspires me and I understand her. Everything she wanted was good. Everything she wanted is accepted and celebrated by me. I take for granted the freedom she longed for, fought for. Her fight won me my freedom. Her fight is still in my blood. I’m still fighting for freedom, more freedom. All the women in my life love their freedom.

Today’s song is simple, raw and deep. I wrote it for my maternal ancestors — mom, grandma, great grandmother and great great grandmother. Four generations back. I spent time with these women today, in spirit, during a Family Constellations Therapy session with my dear friend Sarah Sue Myers of Journey Home Healing. I sat down to create at 430pm, sensitive and exhausted but willing to express. I sat in Sarah Sue’s home office with my laptop and Aston Spirit microphone and Focusrite. Simple tools. An easy flow of lyrics flowed into my iPad and then I sang them as loudly as I could muster tonight. I was shy to be overheard in the house so I kept my voice soft. As I sang, I felt connected to Native American chanting sounds. It’s a healing medicine song I suppose. I feel self conscious sharing this publicly but also excited to be more open with you. This is work that I value and wish to see more of in our world. Creativity that heals us through the generations.
love, cha

CREATIVE TEAM

Cha Wilde: Lyrics & Vocals

Sarah Sue Myers: Healer & Friend

My Ancestors: Subject of Connection, Givers of my Gifts… if I am creative it is because of you and it is for us to share.

DAY 20. Make Myself the Artwork

LYRICS

I am scared to show up to a place I don't know

I am scared to give up before I grow

I am scared to begin when my life is a show

I am scared to look in and see what I know

Do I do it for attention, Love I deserve

Do I do it with intention, Love I learn

Do I do it for attention, Love I deserve

Do I do it with intention, Love I earn

Make myself the artwork

Something I believe

Make myself the artwork

Beautiful to Leave

Love with Intention


JOURNAL
I spent a gorgeous day in my studio, alone, writing in my journal by candlelight. Pouring rain in the darkest Seattle. I recorded a video of myself for you guys explaining why I’m writing songs everyday. I’ve identified the following intentions for this project thus far:

A) improve my songwriting skills | so far I’ve learned these lessons and utilized these techniques for writing lyrics 

B) learn to collaborate with people and lead creative teams through challenges in a fun way that empowers and inspires us all, so we get to enjoy deep authentic community and our creative parts can play together and we can grow together in ways none of us ever dreamed of :)

C) help the perfectionist, overly-controlling, anxious and doubtful parts of myself learn that it is safe to create whatever feels good to me, share freely, and playfully participate in this world with other people. I’m stepping forward to belong here in my power. 

D) deep focus; my mind is ready for laser beam concentration, full attention on this practice of magic and medicine. I’m curious now, so curious what will happen by continuing with the project. What will I learn beyond what I’ve learned so far. I’m gathering lessons right and left and learning is addictive. A part of me is feeling very satisfied, fulfilled and rewarded by this songwriting work. At the end of each day I feel good and calm. I know I spent my day well and created something worthwhile, meaningful and beautiful. I contributed something to us. I feel connected to myself, self aware and so open for connection with other people. I don’t remember the last time I felt so socially inviting, driven to reach out and make plans with people. Even on my quiet days I feel so hungry for friends and so available. Perhaps my work is so deep and focused, intense mental control for hours and hours everyday…that now my time off feels so open, relaxed and refreshingly other. In songwriting I’m deep inside myself, body mind is alive. It’s so inward. In a balancing response, my social parts are proactively exploring and investing in friendships. 

Wow, I’m getting so much more out of this songwriting project than expected…or maybe actually I am getting what I hoped for. Deep transformation. 

Todays song…I wrote it in 20min. The words just dribbled out of my mind easily and I played two guitar chords on repeat. I recorded a few takes — first guitar alone, then vocals alone, then both guitar and voice at the same time. I record the two instruments (1. Voice and 2. Guitar) separately to get simple clear recordings that can be edited together later. I usually like the recording of me playing at singing at the same time beat because it has more soul. When I play and sing at the same time I get to feel the song in my body. When I record tracks separately it feels more sterile and structured. I do my best to act and feel the meaning but there’s nothing like a live instrument to stir up real emotions. The lyrics are capturing how I feel right now, today, the first day I released a song (Jan 7) and the first day I’ve spoken really publicly about everyday songwriting. Lots of fear in me today and excitement. 

