Greetings, my fellow Americans (and friends abroad)!
It's been a revelatory couple of weeks since my last blog, and I have so much to share with you (Note: this will be an very visual entry)! First and foremost, I have to pay tribute to our new Commander-in-Chief, (imagine this in Oprah's voice) BARACK OBAMA!!! Words can not express what an incredible moment in American history this is, though we will undoubtedly all try. Whomever you cast your vote for, I hope you exercised your right to vote (never underestimate the importance of that right), and hopefully, you are as thrilled with the outcome as I am. Let's revisit a few great moments in this especially great moment in time...
I was unfortunately out of the country on Election Day (I voted by absentee ballot), which was devastating, to say the least. Despite the unbridled joy and pride I felt watching the returns come in, and the many texts, emails and calls I received from friends and fam back at home, it was bittersweet to be witnessing it all from a hotel room thousands of miles away. I longed for some way to feel a part of it, and thanks to the camera on my iPhone and the flatscreen TV in my hotel room, I did manage to capture a couple of timeless moments on my own...
...but in spite of my absence on Election Day '08, I'm proud to say that prior to my departure, I did my own small part to further the cause, taking a trip up to Harlem on November 1st to perform at the "Get Out and Vote" rally for Obama and Congressman Charles Rangel. I was in great company, thanks to a huge turnout of supporters, activists, fellow artists and voters, all eager to hear and spread the word, and I was beyond pleased and grateful to be among them (big thanks to journalist Christian Wikane for the pics!).
That was a lot... but believe it or not, that just sums up the last week...and there's plenty to report on the weeks prior. Let's work our way back, shall we? In spite of my very busy schedule these days, I did find time to celebrate one of my favorite holidays (since childhood), Halloween. For those of you who don't know, it's a pretty big deal here in New York, and while I didn't go too big, I definitely made an effort. Can you guess what I was? A lot of folks had trouble, though it was pretty literal...(answer below)
Yep, I was the Devil in a Blue Dress...and in spite of the subtlety, it was a big hit (someone said I looked like I belonged on the label of a liquor bottle)! Unfortunately, the party wasn't quite big enough for my liking. May have to reprise that one next year...
Speaking of BIG parties, I had the supreme pleasure of performing at one the social events of the season, as the esteemed and eternally chic Warren-Tricomi salon opened their gorgeous new flagship at the Plaza Hotel with a star-studded, ultra-glamorous (and packed to the rafters) launch party. I rocked the ballroom with my absolutely blazing band (who outdid themselves), and even incorporated a cover by one of my favorite bands into our set, "Tumbling Dice" by the Rolling Stones (complete with a musical cameo from Jagger look-alike Edward Tricomi). It was a fantastic evening, made even more so by the blissful day of beauty given to my backup singers and I beforehand, courtesy of Warren-Tricomi (thanks to Edward, Joel, Naté, Gendry and the entire staff!). Thankfully, photographer Jonny Rueda was in attendance and took some great pics to document the results...and the show (thanks, Jonny)!
In other (HUGE) news, I made my debut at the Apollo Theater on October 22nd, as the featured performer during their famed "Amateur Night". It was absolutely surreal to see my name on the marquis (see below), let alone to stand on that stage (and yes, I rubbed the stump)! It didn't actually sink in until after I'd returned home that evening. It was an incredible experience to perform in that legendary space, for a cause as important as breast cancer awareness. The evening was a milestone for me; one I definitely hope to repeat.
Well, that's the big wrap-up...next time I'll be reporting from the road, as I travel through the Eastern Corridor this week (check myspace.com/maiyshamusic to see if I'll be on a radio station near you), then back to my beloved Chicago on the 16-19th. In the meantime, please, please, please check out the incredibly smart, thoughtful, and thorough feature article written on me by Christian Wikane, Contributing Editor for PopMatters.com (http://www.popmatters.com/pm/feature/63557/a-study-in-contrasts-an-interview-with-maiysha/print/). If you still consider me a bit of an enigma, it should answer a lot questions for you...and will likely inspire a few new ones.
Obviously, as I've been traveling, I've been listening to a lot of great music, but if you haven't already, I highly advise checking out Robin Thicke's first album (at the time, he was simply known as "Thicke"), "A Beautiful World" -- a favorite of mine for years now, and still my favorite of his albums, despite his later successes. It's truly eclectic, and genius. As I write this, I'm watching "The Red Balloon", a classic I remember from childhood, and still one of the most beautiful, poignant, simple, and visually arresting movies I've ever seen, despite the fact that it's barely over a half hour long. Watching it now, I'm pretty sure it was the first glimpse I had of Paris, and likely the source of my abiding fascination and love for the city. A few other tibdits...
Obviously, as I've been traveling, I've been listening to a lot of great music, but if you haven't already, I highly advise checking out Robin Thicke's first album (at the time, he was simply known as "Thicke"), "A Beautiful World" -- a favorite of mine for years now, and still my favorite of his albums, despite his later successes. It's truly eclectic, and genius. As I write this, I'm watching "The Red Balloon", a classic I remember from childhood, and still one of the most beautiful, poignant, simple, and visually arresting movies I've ever seen, despite the fact that it's barely over a half hour long. Watching it now, I'm pretty sure it was the first glimpse I had of Paris, and likely the source of my abiding fascination and love for the city. A few other tibdits...
I am absolutely mad about:
1. AMERICA!!! We did good...now let's keep up the momentum, optimism, and support!
2. Dimples (long story, short and sweet answer...sigh).
3. The Derek Trucks Band (old, amazing and abiding band, new discovery for me).
4. Coming home...no matter how brief the trip.
5. The new songs that are running through my mind, waiting to be put down on paper.
I am absolutely mad AT:
1. Sore losers...get over it, and get on board!
2. The lack of hours in the day, and dollars at my disposal.
3. All the junk food I've been eating (actually, I'm just mad at myself for that).
4. The energy crisis...and the financial crisis...I just hate a crisis.
5. Trying to hold on after the good has gone...and burning the bridge that remained.
