i got mail ...

two days ago i rushed to the post office, giggling like a lil girl from excitement. I could hardly wait and see what the package waiting there contained inside it.
At the beginning of the week a guy, i didn't know one bit, had sent me a message on facebook. He explained that he wanted to give me a gift for being so brave on TV.
I was pretty flattered. My goodness. Still blushing.

Guess what he sent me?

A shiny, all wood tenor ukulele.

I am still in awe when i see it sitting next to my bed, its so shiny and lovely.... all i want to do is play with it all day. It has rich deep sound, not as shimmery as my other two. Thank you Seppo Piisola. What a kind soul indeed. Incredible.

After the show, gig requests have been flooding my inbox. I am absolutely ecstatic that people actually are responding to this kind of music and want to hear more!

I'm also working on setting up some 'intimate type' gigs for you guys to attend (more on that later).
Meanwhile I'm spontaneously attending open mics when i have a spare moment and writing some songs. Regardless of what the world says, i'll keep writing what i like and feel and leave it out for those who wanna hear and take it in.

i am enough...

Time has come to concentrate on simplicity again.
My TV time is over and as sad and shocked as i was when i was eliminated there is a SOLID silver lining on a couple of clouds. (final performance: click here)

I have never performed for such a big crowd and what humbles me the most is the fact that people actually stopped and listened. They dared to listen, no need to yell out in excitement..just sit and listen..enjoy.

It was an incredible feeling to stand on a huge stage with nothing else but my ukulele and me... just me.

I was enough.

There were a couple moments where I doubted the risk i was taking with being so simple with the song choice and the arrangement. But what's a statement without the risk? I stuck out like a sore thumb but no regrets in regards to that.

An unbelievable experience ... i made new friends, grew a bit stronger vocally, received even more support for the dream im running after. I've got a feeling this is just the beginning of the adventure :)

leaping for joy...

...the day has come. I am moving into my very own apartment. I'm feeling scared, sad, happy, confused, tired, stressed, hysterical all mixed into one delicious smoothie. 

It's intense to say the least.

I'm actually pretty surprised how little of stuff i have.

 It took me maybe a total of 2 hours (or maybe 4) to pack up everything i need. And I feel like i could still throw away things. It's refreshing to live on so little.  I'm hoping i can keep it up though i'll have a whole space of my own to fill up with unnecessary things. 

Then again im not counting the plates, dishes... and such. Still gotta attack those.

But the books and clothes are all packed and ready.

Just remembering back- it took weeks to pack up from my home in Utah. You tend to gather a bunch of nic nacks and memories into your droors over 8 years. A half year--- not so much.

Can't wait to start decorating and making this new place feel like home. :)

(i've been pinning things like crazy on my 'decoration' board these past few weeks)

one big party...

I got a chance to go to the *Eurovision Final* this past weekend- brought 17 other people along. It was a party.
I haven't been to a concert in a while and man it felt great to just dance and let go.
My favorite from that night was this lovely lady:

the bridge is the best part.

and also this charming individual:

His song has that undeniable happy vibe and it just makes me smile when i hear it :) maybe its that lovely mixture of all those stringed acoustic instruments in the chorus. The song is about a kite.
I did a cover of it {check it here}, put a few personal twists into it.

I'm pretty proud of myself- im starting to find more and more Finnish music that i like and want to listen to. Time to educate these ears about the motherland harmonies and tunes.

The winner actually ended up being Pernilla, with a song in Swedish. I was a bit upset about the language BUT after all Finland is filled with swedes and finns all mixed up into one big happy party salad. And her song has a beautiful melody so i hope, i hope that it'll be enough to surpass all those techno pop songs that usually dominate the eurovision competition. How can a song about your own mom not win? You'd have to be heartless.
Go Pernilla!

take flight...

i'm feeling like a lil bird in its nest whose been waiting to take flight for MONTHS now, but its not my turn yet.
Anticipating so many things.

I just recently found a new apartment ill be moving into. It's a wonderful feeling of freedom on a whole new level.

Also I've been working on some house, dubstep, party music. It's a challenge and out of my comfort zone but I'm excited to see what the final result will be. Thanks to DJ Steve Mits for believing in me.
I'm still getting the hang of this...party genre aspect. (i tend to be really mellow, quite a contrast).

Daily practice for the next The Voice of Finland performance is  keeping me occupied as well, i want this next performance to be everything i've imagined. One of the things that makes a performance great- when the artist believes in what they do, or who they are FULLY.
It's another thing thats been weighing on my mind. It's all or nothing, i can't get up on that stage half heartedly but i need to believe it all, believe myself. That's the foundation, after thats set up I can start building around that foundation.