DAY 17: Leave Me in your Dust

CREATIVE TEAM
Cha Wilde: Lyrics, Vocals, Melody, Recording, Production
Davey Browne: Mixing

JOURNAL
Multiple friends have broken up with me recently, soaring high in their careers and apparently no longer feeling an “energetic connection” with me. It stings and stirs up self doubt. Plus PMS and fatigue from over two straight weeks of songwriting…I cried a lot today and felt sick and made this song anyway in two hours — 830pm-1030pm. Fuck it. I waited until the very end of the day to start creating today’s song because I straight up didn’t feel like it and spent most of the day thinking about quitting this epic project.

I drive to my brothers house to pick up the Ableton Love project for day 1’s song so now I have all the songs we’ve made in the past 16 days and I can start publishing/releasing them. I’m going to post them on YouTube, SoundCloud podcast, Instagram and TikTok. I’m nervous to start sharing them because it’s scary to know people will be listening and judging. I know other people will be listening and loving.

So after procrastinating all day today, I finally threw some salad in my mouth and headed over to the studio. I sat on my pink shag rug, unpacked my recording equipment in a circle around me and started strumming random chords on my brother in laws old guitar (which I’m borrowing since my precious Taylor guitar got stolen a few months ago — still heartbroken). It sounded terrible and I knew the recording was bad quality with lots of background noise. But like I said…fuck it. My body hurts and all this song making feels like I’m ripping emotions out of my body everyday, prematurely. I’m used to marinating in emotions and gradually letting them ooze out over days, weeks, years as a song comes to life at its own pace. These days though, I’m ripping them out and it hurts a bit, very uncomfortable in my chest. Sometimes though, my most powerful songs are the most painful to give birth to.

love, cha

DAY 16: One Dollar Chinese Food REMIX

JOURNAL
It would have been better if I’d been in a bad mood. Then at least I would have had some emotions to write about. Today might qualify as the most half ass songwriting day so far. I had zero to give today, exhausted. Recovering from a rave, PMS, financially stressed, hungry with no appetite, lazy with not push or energy to workout, feeling bogged down by logic instead of inspired by feminine magic. Jeez…there was no hope of me writing a new song today. So I pulled out the great song we made a couple days ago and added some percussion sounds. I brought it to more life with a drum kit and some fun little sound effects. My favorite part is the little bell that sounds like someone walking into a shop and the door has a bell dingledangle. I’m singing about Chinese food so I figured it added a little character…imagine you’re walking into the Chinese Food restaurant. Enjoy! After today, I realized this was barely passing as a count. It’s a weak REMIX but it’s something. Moving forward for my own integrity I’ve decided to make sure I have backup ideas for songs to help me on days when I feel so depleted. LOVE, cha

DAY 15: Black Bunny Ears feat. Davey Browne

LYRICS
Black bunny ears, dark dance floor
Whisper your fears, last chance whore
Boyfriends got you all tied up
In the wrong kinda way
You’re fed up by stay

Kiss me, be free
Break his heart and start
Living your life the way that you want
Tell the truth is how you move on

Sparkle your eyes, we’re in disguise
Whisper I hear, You kinda like guys
but they got you tied up in the wrong way
Come be with girls, we like to play

La la la la la la la la lady
Ma ma ma ma ma ma ma ma maybe

Kiss me, be free
Break his heart and start
Living your life the way that you want
Tell the truth is how you move on

La la la la la la la la lady
Ma ma ma ma ma ma ma ma maybe

I’ve seen this before, stepped out the door
Couldn’t be bored anymore
Keen to explore, let a roar
Wouldn’t be wondering, when you could just wander in

La la la la la la la la lady
Ma ma ma ma ma ma ma ma maybe
(x4)

Black bunny ears, dark dance floor
Smack all your fears, spark something more
Take my number, call me when it’s done
Wake your slumber, crawl if you can’t run

Kiss me, be free
Break his heart and start
Living your life the way that you want
Tell the truth is how you move on

You wouldn’t be wondering, you could just wander in
Ouu Lady, Wouldn’t be wondering
La la la la la la la la lady

CREATIVE TEAM
Davey Browne: guitar
Cha Wilde: lyrics, melody, vocals

JOURNAL
This is a tortured taboo lust song, inspired by the girl I met at the New Years rave who wanted to kiss me so badly but her monogamous boyfriend was a hard NO (classic), marinated in Lana Del Rey and Amy Winehouse vibes.

