JUMP! 2016 Winner of Best Children's Song by the Indie Music Channel
My confession: I know nothing about music. But...
I love music for the way it makes me feel, for the kindred spirit I feel with the artist as I sing-along. I listen to new favorite songs on repeat in my car to the chagrin of passengers and butcher lyrics all the time. Musicians make me weak in the knees, so that I can’t think straight. They have my whole-hearted respect.
What better way to bring languages to the world then, right??!
I am truly so overwhelmed to have Habla Blah Blah’s music recognized by the Indie Music Channel. I am flowing over with gratitude for my friends and family’s support ~ I seriously cannot thank you each enough for sharing in the joy of this moment. I have often said that I feel like Don Quixote battling windmills with Habla Blah Blah, but I can’t stop. There is some inexplicable mix of passion and curiosity doused by a rush of adrenaline that emerges as pure goofiness and is entirely addictive to me. Seriously, it’s just fun. It is 100% pure fun, and I enjoy it so much.
That being the case, I want to thank the musicians, composer, artists, brains, and muses that have collaborated for this wonderful project to teach children new languages via song. First and foremost, to the incredibly talented and humble, Andy Kubiszewski, composer and musician extraordinaire; to Kim Powell de Olivares, my dear friend, collaborator, artist, and co-producer; to Paul Voudouris, with whom we recorded in San Miguel de Allende, MX, for this song JUMP; and to the city of San Miguel for re-inspiring my creativity and bringing Habla Blah Blah to a whole new level. To Staci and Andrea @ The Talent House for all of their advice, and to my husband who has invested more time, money, emotional, technical and heart support than any producer could; and to my kids, the true inspiration to make something/anything fun. May silliness never go out of style!
So please join me in laughing at the true reality of it all. No small feat to harness 3 kids, clean and dressed on a Sunday night after a weekend complete with 3 birthday parties, 2 soccer games, and a baseball game, all of which culminated in a very grumpy exit from our door to the Awards show (read: tired kids, heightened tension, a tiny bit of shouting that she pretty much hates me). My darling Cecilia was a hot mess (see pic above) upon arrival. 10 years in the making, however. This mattered to me - we were going. I had no thoughts about award shows when I used to sing to my babies in the bathtub, but languages and music have become a guiding force in our family’s lives. Anyway, cut to awesomeness and I find myself stunned on stage with my kids lined up next to me. Thank you, Chris @ Indie Music Channel! I am speechless. I can’t say an intelligible word into the microphone. Thank you to all of my friends that I have met along this musical and linguistic journey!
Then, she falls asleep. We must leave the never-never land of a win for the reality of school in the morning.
Everyday is a full 360 degrees of emotions. Parenting is not as easy as they made it look. I don’t exactly excel in it, but I am really into it. Habla Blah Blah emerged out of it all. It’s the culmination of a windy road that lead through Mayan ruins, cobblestone streets, and turned up alongside Sunset Boulevard.
“Maybe you missed some other awards…?”, Cecilia cooed as she told me she loved me and I tucked her into bed. So many things to be grateful for, the simple and the grand. There are some days when life seems hard and carpools are complicated, but yesterday was not one of them. It was nice to have a moment of clarity with fairy dust sprinkled on top. It was a gift to feel it come together ~ even if only for a night :)