My Song Journal

I wanted a beautiful journal to write down my songs, draw my mandalas and gather inspiration. I saw so many pretty journals on Pinterest (like this) that get me pumped up about this project. My music journal is a medium sized black moleskin and I only write in it with wet inky pens :D

Last night I was at Vinny's house and we were practicing covers. I felt compelled to grab my music journal and share some of my songs with him. I hesitated for a moment, afraid that this would be conceited and he would rather play 'professional songs' than spend time working on my 'amateur songs'. I figured there was no harm in just suggesting we try one song - I know he said he likes my music (although sometimes it's hard to believe people fully when they say things like this). 

Turns out, he got so excited about it he suggested we stop learning covers entirely and just focus all of our energy into producing my songs. Vinny is incredible - he's an encourager, a motivator, a person that sees the best in you and wants to push you towards your full potential. He is the soil in which seeds can grow. I feel so blessed that he is so excited to help me and all of his friends.

In a short two week period of my life I went from making music on my own (super lonely and hard to motivate) to having a partner in crime and a house full of people collaborating on music projects. Oh what a difference a day makes...all because I went to Life In Color! 

x
Chamonix
 

Cover Practice in the Park - If I Die Young

We count down the minutes until we finish work so we can run to the park and play guitar. Last night Vinny and I were working on "If I Die Young" by The Band Perry. I love practicing outside in the afternoon with the runners jogging by, the baseball players warming up across the field and the little kids who walk passed and aren't afraid to stare at us. Staring is so underrated! If you have the guts to just stare at somebody, it's super fascinating and it's amazing how squirmish we get (both the starer and the staree hehe). 

xoxo
Chamonix

Sasquatch Music Festival 2016 - Binary Suns

Just got home from Sasquatch - 6 days of roadtrippin, music, camping, running in the country side, freezing at nighttime concerts, emotional ups and downs, mystery bruises all over my body from forgotten drunken nights rollin' through the general campground, sunburns and three margarita slushies eaten from inside an empty watermelon shell... I had the most incredible edibles on Fri & Sun morning that sent me down these crazy genius thought trails. I basically wrote an entire essay in my phone memos document so I wouldn't forget anything.

My favorite idea was an analogy... understanding people's energy, behavior and interactions in terms of the solar system. Some people are suns and some people are planets. Some planets appreciate the sun and some don't . Some suns are close to other suns and those are binary suns - shining on each other with light and inspiration. Some suns are alone and being a sun can be lonely. As a small sun growing up you long to have someone else shine light on you but you have to realize that as a sun, you have to fuel yourself; you have to delight in your own light each morning. It's a painful process to grow and learn this but eventually you'll be a big sun who is producing and consuming it's own energy as well as sharing it out onto the planets. Hopefully, as a sun you'll find another sun and you'll shine on each other and your energies can combine and multiply in greatness. 

My favorite bands:
Oh Wonder
Alina Baraz
A$AP Rocky
Wet
Ryan Caraveo
Major Lazor
Florence and the Machine

I loved swaying to the music and reflecting on how all of these musicians are just normal people who practiced their instruments everyday over and over and they sat down and wrote some songs that were meaningful to them for some reason. They practiced and practiced and stayed up late and woke up early and eventually worked their way up to the Sasquatch stage. Some of the artists, Oh Wonder & Ryan Caraveo in particular were very inspirational - sharing a little insight into their own story and musical journey. I felt that big boost of inspiration, dreams and motivation watching them on the stage. I came home with gusto - ready to practice and play and start taking exciting baby steps.

xoxo
Chamonix

Playing Music for the Seagulls at Alki Beach in West Seattle

Two little seagulls bobbing their head on the boardwalk. They were our first live audience... watching Chamonix & Vinny play together at Alki Beach. We also had a man stop to ask for our picture as we played...clearly we are naturals at captivating people's attention. It all starts with a seagull and an Indian man with a camera....next stop...packed house at Madison Square Garden. ;)

We're putting together a set list for the covers we're going to start performing around town.
We're starting with:
1) If I Die Young by The Band Perry
2) Dirty Paws by Of Monsters and Men
3) Like I'm Gonna Lose You by Meghan Trainor

We also made progress on a new song I'm writing about our daydream to road-trip across America on a music tour. We walked around West Seattle neighborhoods smelling flowers and photographing trees while we hummed over and over trying to figure out the melody of this new song. The lyrics I have so far...

