The shortest soulmate experience ever May 04

Nashville TN - U.S.A Wednesday March 10, 2004 - i've been touched by an angel I have had the most amazing week in Nashville TN. Of all places on earth, lightning has hit me. I've been touched by an angel. I have felt like the walking dead for a while, as I've been in retreat, silence mode, licking my wounds, and evaluating my path. Time in Australia taught me to step back and relinquish the control on everything I do. It was easy to turn my back for a while and think, not do, not plan, not create even. Just be. I returned to the U.S with still a need for rejuvenation, like my holiday was cut short. What I'm beginning to realize is that it's not a vacation I'm looking for, but a life change. I am changing my way of approaching things, as we speak. It's important for an artist to always know that they are always at the beginning of the road, and to see life like a child. I am ready for my next metamorphosis, to bedazzle in a new chameleon state. I have found, in a few days, through a catalyst that not even the catalyst knows how powerful it was for me, a profound awakening in me. I have been touched, and zapped alive, and I am hungry now for more. "More please...." I have been the only one making things happen for me. I know, I practice it, I preach it, I write about it. Artist empowerment, doing it yourself, don't wait for others, blah blah blah. Most of you know me as the feisty, strong, energetic warrior girl who ceases to amaze with her tireless energy and multi-tasking. I jump leaps and bounds and can pull rabbits from hats and leap small buildings with a single... no. no. no this is not really me. But I have certainly been boundless to say the least. Somewhere along the line, the road can get weary. Wouldn't it be nice if you didn't have to do all this alone? That for once you had a leg up, an angel who could say, "I'll take care of you..." Well I got taken care of in Nashville and it allowed me to want to give so much more in return and this has re-energized me. Ok, so how did it all unravel in Nashville? It began all quite innocently as a neat, paid, vocal session job on a music project. A few days in Nashville, maybe make some calls, get around, do a talk at the Songwriters Guild to some songwriters, enjoy the hotel and HBO/cable, yadayadayada and get out of there back to L.A. Back to my safe nest of what and who I know. But instead of wanting a quiet escape, I couldn't leave. I didn't want to leave Nashville and the moment i was living that became eternal. Firstly, the song I performed enraptured me. I fell in love with the song, the music, the passion, the story behind the song, the production. I had heard this song over and over before but once i owned it vocally, I embraced it like a mother. I didn't write this song. But I want to nurture it. It became me. I was treated like a vocal queen in the studio and allowed to be 100% creatively unencumbered. I was treated with respect and above all, amazing compassion. Because of this, I wanted to see the song's process every step of the way, from recording, comping, mixing and mastering. I can't wait to see where it will go, and how it will come alive, as it has brought new life to me. Secondly, then came the gracious welcome from Nashville. Mr Doak Turner, the hub of the city, the only person you need to know there! Thank you Doak. A great seminar at SGA where songwriters were hungry for my thought and prayed i will return to give more, to share more, and undoubtedly start a Songsalive! chapter. 5 songwriters shot up there hand in enthusiasm to start a community there, a place i thought we weren't needed. I see now that our community is indeed needed. A grass roots, volunteer, community driven group that will support everyone as it gets supported. I witnessed a zest and enthusiasm for music and the business of music I have not seen in a long, long time, here in Nashville. Songwriters, of all ages, are loving what they do. They are working, getting an income, pitching, getting cuts. They are professional working songwriters, showing such amazing joy. Everyone had a smile on their face and I have missed it. I want more of it around me, rather than the jaded, poor, sad, frustrated songwriter I see so much in L.A and Australia. But above all and most importantly, there was the underlying plan for my week here, that surprised me, hit me over the head gently, that crept up to me and said, .."it is time for you gilli to reach out and touch and be touched..." something I never planned on, that swept me so far up into the heavens only God and I can understand together and muse over. For the first time in years I not only was able to listen, truly listen to someone else, but also share my inner self to someone else. I have run a silent solitary course for so long. I felt invigorated. We, this new person and me, spent days and nights without sleeping much in deep intellectual conversation, in spiritual connection, in emotional comfort, in innocent