If you would like to explore deeper love, polyamory and freedom in love, check out my dear friend Elizabeth Anne Cunnningham who is a coach and she specializes in ethical non-monogamy. Being around her is just filling up on love. Davey and I are polyamorous and it’s a roller coast joyride my friends. It’s not just about sexual relationships either. It’s just whatever you want it to be. The freedom to life your life full of loving whatever you love. That means if I want to build a relationship with another man, I can. If I want to use my time to deepen my relationship with myself, my friends, my music…I can. It’s about celebrating our ability to love so much and use our time to grow many loves, whatever that means to you. That’s why it’s so liberating and empowering. What do you love? Go love it! What are you curious to love? Go try it!

One of the very first songs I ever wrote was Thousand Loves —- inspired by early explorations into polyamory.
Love, Cha

DAY 14: love and fuck feat. Davey Browne

LYRICS
Watch the window
lose my mind
wait for something
fall behind
if I wander
would you wander with me
sip it slowly
slip in slowly and free
All I want is to love and fuck.

CREATION TEAM
Cha Wilde: Lyrics, Melody, Vocals, Recording, Production
Davey Browne: Guitar
Jake Tacher: Encouragement, Percussion Adjustments

JOURNAL
can we actually make a song today? My head feels fuzzy after party. I didn’t sleep much but I feel chill and content. Whatever song I make today will be chill and raw. I woke up with one thought in my mind “ALL I WANT IN LIFE IS TO LOVE & FUCK”. So I made my only thought into my song. Keep it simple. If it’s bubbling up naturally…go with it.

I’ve noticed I’m still a little stiff when people are in the room and I’m creating a new song. The creative process is so intimate and vulnerable. I feel confident performing a finished song but I’m shy and slow to warm up if someone is hearing me create from scratch. “What if I sound stupid?” Is the fear. The really good music comes from me when I’m lose and experimental. So this is my lesson right now. I am learning how to be lose and vulnerable in front of other artists. I’m learning to let people watch me give birth in all it’s messy gorgeous magic.

Love, cha

DAY 12. Free Summer feat. Davey Browne

LYRICS

Give me that old school kick back holiday inn
How about that old cool laid back varsity grin

You threw your panties at me
I threw my panties away
You spent you summer at sea
I spent my summer so free

All of your girlfriends like that let them all in
All of the guys like me don’t let me win

You threw your panties at me
I threw your panties away
You spent you summer at sea
I spent my summer so free

Free Summer Free

Before the Wi-Fi sky high got in the way
I did that lofi sci-fi nerdy girl play

Free Summer Free

You threw your panties at me
I threw your panties away
You spent you summer at sea
I spent my summer sorry

Free Summer Free

CREATION TEAM

Cha Wilde: Lyrics, Melody, Vocals, Recording, Production
Davey Browne: Guitar, Recording, Production
Wesley Dean: Cool Kid Inspiration Vibes

JOURNAL
We’ve been snappy with each other today. We feel pressured to create a whole song before we go get sushi tonight with family. I want to have songs released too because sushi is a celebration. I have to let that go though. It’s not realistic. This project is really teaching me what’s possible in one day; more than I realized and less than I’d like. 

NOTE I WROTE ON MY PHONE AT SUSHI TONIGHT (high and drinking sake): I feel like I have a job again. And one I love. I like it.  It’s super hard and challenging every single day and I’m so here for it. I worry during the day if I can keep up. I feel a deep drive to do better. It’s been a long time since I felt like I had a job because I’ve been so scattered. I’ve been spread thing surviving between passion projects. With this new focus it’s so intense I can think of nothing else. My time off feels like time off again. thank god. I have chosen this full time job now. It’s was I dreamed of but didn’t act on because I didn’t know how I would make money doing it so I couldn’t leap. Then not leaping drove me crazy. So I dove in full commitment and now I’m living the dream and we’ll just see how the money comes in. The money is suddenly irrelevant. There’s no time to worry about it now because I’m so consumed making music. 

Today’s song is dripping in high school memories. We were high (again) a couple nights ago and my cousin Wes visited. We played Mario Golf and talked about his life in LA as an actor. He always gets cast in the mean bully characters. His vibe inspired this song. James Dean, cool kid in school vibes. I channeled the energy of a hot 18 year old boy who is living up his summer single and flirty. Young freedom.

