It’s been a journey…
Whilst I’m disappointed not to be starting, I’m in no rush to get the album out there. I want to take my time to explore the possibilities and get it right. It’s taken me long enough to feel mentally ready to put my artistic stamp on something in the first place, and to be honest there are still days when the doubts creep in! But I figure the real strength is learning to embrace the fear and do it anyway.
Jon is a good friend and we’ve known each other for a long time. I first spoke to him about recording my album about 3 years ago and he’s been very amenable to my ups and downs about the idea since. He knows my journey and is aware of my hangups, and it’s already clear from our conversations that he’s the perfect person to be doing this with.
This is a deeply personal project and I’m so comforted to have such an understanding and talented friend on board to bring my ideas to life with. I know I can be entirely myself with Jon, and that’s hugely important when you’re going to be spending a large amount of time working together in a confined studio space!
Taking a dive
I’ve been lucky so far in my career to have worked and recorded with experienced and talented individuals. I’ve learned a lot from those opportunities.
A big part of my excitement and curiosity with my album is, for the first time, I get to steer the ship. I know my work is at its best when it’s collaborative.
Whilst the initial seeds are all my own, I’ll cultivate them through jamming with other artists and asking for feedback from Jon. I’m excited to hear how the project develops!
Creative adaptation
I’m interested to discover how having this extra time in shutdown will influence my ideas for the album. What I know already is that I have a lot of melodies which are translated light states and landscapes from me looking out and drawing within.
Many of my tunes come from times of change in my life. The current situation we find ourselves in certainly has the potential to be creatively inspiring.
Sound & visuals = art
The working concept is “From Darkness to Light”. I am finding it useful keeping a journal of thoughts and a sketchbook of visual ideas and photography that work intrinsically with my musical compositions.
The working concept is “From darkness to light”. I am finding it useful keeping a journal of thoughts and a sketchbook of visual ideas and photography that work intrinsically with my musical compositions.
In my mind’s eye, the visual art will accompany the sound art of the album. I want to lay my artistic expression and interpretation bare with this project.
Keep ahead of the crowd
I want to share my journey with you all from the start. I know when I am able to get going that it’ll have been worth the wait!
You can keep ahead of the crowd on exclusive behind the scenes developments, including sound bites, videos and drawings, by signing up to become one of Mel’s Angels through my new Patreon
[:]||| Mel |||[:]
(Cover photo: me in sunny Oppland, Norway 2016 with the view that inspired my tune Oppland Upland)