Here’s to a happier new year ...
This year has been a rollercoaster for us all. I don’t need to tell you that. I would like to just take a moment to say that I am so grateful for the love and support of everyone this year, whether you were a friend, colleague, family or a stranger, you were there and those moments of joy meant everything.
Even though musically this year has been in short supply, the moments where we could sing and dance and share in it together were wonderful. At the start of it all when we were all so unsure and scared of what was around the corner, me and Adrian took to the streets and put on a concert for our neighbours. They came out on their doorsteps and hung out of their windows and joined us as we played some classic hits on Mothers Day in the beautiful sunshine, this is such a wonderful memory that I will never forget.
This year also welcomed my niece into the world, and it's safe to say we are all in love. She was such a gift to us all and we were all so glad that my sister-in-law was in such great hands and that it went rather well - in the scheme of things.
This year we have had to say goodbye to so many people we love. I have stood in front of a room full of people and sang through tears, performing at my friend's sister's funeral, stood beside the wonderful Rik and Vo and I could not have done it without them. It's funny (not funny) looking back now that you can be so grateful to be in a room with hundreds of people to celebrate a life. The year followed with lots of other heartbreak, and I watched one of my oldest friend's mum's funeral on my phone, sat on the village green outside the church, in tears. If you had told me ever that that would have happened I would never have believed it. Then I found out, someone who we have coined 'my biggest fan', passed away in the summer. I was heartbroken. He was such a wonderful chap and was always there at every show and really lived for the music.
In such a small space of time, so much can happen, whether it is wicked or wonderful, it really makes you think and stop for a moment to appreciate the people around you and the ones you love.
At the end of this year I was able to release my very first Christmas song, and I am so grateful to have been able to do so, it's been something I have wanted to do for such a long time and I am so pleased that amongst the whirlwind of this year, something productive came out of it. And I want to say thank you so much to everyone who listened to a song, bought an EP and streamed my Christmas song this year, that was a gift in itself.
This year we are heading into the studio, and I am going to continue to release songs to share with you, in the hopes that we can share them in person at some point soon. I long for the day when we can put on a show and share an evening with you all, celebrating the life-affirming gift that is music, live music.
Wherever you are, I am sending you love and hope that this year, your light can continue to shine, and burn a little brighter, in the places where others have burnt out.
M x