As we approach The Queen's Jubilee, I cannot help but get swept along with all of the excitement manifested in the displays throughout London; flags, banners, bunting and shop windows. Seeing the red, white and blue everywhere fills me with pride.
I did my first Jubilee concert yesterday in Catford, decked out in a full length (tasteful) Union Jack patterned dress with diamond accessories. I was relieved to see that the venue had gone to town too, with their own decorations covering the hall right down to the audience, who were sporting their finery with a red, white and blue theme. It was when I began to sing 'There'll Always Be An England' that the audience bowled me over as they leapt to their feet, waving their flags with gusto. There's something about the rousing anthems which we connect to our country - Jerusalem, Land of Hope and Glory, There'll Always Be An England, Rule Britannia and the like - which have such power to stir the soul. I never fail to get teary eyed when a crowd earnestly gets to its feet to sing our national anthem. Whether you are a monarchist or not, it's difficult to be too cynical about our beautiful diamond Queen, who has lead such an exemplary life and who unites the country in such a positive way. I'm sure this will be evident throughout the UK over the next few days when we see the turn out of the crowds in London, and communities coming together with street parties and events held right across the nation.
Working on The London Showboat for City Cruises has also given me an insight into how special The Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant is going to be this Sunday, 3rd June 2012. They are frantically readying their fleet for all the momentous events they have planned. I was honoured last week when the BBC asked if they could come and film me singing on The London Showboat, followed by an interview where I talked about what it is like to work as a singer on the boats, and daily life on the River Thames. This will be part of a series of short documentaries televised throughout the BBC live broadcast of the Pageant, so keep an eye out for me!
With the current economic situation being as difficult as it is at the moment, I do feel a sense of pride in our country, rallying round for these big celebrations and embracing the festive spirit. Life is for living and it's important to 'always look on the bright side of life'. Don't worry about the things thst are out of your control, go with the flow and focus on the things you can control. So this weekend, get out and enjoy the sunshine wherever possible and relish the celebratory atmosphere that we can muster up as a United Kingdom.
A chance opportunity last Friday fulfilled the notion 'right place, right time'!
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In a completely non-professional role I went to a photography course at Ray Lowe Studios with my husband, Tom who has been nurturing a certain flare he has for photography. My intention was to pass the time in a cafe reading (a past-time which performers have down to a fine art). However, when Tom entered the studio, the course leader, Ray, announced that regrettably his model had let him down at the last minute and that they would have to improvise with each other. Tom, knowing only too well his wife's extrovert tendencies volunteered my services for the evening. So, 10 minutes after he rang me, (and after an albeit brief makeover in my car), I was standing in the studio being snapped by a group of photographers. I'm not sure what the rest of the group thought of my confidence and willingness to be photographed - they were blissfully unaware of my love of being under a spotlight and experience of having an audience! It gave me a great opportunity to receive some insightful knowledge with regard to a photo shoot from the photographers point of view, and obtain some fun head shots too!
Ray writes his own blog for their company website. Read his take on how the course unfolded here.
Another, slightly less chance meeting, orchestrated by an external force, has me performing in concert tomorrow with a wonderful singer, William Byrne. A mutual contact thought we would sing well together and so booked us as duo for his event... and I am so grateful he did! We met up last week for a rehearsal and it was such a delight to sing with William. He has a gorgeous, rich and powerful voice and a wealth of professional experience. I really relish singing with other people, it gives me an opportunity to learn from them as artists and adds an exciting dynamic to a live performance. Fingers crossed that tomorrow will lead to some future engagements with Mr Byrne.
It's strange how something as brief as just a phone call or an unplanned meeting with some one can change events within your life. Grab every opportunity with both hands - you never know where it could lead. Whilst you are on your journey, remember to treat people how you want to be treated - firstly, you never know what kind of influence they could have in your life and secondly, there's far less likelihood that you'll regret your actions in the future. As Ray said last Friday, "treat the world as a mirror - if you smile into it, it'll smile back at you." And who knows for sure which direction our lives may unfurl?
I'm still in holiday mode so I profusely apologise for this weeks blog being a day late! Last week I took a break from blogging because I was holidaying in Cyprus - well, technically my oldest friend and I were visiting our friend who is currently living out there with her family! We had a lovely break away from the April showers and it was the perfect environment for formulating a potential blog...
Sitting in the adventure playground that is my best friend's Cypriot garden, watching her beautiful two year old daughter fearlessly whizz around on her tricycle, chatting with the ants, birds and cats alike, I felt very close to having a little piece of heaven! The childhood innocence and joy of discovering new things every day was so humbling and heart warming. Her sheer delight at the sound of the ice cream man's van approaching was one of those moments which you couldn't put a price on! I'm so proud of my friend, raising such a confident and intelligent child, despite being away from the stereotypical network of family and friends. She completely confirms my belief that anything is possible if you really put your mind to it.
During a day trip to one of Cyprus' many golden beaches, relaxing with two of the very best women I know, I couldn't help but question how there could be any other reason for us being on this earth other than to share our precious time with the people we love.
It's all too easy to get swept up in the drama of every day life and wonder "what's it all about?", overlooking the very simple things which make a person glow from the inside. The laughter of friends, a smile meant just for you, a hug, a compliment, a coffee and catch up. It's moments like these that help to counterbalance any negatives that may occur in our lives, putting things into perspective. I think we live in a society quick to criticise and jump on our failures, but we all have the power to make somebody else feel special and important... if exercised on a regular basis, then you're bound to feel the love coming right back at you!
So with this in mind, I feel a renewed sense of purpose and resolve, ready to share the spotlight on London as the eyes of the world turn towards us for the Queen's Jubilee and the Olympic Games.
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