Recording the song took us all freaking day, lots of shoulder tension, one blow up pissed each other off moment, and a lot of takes. We recorded the guitar and vocals so many (dozens) of times — both of us (me and Davey) being perfectionist about our contributions. Davey is learning how to tune drums, working with the XO drum loop plug-in. I’m exploring auto tune. Freaking LOVE!

It’s almost midnight now. My body is exhausted and I’m so ready to sleep. We are going to Portland to party for NYE tomorrow and we plan to record tomorrows song on the road-trip. Phew. I’m seriously wondering how long I can keep this up and how, if I do, will I find more self care, especially working out and yoga time. I’m feeling out of shape because all my energy is going into music. I refuse to let go of my body love and fitness. Sleepy time.

LOVE,

Cha Wilde


DAY 11: Ancient Ones

LYRICS
Will we be remembered in the words of a song
Will the young be singing after we are gone
Said the old one to the young
Your life has just begun
This is what they told me too

Ouu Ouu Ouu

We are the ancient ones
We’re falling like the snow
You’ll be an ancient one
With everything I know
We are the ancient ones
You and I both grow
You’ll be an ancient one
Falling like the snow

Ouu Ouu Ouu / Be the One

Spring is skipping down the lane
Wisdom dropping in the rain
Here beneath ancient sun
Ancient ones still feel young
Said the old one to the young
Your life has just begun
This is what they told me too x3

Ouu Ouu Ouu / Be the One

We are the ancient ones
We fall like snow
You’ll be an ancient one
We are the ancient ones
You and I both grow
You’ll be an ancient one
Falling like the snow

CREATIVE TEAM
Cha Wilde: Lyrics, Melody, Vocals, Piano, Recording & Production

JOURNAL
I can’t wait until the end of the day to record the song. I wrote the lyrics this morning and then spent my day relaxing around the house taking a bath and journaling. Then suddenly it was 9pm and I was exhausted and grumpy and still committed to recording. My attitude was nasty for performing. I cried, huffed, pushed some equipment around, cursed at myself for waiting till the last minute to finish the big task of the day. Davey was a total angel offering to help me however he could, never once getting upset by my bad mood. I want to finish the songs earlier in the day so I can relax with him fully in the evening. I think I waited until nightfall because I usually sing better at night. My vocal chords are warmed up at the end of the day and I feel the vibes in the candlelight (or pink LEDs).

My back is aching from so many hours sitting hunched over my journal, piano and laptop. I had to lean forward to record into the mic today. I’m missing days fully dedicated to fitness and yoga when my body is top priority. I’m missing days spent painting in the studio and swimming in the lake far away from desks and screens. These parts of me that love being unplugged are raising their eyebrows with worry and doubt, asking me “Is this really a good idea? Are you seriously going to write songs all the time now? What about us? Don’t you want to go climb a mountain and not create music for a day or two?” — oh parts, I hear you.

Today’s song is called ANCIENT ONES. It’s inspired by my recent reflections on growing older, recognizing I’m now in an older generation and those in the generation below me are experiencing a different kind of childhood and youth than I did. They grew up with phones and iPads and high speed internet and Tesla crazy inventions and talking house robots. I grew up almost off grid with my computer making that beepy dial up, AOL Instant messenger after school and flip phones got cool in high school. I remember picking up new technology with glee and figuring it out quickly and now I’m feeling the learning curve taking me longer with more frustration. Can I keep up? Can I stay involved and relevant in this culture? Do I even want to?

I’m rather fond of handwriting letters and meditating in the woods. The present moment is more entertaining than TikTok. I prefer eye contact over screen time. I have studied & practiced ancient ritual for many years and divine wisdom runs through me. I have so much to offer. My gifts are still needed. The new technology is just a tool for delivering these gifts, not a replacement or threat.

I wrote this song to honor the passing generations; how each of us grows from those who came before, inheriting knowledge and story. This song celebrates the chain we are all connected in, passing torches from above to below.

I took a lot of energy out of myself to create this one. Something about it was draining. My guess is that the topic felt very poignant, pushing into some deep fears of death and letting go. It’s a sensitive subject and I did my best to find beauty by viewing Life as a river in constant flow. Now I must sleep. I have another song to create tomorrow.

LOVE, Cha Wilde