"There's a live I wanna live, where my hair is danglin' free
and my arms are open wide in the warm desert breeze,
and we're driving down a road, down one I've never seen,
on our way to a place we've never been...."

Then we drove home to Bellevue and ate a Santa Fe Stirfry at Denny's. I haven't eaten at Denny's in literally 20 years. This is the stuff of magic. So much better than Netflix and chill. hehe

After writing this blog post, I'm packing my bags for Sasquatch (music festival) and we're leaving in 1hr. I'll be out in a field of music for 5 days..soaking in the inspiration and magic. 

xoxo
Chamonix

Get Off the Couch and Play Music in the Park

Last night, Vinny and I drove to downtown Seattle to share fancy-pants coffee at the Starbucks Reserve on Pike street. We got a butterscotch latte and an orange syrup latte and sat at the big table in the back. We browsed through a book of random facts you should know and we got really excited when we realized that we both have experienced really funny ways of seeing the world - like when we're talking to people sometimes their heads look really small and really big at the same time. Trippy. hehe

After Starbucks, we grabbed the guitar and sat on a bench in Cal Anderson park and practiced "Slow Dancing in a Burning Room" by John Mayer. We played into the night as people walked by, ran around chasing each other, played with fire poi and jogged by with their headphones in (not realizing the live music they were missing out on - hehe). It had a European nightlife vibe - when the air is warm and there's this quiet bustle of life in the dark... like walking through a zoo or a forest a nighttime. It doesn't look like much but you can hear animals living around you. 

It's exciting practicing in public (instead of locked away in your bedroom) because you have an audience and you can get used to people hearing you play. It totally prepares you for performing - no need to feel stage fright if you are always playing in front of people. #genius and fun. 

I find that when we start singing my voice is a little quiet but the more we play I warm up and just start feeling excited to share music with people. I stop focusing on myself and I start focusing on giving the gift of music to others. When I'm focused on others I don't feel nervous anymore, just excited.

A Day of Musical Daydreams

Vinny and I spent Sunday (the day after the Life in Color rave) lying under a tree in his garden talking about the universe, The Artist's Way, the kind of music we want to play, how long we've been desperately searching/waiting for a musical partner who will live and breath music with us. Someone who will stay up with us until 3am playing the same chords over and over until the music sounds perfect. Someone who won't get annoyed by us humming the same lyrics over and over or jumping up in the middle of a conversation and running around dancing because our favorite song just hit the speakers. It's incredible to finally find someone with the same fire and passion. Our minds are blown. We can't believe we finally found someone to partner with. He's been searching for a voice to accompany his guitar and I've been searching for a guitar to accompany my voice. 

Mind blown. Cosmic magic is at play.
We are like binary suns.

Life in Color Rave 2016 - And So It Begins

"Vinny!!!" I ran across the crowd and jumped into his arms. In this sea of humans my heart was so happy to see a familiar face. One of my brother's best friends was also at the Life in Color rave this weekend and we met up by the water station. I figured we'd say hi and go our separate ways but we ended up spending the entire night and the entire following week together. Turns out, we're basically musical soulmates. We've known each other since we were kids but we never took the time to really get to know each other and realize that we have a shit ton of wonderful things in common. We have the same intense passion for music and the same dream of traveling the world, living a simple good life with strong community, and spreading happiness through music. 

We felt like the universe was bringing us together. Neither of us had planned on going to the rave until the last minute. Neither of us were planning on telling my brother we were going but then changed out mind last minute (and it's my brother who told me Vinny was going and we could meet up). Both of us had desperately reached out to our friends a few days before declaring how we want to prioritize music and seriously GO FOR IT but we need someone to share it with. Oh the magic of putting something out there into the universe and watching it manifest in your life. Incredible.

We found each other. Now it's time to play.
xoxo
Chamonix

PS: At this rave I came up with my new life motto: "Life barefoot in loud color, bleed music and breath fire." 
PPS: At this rave I also met Alex who is going to help us produce amazing music (he's Vinny's best friend). AND I had a crazy good time dancing around the crowd finding people who were not dancing and being a little contagious dancing bug that got their feet a movin'! Spread the joy!

