Hello 2014, I am very excited to greet you with a post. Well, many posts if I'm honest. If anyone was wondering, I am finishing off my last little story as we speak, but I thought it was more essential I said a small word for this wonderful year to arrive first. I have so much to say all of the time and it just comes in uncontrollable streams!
Last year, a lot changed and grew. I made some new friends, but also secured and worked on my old ones. The girls I pole dance with - you are all very important to me, being part of a group like that, a 'school' if you will, has pushed me. I remember when watching my instructor perform to a frankly brilliant song 'Breathe Me' by Sia at our pole summer showcase, I had a wave of emotion and understanding towards how important finding this sport and meeting all of these people had been to my development and confidence. The lyrics to the song stood out to me. They were so relevant. If you haven't heard it, please listen to it. It is so fragile, and completely represented how I came to find pole, and the place I was in my heart when I tried desperately in my first year here in Brighton to find some comforting place in yet another new world.
Her representation on the pole was beautiful and flawless. Tear jerking. Mind blowing, as all her performances are. But that particular one has stuck with me, maybe because I finally felt like I had a place there. It was the first performance I did as well to my own song. I managed to record and mix a very important song I wrote a while ago and I wrote a routine to it and performed to it at this very same showcase. It was the first time I'd really shown anyone outside of my music circles anything I'd written, and the feedback was lovely. I pushed myself that day, I was terrified but I managed it, and I saw some beautiful dances by the most genuine and wonderful girls, and I belonged. To top it all, my best friend and flat mate at the time, and my boyfriend came along to support me. Oh and my best friend's bassist in his band. He was there too. I had a little group of supporters and the praise they gave was invaluable. Always remember the praise from those who show up when you need them. Don't forget it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEUsOwoMiBU - a video of the pole routine I did to my song 'Skeleton In The Closet' last summer.
https://soundcloud.com/anna-celeste/skeleton-in-the-closet-1 - and here is a link to the song.
There was some heavy snow in March last year. I remember because my Music Publishing Exam got cancelled. I remember the joy of this, as I had slept over at my boyfriend's, and in all honesty, with the nightmare weather and the potential of a stressful exam, I was quite happy not to go. However, he had a hair appointment at a salon on Norfolk Square 5 mins walk away, so I decided for the snowy stroll, I would come along, dishevelled and in yesterdays make up and over-see the cutting of his hair. I find, to this day, that this occasion was one of the most wonderful examples of fate. Because of a few decisions I made, or were made for me that day, I ended up at that salon instead of my exam, and the hair dresser said to me "you have a pretty face". This comment then lead to him saying how ratty my hair was, but it was long and workable. He then offered an opportunity for me that any poor high-maintenance-haired female student would jump to - to be a house model for the salon. They were looking for one or two girls for a hair colour shoot in London in a few months for hair company Natulique, and he wanted me represent them. I said yes, took the risk of not knowing what would be done to me, how my image would change, and went for it. It was a fabulous decision. Not only does my hair look healthier and more beautiful than ever before, I met some great people, and took part in something really awesome. I never thought hair would be such a strong point for me. And to this day, I am still house model for the 90 Degrees team here in Brighton, and am looking forward to a new year of great hair.
http://exposurebox.com/natulique/ - a video made of the shoot - I'm the one with multicoloured hair and intense make up!
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=561815303856117&set=a.433406523363663.87164.251004264937224&type=1&theater - a link to the selected picture.
On the 23rd of April, I did my first 'open mic' night. I know it seems shocking that as a musician I went this far without doing one, but I do have to explain the difficulty as a pianist of finding a place that either has a piano, or the appropriate equipment to connect a piano. These nights are generally low budget and acoustic, so more guitarist friendly. But I was given the opportunity to attempt one at a small bar in Brighton. This was organised by someone who after that day, became a very good friend, and musical partner. My boyfriend showed up, and my guitarist from my band. It was a very small event, but I had a chance to sample some of my pieces and find a response, so it was very good. But, as I hinted, the best part was making the friend I did. He generally did DJ sets, and was quite a bit older than me, but had just bought some good equipment and asked if I wanted to try it all out. I came over not long after, and we got started on various projects. We bonded as good friends, and helped each other learn more about the world of recording and production. A great team, we to this day have been working on some great projects. He recorded, mixed and mastered my song 'White Flowers' which I did my most recent pole performance to at christmas, and also entered for a competition. Hopefully there will be a first EP release in this wonderful year of 2014, under our alias duo name, which I will also state nearer the time for excitement purposes.
https://soundcloud.com/anna-celeste/white-flowers-pole-mix - the song I wrote that he and I recorded for my christmas pole performance.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0nEOzIvyizw - the routine I entered for a competition to the song.
I had a lot of adventures last year, many that would take too long or be too much of a drag for you to read, but they were there nevertheless. As well as enjoying turning 21, I feel womanhood is finding itself closer and closer to me. Womanhood is a long process I believe, therefore I won't be there quite yet, but perhaps the term 'young woman' is fitting for me at least. All I know is this year coming will see the end of my degree, the beginning of a masters (hopefully) and a whole lot of music, composition, love and hard work.
I hope the same will be in store for you.
AKC x
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