Monday, October 25, 2010

SWSWSWSW

Today I'm having one of those days. We are waiting to hear from a label and I am a basket case. I have to keep reminding myself of something I read in a book by Jack Canfield: SWSWSWSW

Some Will
Some Wont
So What?
Someone's Waiting

So the answer from the label may very well be another NO. But I know someone is waiting to say YES.

Nervous Porcelain

The week that was

I have been a very quiet little Porcelain. My apologies. So here is a run down of the week that was.

1. I received THE most amazing news on Tuesday. 'Are  you listening' is now playlisted in Croatian and according to my wonderful manager lady she is working on more stations in Europe. Yay! Have a listen to the song (below). I cannot explain how great it is to have more people hear the music. I am so grateful.

Are you listening by BlackPorcelain


2. Working on the new single. Itis produced by Oltak (amazing human being) and we are working on getting a 'super official' DJ to do an official remix. Aaaaaah I cant wait to go back into studio and record.

3. Labels love me and others dont. I'm keeping things 100 on this blog. Manager lady and I are looking for labels to do M&D (manufacturing & distribution) for the album. So far we have had some say no and others say 'we will get back to you'. I'm not discouraged because regardless of what happens this album will be released early next year. God will take care of the rest.

4. I was featured on TimesLive. Great article: HERE. So far so good.

The week has been amazing and I am grateful to be alive and making my dreams come true.


Me on the cover of Your LMG (sep 2010) looking like Black Jesus
 Porcelain. Out.

Monday, October 11, 2010

Are you listening

In 2007 I decided that I wanted to write my own songs. I was 24 years of age, couldn't read or write music and had no clue where to start. A girl I studied with told me that her boyfriend had a band and could help me. I was keen so I met him and we clocked. I didn't know what my 'sound' was and he didn't either.

He was part of a rock band (LP Show) and I was raised on jazz, Funk and soul. He would often play me songs already composed or songs that him and his band had recorded and then ditched. He played me a very bare 'beat' and I knew I loved it. 'Are you litsneing' was born and I had found my voice.

Are you listening by BlackPorcelain



Are you listening by Black Porcelain

V1:
Why do we have to lie?
Why do we run and hide?
You know she saw us, there's no need to hide
She knows about us, there's no no need to cry
I saw this coming, there's no need to lie
I saw this coming, there's no need to lie
There's no need to lie

CHORUS
She won't hear it
You wont say it
I wont have it
Are you listening?
Are you listening?
I wont leave you
Its not over
I wont leave you

She wont hear it
You wont say it
I wont have it
Are you listening?
Are you listening?
Its not over
I wont leave you
Its not over

V2:
She's screaming, make her stop
I'm not leaving
Make her leave
I knew about her, I wont lie
You know you love me, don't you dare lie
she knows it's over, you don't need her
Show me you love me
Throw her out

CHORUS

© Black Porcelain

We recorded a demo and almost 2 years later I recorded it again for my album. It was to be the first single, but radio stations didn't like it. Youth stations said it was too old. AC stations said it was too young. Others said their listeners don't like rock etc etc.

Some radio stations picked it up, but it was never on high rotation. All that being said, I love this track. It will always feel like home to me. Its where I started and discovered myself.

P.S I did this with slip a few days ago. I think I might do this again.

B.P (Black Porcelain)

Great Find: Ella Starr

I have been following her on Twitter, @ella_eh, for a while. Today I finally took sometime to listen to her music. I like this song 'Mirror me'.

07 MIRROR ME by ellastarr

It has that old school SWV, 702 vibe about it. I really like it. Right now everybody is about sounding a euro pop as possible, but Ella Starr isn't. I get the feeling that she knows that R&B still has its place in music. When I first heard it, I thought she was singing about having a crush on another woman: "hair down her back like, buys all her make up at MAC like me..." But that seemed too easy for me. So I listened to it again. I think its a song about her loving herself... Physically. Like Tweet's 'Oops Oh my. I LOVE IT!!

I wrote Nobody Knows a while ago, its on the EP 'Green'. The song encourages men to ask their women what they like because 'nobody knows this body like I do'. I'm all for women loving themselves... Back to Ella.

I'm loving what I'm hearing. Her voice is not difficult to listen to and she sounds like she is not afraid to have fun. You can find out more about her HERE and you can also listen to her mixtape. I love finding new music & new artists.


Ella Starr (pic via ellastarrmusic.com)
I.P

Star Fruit for a Star

Am I reading too much into it? Maybe... But I love how it made me feel when I cut open that fruit and saw the star formation. Don't you dare tell me that you cant see the star. You know you can.

Star Fruit :)


Sunday, October 10, 2010

Sunday Inspiration: Stimela

I grew up listening to Stimela as a kid. In fact hearing their songs as well as those by Sankomota always makes me think of Saturday afternoons in Soweto as a kid; My mom hanging up washing, while a visiting uncle sits outside with my dad with music blasting from a neighbours house.

It was only as a presenter at Radio 2000 that I really started to APPRECIATE Stimela. They were truly before their time. Check out this song: Whispers in the deep. I even dig the video and its interpretation of some of the lyrics.




The late Nana Coyote's vocals are my favourite part of this song. I also love that the band is having such a good time in this video. This song makes me feel the same way.

Thank you Stimela for the music.

I.P