This past weekend I had the opportunity to go to Utah for the annual Jenny Phillips/Tyler Castleton songwriting workshops. I went last year and all of the classes taught me so much and helped get me more motivated in my music, and this year did even more than that. I was able to showcase some of my musical ability and receive critique and feedback, and I got several e-mail addresses for people who want to co-write in various ways. What a great network we have in the church!

I also got a feel for what I’m supposed to do. I guess I’ve been wondering if my upbeat, poppy, girly music had no place with the LDS market, but after seeing the response I got, it made me realize that the church needs a little of that! So thanks to that lightbulb moment, my goal is to write contemporary music that’s addicting and catchy, but uplifting and positive, without being an “efy” album. Music that relates to every day life, that has undertones of overcoming depression, and choosing to be happy.

I thought i’d share a few key thoughts/quotes I wrote down throughout the workshop:

“If you keep score in marriage, you both lose.” (In reference to the newly produced song, “Who Loves Who More.”

“Map out your future, but do it in pencil.” – Bon Jovi

“When the horse is dead, get off.”

“The steps on a ladder are not meant or built to be rested upon, but only to support you as you climb to higher ground.”

“Getting to where you want to be in the music world is like a little kid approaching a revolving door for the first time–it’s confusing and tricky, but exciting, and possible.”

“Motherhood is the most important calling there is. If you put God’s desires first, which is for you to have a family, then He will bless you in your music career (if that is His will).”

“A lot of the time, your music will help inspire YOU more than other listeners.”

“Not sharing your talents because you’re afraid there might be someone better than you out there is a form of pride.”

“Bloom where you’re planted.”

“The spirit can only work with what it’s given.”

“Write your truth.”

This workshop was just packed full of gems like those. I’m so excited to start taking the next steps to get my music out there! I feel like i finally know where i’m supposed to take it, and I can’t wait to get started.

Also, here are a few fun things to check out, met these great people this weekend:

www.myspace.com/paula.eden.music

www.jeannigould.com

www.saralynbaril.com

Stay tuned, folks!

So, I’ve had many people ask me if/when I would start a blog of my own, particularly relating to my music and such. So, here it goes! 

I’m in a somewhat awkward position regarding getting my music out there, since:

a. I don’t have a piano here in Oregon. Well, that’s a lie. I do have access to one, but it sounds like a xylophone, so no thanks. 

b. I don’t have thousands of dollars to put towards professional recording studios. At least not yet. 

c. I still haven’t gotten around to copyrighting my music. Cause i’m just… lazy. 

However, i’ll try and post some older stuff, and as I get the access I need to a piano, i’ll try to get some videos up of some newer material i’ve got up my sleeve. 

And despite all the progress i’m not making this summer, I plan on releasing my first album within the next year or so. So stay tuned, and tell all your friends! 

And since this is a blog, i’ll share a cute little story that made my day (a couple days ago). 

So, i’ve been apartment hunting like crazy lately to be sure me and my new husband have the perfect place to live come september. I was looking at a certain apartment, but couldn’t find any pictures of inside it. I googled the apartment complex, and the first link was some girls’ blog about it. But it turned out to be just a page of numbers and letters and spam… but in the midst of all the chaos, i saw an e-mail address that ended with byui.edu. I took my chances, being the creep that I am, and copied the address. I sent the anonymous address an e-mail asking if they knew anything about the apartments I was interested in. 

I received a rather lengthy e-mail back from a sweet girl who had lived there before. She sent me pictures and gave me paragraphs of details about the place (mostly about how much it sucked to live there). Then, she ended with this paragraph: 

“…I looked you up on facebook cause I was curious who you were….you’re that girl who plays the piano at music outlet!!  I remember you!  I went up to you once after you performed and told you how I really liked it and you asked my name.   Anyways, you are seriously amazing on the piano and you have a beautiful voice.  Usually I don’t like when people play the piano at outlet because they’re not very good and you can tell they’ve never had lessons.  But you were different. I enjoyed every song you played…”

Needless to say, she made my day, and reminded me of why I even bother making music. It’s for people like her, people that care, people that remember. 

So to all those who feel like nobody notices your special talents or gifts, that nobody appreciates them or even cares, I guarantee, there’s at least one person who does. Even if you don’t even know their name.