'Horns Blow' for a Popstar

As the latest season of "The Voice" kicked into high gear early this 2014 year, many were surprised and questioned themselves if what they were seeing on their television sets was ACTUALLY what they're eyes were conveying. 

Sure enough, 

Popstar Paula Deanda was auditioning for the popular NBC show having to sing to the backs of the four celebrity judges as well as the nation in hopes of garnering her a spot on one of singing teams. She had a golden opportunity with Blake Shelton a.k.a. "Team Blake" and made it to the Battle Rounds. As Paula's opportunity made her appeal to her current as well as the younger social media fan base, HER voice on "The Voice" would certainly not be the last of her! 

Behold, in just 1 day, on June 24th, 2014,
 Paula Deanda & Jump Smokers will be releasing their latest EP collaboration:

The first single to launch this collection of original material 

"Horns Blow (Shimmy Shimmy)"

definitely features 'The Voice and the Beats'! 

With the musical horns making melodic waves backing Paula's smooth husky soprano vocal, this only showcases the tip of the iceberg of what the rest of this EP album contains.

 Paula Deanda is known for her high vocal register that has carried her from the very start with "Doing Too Much" all the way to her current ballad material with "Your Place". What Paula showcases in her music is the ability to be this vocal chameleon that most Popstars of today haven't been able to express due to the endless pressure of the Entertainment Machine. 

"Horns Blow (Shimmy Shimmy)" carries the modern sound of 2014 along with a blend of 40's Jazz with the trumpet bridge in the middle of the song. Now believe it or not, singers CAN over sing a track to death especially with tiresome vocal runs that skip one too many beats. Although in this case, Paula shares the limelight with the proper instrumentation to carry this tune from beginning to end.

There's also something that Paula hasn't really showcased in her music catalog in the past, and that is the use of her vocal texture to hug the melody of the staccato notes...in ENGLISH, Paula's voice flows with what's being presented to her musically.
Jump Smokers, 
job WELL DONE and EXECUTED!

"The Voice And The Beats" EP also contains 3 other original songs:
"Strangers", "Arriverderci", and "Tippy-Toes", as well as an EDM Remix of "Strangers".

All 5 tracks have their own LIFE within the music, and all 5 tracks give new meaning to the term 'Fresh'! Music has to be able to breathe and have a heartbeat of it's own, especially when 2 MAJOR talents collaborate! There's no drowning of sorrows for either Paula or Jump Smokers, if anything, this collection of musical freedom is a CELEBRATION of what music is,
it's OWN state of mind!

My personal Fav Song:
"Horns Blow (Shimmy Shimmy)"
"Strangers"
"Arriverderci"
 "Tippy-Toes"

"Strangers" (Jump Smokers EDM Remix)

Yes...ALL of them!

Pre-Order your copy now on iTunes!

Damaged YET going STRONG

8 years ago the 

"Making The Band" series had formed and launched it's 3rd and most successful musical group to date and even made history landing them in the Guinness Book of World Records being the ONLY girl group to debut 2 Number 1 albums back to back on the Billboard Charts. Each member brings a spark to the group and have the ability to hold their head up high as every number is executed to it's every hair flipping stage worthy performance. 

Danity Kane has 2 Platinum selling albums under it's name, having toured with Christina Aguilera, the Pussycat Dolls, and have headlined 2 tours since their inception, the recent of which has proven them worthy of a comeback though there's one minor detail missing...the backing and push of a major record label. Despite this minor setback, Danity Kane has been able to climb up the charts with their recent single aptly titled, "Lemonade" featuring Tyga. 

Since the successful girl group was taken apart back in 2008 by it's creator Sean "Puffy" Combs due to a lack of communication and infighting within the girls themselves, they've all been able to move on with their lives and professional careers as entrepreneurs within the industry. A year ago there was speculation that there was a reunion brewing and fans have been craving to have Danity Kane once again appear on stage and on the charts. As fate would have it, the famed girl group was to come back, only this time, as a quartet. 

Then there were four. 

By the end of 2013, the now regrouped musical quartet prepared their reunion show and early this year 2014 they announced a 13 city "No Filter" Tour around the U.S. that would showcase their past hits and feature 3 new tracks from their upcoming album.

 Then there were three.

As one of their founding members had decided to join them on the tour, she has opted to remove herself from the Danity Kane equation for the upcoming album due to her wanting to start a family. 

Now with Danity Kane consisting of Aubrey O' Day, Shannon Bex and Dawn Richard, in my honest opinion, they have never looked so fresh! With "Lemonade" going strong in it's downloads and climbing up the charts, seeing three strong women take the stage have never looked so good since Destiny's Child became a trio themselves. 

As they put the finishing touches on their upcoming album and are getting plans ready and finalized for their second leg of their "No Filter" Promotional Tour, Danity Kane was once Damaged YET are going STRONG!

Timing couldn't be ANY better for the trio girl group, as well as for another one of my favorite artists...STAY TUNED for the next blog featuring:

Paula Deanda

Shhhhh....!