'How Do You Do You' - Production Begins

My brother is a music wizard. I went to his house this week to show him a song I've been working on "How Do You Do You" and get his help adding music to it. I've been doing a boring strum strum strum on the guitar and Ian was enlightening me with all the creative ways we can spice it up. There is a whole big world of guitar wonder I'm excited to dive into. During this session, he also introduced me to FL Studio. OMG I'M SO EXCITED to dive into the ocean of beats and good vibes! I'm totally overwhelmed - it reminds me of when I opened Photoshop or Premier Pro or Illustrator for the first time (as a photographer) and had no idea what the ALL the buttons could do. Now I'm a proud. One day I'll look back at FL Studio & the guitar with the same reminiscent sense of accomplishment! 

Thanks for all your help Ian! You rock.
xx
Chamonix

New Song in Progress - "Roots"

'Come jam with us' - my roommates were jammin' on guitar & piano downstairs. I had my guitar ready to go but as I listened to them playing I just froze up. The kind of music I naturally create totally doesn't match with the bluesy funk they were coming up with. I didn't know how to participate and I got all depressed in my silly mind. Rather than sitting there feeling like a failure I decided to be all artistic and channel my feelings into a song. 

I smoked a little weedie and locked myself in my room with my guitar and came up with this song called "Roots". It's about how I'm trying to adjust to the giant life changes I've been going through in the past year - divorce, new boyfriend, new houses, finally sharing my singing with the world and feeling scared and nervous to fail during jam sessions etc... So yep... an emotional tornado turned into music... Enjoy!

xoxo
Chamonix

New Song in Progress - "Oh Sister"

So tonight I practiced my new song "Oh sister" out in the gargage. I though it might be the most private place in the house to sing and not bother my 3 roommates. Turns out they can hear me through the house because our walls are paper thin. After years of being shy and holding back and not singing loudly I've finally found a method for cranking up the volume! I just say 'fuck it' in my mind. I start singing and I hear my squeaky quiet voice and then a voice in my head says, "Hey, sing louder!" and I almost run and hide but then I remember that THE ONLY WAY OUT IS THROUGH. I have a dream that one day I'll sing in front of anyone with no shyness. If I'm ever going to see that day there is only one thing I can do....sing in front of everyone whether I feel confident or shy. It's the only way - I can't think myself out of it, or wait patiently as if the fears would just evaporate. Overcoming any fear requires action.

So anyway, I was just doing it in the garage. Turns out my roommates loved it. They thought it was nice having music float through house like a gentle melody waking up everyone from their afternoon naps. 

Why do we worry about things? So unnecessary. LOL
xoxo
Chamonix

Nevermind Savasana Album Deadline

So earlier this week I was all gung-ho about producing my album for Savasana music in 2 weeks. Normally, I get high off of a rushed project like that but this time I just dried up and felt no inspiration at all. I've lost interest in producing Savasana music for the time being. I'm much more excited about my folky music I've been writing. As an artist I think it's crucial that you don't force things and that you just go with the flow. If you're not feelin' it - stop and do what is coming naturally. I also have a naughty tendency of taking on way more than I can handle. I just love saying yes to creative ideas. Gotta control myself.  

So...now I'm back on my original project for the year. AND THE ONLY PROJECT I should be focused on. I'm writing 27 songs this year to celebrate my 27th year of life. So far I'm like 15 in or something. Stay focused Chamonix! haha

27th Birthday Challenge: Write 27 Songs in a Year

Last year I turned 26 and I completed 26 hikes in Washington State include the Wonderland Trail around Mt. Rainer (100miles - hellz yah!). This year I turned 27 and decided to write 27 songs. I started with a handful (maybe 5) songs that were half-way written. So I have to finish those half-songs and then produce 22 completely new songs. Best challenge ever - a fun motivating project to get me to regularly be practicing guitar, singing and composing. I think I'll be able to produce all these songs into 2 albums. The first album will probably be all the songs I wrote during my divorce & meeting/falling in love with my new boyfriend. The second album will probably be all the songs I wrote this spring & summer that are all girl-power independent woman kinda stuff. I just write about my life and whatever I'm feeling so my music has replaced the journals I used to write. I'm so excited to see how this project turns out when I hit my 28th birthday in November 2016! I'm curious to hear how all the songs fit together into a collection. How will I order them? How will they sound side by side? What patterns will I find and which songs will be outliers of weird creative moments. hehe
:)
Chamonix

PS: In this photo my legs look enormous...just like Chun-Li from Street Figher!! Hilarious.