physical comfort, exploring the meaning of life, the passion for music, the art of film, the love of food, the notions of humanity, ... of global harmony, ... of one-ness, ... of relationship, of ... self, and health, .... of relinquishing, ... of surrendering... of giving because it's needed...of trust. I return to L.A with a new incite. Perhaps a reminder of who I know I'm supposed to be. A new way of being and seeing. No push. No stress. No rush. No thousands of things to do on my agenda. Perhaps, no agenda. It's time to just create, to love music again, to enjoy relationship, to enjoy the days and the moment, the seconds by seconds, to live the path of the warrior. I am free. Los Angeles CA - U.S.A Saturday May 1, 2004 - awards, studio and hilarious notions of surrender Wild couple of months since leaving Australia and that beautiful Nashville week. I had an interview with Willow from www.integralnaked.com (it will go live very soon, hold on to your pants) and she picked up on the beautiful vibe of my Nashville experience. Life changing, let me tell you! L.A life has been kind. It's hard to get settled back into one place having been living out of a suitcase for 7 months and tripping across the nation. I feel like a vagabond, a gypsy, held hostage in a camp (fly be free!), but at least my camp here is safe, creative and nurturing. I've been very productive lately. It's time for the making of the new album and right now we are going through song choices. some songs are from my past, and it's hilarious listening to old 4 track analog demos of these songs. ironically the lyric content is quite relevant to today. it's like i live in a "no time continuum"... past present future merge into one moment of now. plus i've written heaps of new songs. did an interview with buzz communications and i found an old one with paul cashmere in australia which i think is awesome as it truly reflects my musical upbringing. there's been a few other cool things happening. jeff young and i are teaming up musically (so much to tell, so little space here) and he's written up about his trip here in march and our performing together on his website www.jeffyoung.ws. he used to play guitar for Megadeth ("it was the best acting experience of my life") and now he's jumped into gypsy (i found another gypsy!) and flamenco rhythms. you will certainly hear more from this collaboration as we move forth as i've just absconded him as co-producer on the new album. talking of which, don't expect to see some normal boring jewel case 1 cd type release for Extraordinary Life. How can a release be extraordinary if it isn't released extraordinarily?! So expect much much more. For starters, a great, laid back, chill album that even I want to put on my stereo. Then, a DVD interview/video/audio thingy that will allow you to come into my world. Plus, I'm re-packaging my last 3 albums, "Girl In The Moon" (never released before), "temperamental angel" and "Woman" all together as 1 cool eco-pack called eVOLUTION. I can't wait to put it out. It will hopefully have "temperamental angel" remixed out of it's current garage mix feel that doesn't do my voice justice, and eVOLUTION will be at a great price to get the whole shebang. Then, fans can buy the new cd "Extraordinary Life" as its own gem, for your collection. I'm currently choosing songs, working out arrangements and picking studios. Keep close the diary for the ongoing recording process, that i hope to share with you here. So... some really cool live performance info... I had a wonderful, wonderful show on Thursday night as part of the Los Angeles Music Awards. It was at Monsoon Cafe and they have a brilliant sound system and nice grand piano (i want one for christmas). The room was full and my band were switched ON. Kenny on bass was smooth as silk, Tim never took his eyes off me, which is what all good drummers should do, and Gordie turned his acoustic guitar amp to get some distortion which was trippy but appropriate. We had rehearsed the show as a laid back acoustic chill set, but once in the room, we were buzzing, the audience was buzzing, and the energy forced us to bring it up a notch so to speak. very important to listen to the room ;) Moses Avalon even paid to get in (he's never bought a ticket in 10 years), Brent Harvey, man in charge, and Al Bowman, other man in charge, were all smiles and I believe I've just been nominated for Best Female Singer/Songwriter which is a cool award and only 3 gals get nominated for this. I came home so happy because I knew that i too was switched on, I could feel the energy and I felt that the 6 years in l.a was finally paying off. Ultimately, it's all about the music, and feeling that music, and i did that night. If there's anything I can share with other artists from this experience it is to be in this business because of your passion for your art... nothing else, because it's the passion alone that will get you through and set you free. Signing off. Welcome to a brave new world. gilli