Secrets upon secrets upon other secrets simply create a MOTHER LOAD of skeletons in our closet and a BIG pile of "No No No's" swept under the rug. Should we make the CONSCIOUS choice to not deal with them they'll just get bigger and bigger only to further distance us from what was to be our true nature.

So why is it that in society in certain aspects and with certain

topics we make "Shhhhhh...!" an ongoing trend??

To hide in the closet only proves our constant need for attention and it makes us not worthy of what lies beneath our exterior.

Growing up because I had no clause when it came to what information came out of my mouth and therefore, I was ALWAYS forewarned to watch what I would say and what I WAS LETTING OUT, for it would affect my near and very distant future. 

Of course you tell this to a kid they're going to be afraid to even say anything! Later on into my teens and young adult years, I was so fearful with letting people in, paranoia set in BIG TIME!
This what I'd like to call a COMPLEX ladies and gentlemen!

How do we get rid of the COMPLEX???

By saying what's on your mind and exercising your right to be who you are....simple enough??

Should be and could be, again, should you CHOOSE to do so.

I don't believe there's anything wrong with sharing with others who you are, let alone the person you've become. The opinions exist whether you say something or you don't, for as we know, this world is full of them, whether you turn to the LEFT or to the RIGHT! Yet they only hurt when they mean something, in most cases,
it's best to let them enforce who you are instead of tearing you down.

It's best to EXIST rather than NOT...
therefore, no more "Shhhhhh!" and LIVE LIFE!

You Love Me

Ever since Kelly Clarkson came on the scene back in 2002, she's had nothing but success and hit after hit! All her albums have spoken volumes especially when it's come to her vocal ability and the melodies of the written word.

Nearly two and half years ago she released an album called "Stronger" where her lead single, "Mr. Know It All" drove the album to become her best vocal representation to date. Have to say, in my opinion, this album is the BEST in her music catalog due to her self-empowerment messages. Messages from experiences that Kelly herself has said to have lived and well, make great music topics and therefore become hit songs on the charts.



 One of the songs in particular on this album called "You Love Me" struck a chord
 (pun intended) with me especially when it came to 2 factors:
1) Kelly's vocal delivery 
2) The song's lyrical truth

"You Love Me" is the TRUTH that most failed relationships go through. The inadequacy that one person feels drives them to turn it around and blame others for their own insecurities and false successes. At one point, there's only so much blame one can take that they start seeing the pattern that keeps happening and ultimately are more hurt 
NOT for the blame, but for the ONE lie they were given, claiming to be loved while they were being broken.

"It was probably the most hurt I’ve ever been in my life. But by writing about it, I got to work through it and get it out of my system."
--> Kelly Clarkson about the "You Love Me" inspiration

Definitely been through this at least twice in my life, and the last time it happened, I almost fell for it, until a simple "I'm sorry" slipped through their tongue and suddenly my eyes were clear of any fog that was sent my way.

Yes, I will say that the first words that ran through my mind were, "You piece of SHIT!" For some reason I wasn't boiling inside, and that made me nervous because I thought that I seriously couldn't feel anything anymore, that I was numb to the situation. Clearly, that wasn't the case, it was simply that I couldn't believe that these two words had escaped the mouth of the perpetrator that was making me feel like I wasn't good enough for their time.

I felt betrayed because they clearly stated that the whole time I meant nothing, and the whole time, they were just killing time with me making feel like I was important to be around and talk to, when the TRUTH was, I was nothing to them. It does get to a person when all you feel is negativity about yourself. Though as they say, the way things start out is usually how things will end up. There was more attitude than respect to start off in the beginning, I should've known.

I can say that after that second experience, I know and recognize to move on when I need to. Just because they say they love you, doesn't necessarily mean they actually do, and we learn as we go, you won't be good enough for them for the simple fact that they're not good enough for themselves.

Should that be the case, move on and wish them well.

Just take a listen, "You Love Me" will inspire you to do the same:

The Comfort of the Night towards a Leap Of Faith

"As the sun descends and the stars begin to bloom in the sunset sky, the reflection of the violet ebony tones take over my outside mood and my mind begins to open to endless emotions of the PAST, PRESENT and what will become of the unknown FUTURE."
-->Erik Velasco

As kids our parents usually make us deal with the "Fear of the Night" concept and have us be completely afraid of the dark. According to them it's usually when all the "monster's" come out and nothing good is roaming the streets. That may be true in its rarest form in this reality, though, that's also when the artists of the world have the floodgates of their minds open and instead of walking through the dark and being careful, they're running towards the unknown to see what they can capture and mold it into a masterpiece of their own vision.
Sometimes the dullest objects become the beacon of hope of sensibility.

With ALL poetic advances aside, the only time I'm able to think for myself and see an alternative reality is at night. The silence really brings out the beauty that the world has to offer. When there's no one in sight and the moon and stars are gleaming, the only afterthought I have is that of 
"What Was", "What Is"and "What Can Become".
Most can and will relate this to fear, though I will say that I lived in fear for so long that if I was to tag this afterthought along the same lines, I wouldn't be a risk taker and therefore a dreamer.

I've written a lot about taking a "Leap Of Faith" that it almost seems like a whole different lifetime when I was afraid to jump towards my options.


