MUSIC INSPIRED

Music can tear me apart and put me back together. Music can tap into pain that I bury so deep. Music can change my mood instantly, allowing me to absorb beauty, life and all that surrounds me more fully. Music can be the simplest pleasure to the most inspiring indulgence.

Music molds my life and makes me who I am.

I remember when I was younger (maybe age 8 or 12?), I would watch music videos on MTV obsessively. My sister and I would video tape our favorite songs, play them back, write down the lyrics then memorize the words so we could sing along anytime the song came on. We would make endless mix tapes, sticking paper in the holes of the tape edges in order to record over whatever was on the tape itself.

I've always love to sing. When we were really young, my sister hated when I would sing along in the car or at home. She would ask my mom to make me stop, my mom responding with "you never know, your sister may become a rock star/singer when she gets older". This kind of encouragement was always given to us kids from our parents.

Years later, I've had experience promoting and booking shows, blogging about music, interviewing musicians, hosting music and art events and festivals, dating and being friends with many musicians, and even playing music.

Having a history of always being immersed in music keeps me going. Marrying my husband and watching him grow as a musician and giving him advice on how to promote his shows, grow and connect with his fans, sell his merchandise, reach his goals and improve his stage presence are just a few of several ways on how I learned I wanted to coach and visually direct other musicians and artists.

Lady rock, reverb heavy vocals, loud guitars and distorted sounds tend to be my favorite style music to listen to. And because I not-so-secretly want to be a musician I've shared a playlist of some of my favorite female musicians and singers.

Below are the tracks followed by the artist's/band's name. Go to Spotify to listen to the playlist. And check out more inspiring images of live performances and musicians go here.

1. Goatman - GOAT
2. Top of the Hill - Conduits
3. Lord Knows - Dum Dum Girls
4. Into Black - Blouse
5. I'm Gone - Tu Fawning
6. Mezzazine - Lady Lamb the Beekeeper
7. Split Like a Lip - Buke & Gase
8. You Wish You Were Red - Trailer Trash Tracys
9. All the Things - Dark Dark Dark
10. Be Brave - My Brightest Diamond
11. Drifting In and Out - Porcelain Raft
12. PLastic & Powder - Lower Dens
13. How far We've Come Now - La Sera
14. 15 - Flock of Dimes
15. Follow - Blue Hawaii

How about you, what inspires you to the core? What music are you listening to lately?

( PHOTO )