The FIRST and by far one of the hardest one of its kind I'd ever had to endure was coming out to the world at 17 years old. It wasn't an option at the time, unfortunately I had to come out for my own sanity yet fortunately unknowingly, it turned out to be the BEST decision I'd ever endure.

During the day, I was afraid of my own shadow, thinking that the world would judge me for admitting what I'd been hiding for so long. I became my own monster when the sun was at its highest peak, and for no reason I was my own worst critic.

During the night, I had a great amount of inner strength with fearlessness to motivate a whole army. I felt ONE with the night sky and I felt comforted by the obscurity of what the darkness hid from my heart.

Ultimately FAITH held my hand and promised me to NOT let me go. After much anticipation, obscurity and self doubt, I went and jumped up at the chance to raise my chin and keep my head high no matter the criticism.

Sometimes standing over the edge of LIFE can make you tremble so deep in your core that you're faced with ONE option, and yet, you wonder what the next few years will be like should you NOT consider taking the chance to become a better YOU.

I'm able to convey now that 13 years later, I'm grateful for my lack of self inflicted judgement of myself and am ETERNALLY grateful for what FAITH has truly taught me,

TRUST in the unknown.

POST-Survivor

We've all been through that "Moment" in LIFE where we've had to learn how to survive on our own. As much advice as we wanted to get from our loved ones, this "Moment" was designed especially FOR us, BY us. Covering our hearts as best as possible to only become our own shield so we could protect what was rightfully ours. 

 

As the years have veered past us, we accepted pain, learn to take jabs as they come and most importantly, continued on our path according to what would be "The Way" for us. Every scar and scab have had the ability to heal in the comfort of it's own scar tissue. 

It only get's better from here right??!

Yes and Maybe.

Yes...because the new set of individuals that come forth will set us up to rise to the next chapter filled with new challenges and experiences ONLY to make us BELIEVE that we're worth the battle.

Maybe...because within the new set of individuals that come forth will be a handful of them that will take advantage of the newly skilled STRENGTH you've come to gain. 

POST-Survivor

 is what they call this new chapter...

Are you willing to risk it all?

 

My chapter came at the age of 25 when I broke free of my own "Moment". I can tell you now that the wolves dressed in sheep's clothing came out from left and right. It was like these individuals could smell the newly recovered fresh meat. 

 

My temperament was tested, my FAITH was being compromised and the ability to defend myself against them was put on a thin line. 

 

Every year from that exact moment, at least 4 of them came along for the battle. It had been exhausting trying to prove that I was the healthy minded person I'd become "POST-Survivor". UNTIL Year 3 came along at the age of 28 and it clicked in my head and I said,

"I really don't care to have you around!"

I started cutting ties so quick and every single one that wanted to continue this battle I just kept letting them waste their words and dirty minds on what would be THEIR greatest fear of all...they're own taste at solitude. Let me say and declare that I did nothing but literally cut ties and ALL communication, and they did the rest. 

I risked it ALL for the sake of my own peace of mind. I knew I had done the right thing especially when at night, I was comfortable with my actions and my ability to finally sleep with my OWN conscious and no one else's.  By this time, let's just say it was too late to beat around the bush, and quite frankly, it's never been my style. 

Since then I've done it time and time again and each time, I've been able to rise above it in every way. My focus becomes a lot more clearer and I know that I'm finally able 

to get away from what people see,

 a fragile simple-minded creature who understands it all.

POST-Survivor brought a CHANGE,

With that CHANGE came a CHOICE,

That CHOICE is up to YOU.

Given the OPPORTUNITY...would you?

Most often times than not,
we have the notion and play with the thought that if we were given the OPPORTUNITY to go back to that ONE moment in time where it ALL changed for us and we were willing to turn things around, would we even do it???

Truthfully,
LIFE would be a whole different story and we would be in a whole different position. It's pretty scary to think that we can still actually CHANGE the course of action should we want to present something or someone new to the table.

Any course of action comes from a reaction. Nothing of what we bring to our lives is as they say, "Just cause". It's hard to have to make up your mind especially when faced with a LEAP of Faith decision. Of course it always happens that when we become of our own worst fear, we shiver at the thought of even making a decision of ANY sort.

For this reason I ask,

Why be afraid of your own shadow 
when you've come this far?

Choices, decisions, and options ALL brought us to this very moment...the moment where we're able to think for ourselves and choose what we'll move forward with and what will stay behind.

People we come across, situations we consider and even phases that pass through our lives, they all contain a fair amount of uncertainty and once the storm passes, we have the moment of reflection and wonder what would've been like had we gone the other way.



When in this state of reflection, it's good to wonder...NOT linger. Lingering on and on will result in fear of our own shadow. At this point in our state of mind, there's only room for FAITH in UNDERSTANDING that we made the correct choices for the right reasons.



Understanding
A psychological process related to an abstract or physical object, such as a person, situation, or message whereby one is able to think about it and use concepts to deal adequately with that object.

Once having understood, ask yourself this question once again though remember to REMAIN in your position, should you agree to choices YOU made:

"Given the OPPORTUNITY to go back to that ONE moment in time where it ALL changed for you and are willing to turn things around, would you do it???"