March 26th
Hello!
It is GLORIOUS to see the sun finally. Hoping wherever you are, you are bathed in light and happy.
Today I am going to share the story behind my song WAKE UP and let you hear the in-progress version LIVE!
Do let me know what you think?
But first….
This week!
It took me a whole week for my ears to recover from the sheer exhaustion of finally mixing and mastering all the tracks last week.
I was so tired but also so elated.
So instead of listening over and over and over and over to my new work, I have been
….uploading ALL the tracks for digital distribution.
Yikes! It's quite a process, and at least twice I had to recall everything as I had forgotten to add a vital piece of information.
GO BABIES GO!!
Also this week!
LOOK!!
What's THAT? I hear you shout!! That!! On the top to the right of the image…an…actual CD?????
How on earth….?!!!
I will tell you.
Look closely….and you will see the words ADVANCE copy only. I may share a little video snippet soon, but for now they are for you but ONLY IF YOU ARE A JOURNALIST OR A BLOGGER OR A RADIO SHOW PRESENTER.
If you are, step right up. Please.
The rest of you please form an orderly line
haha only kidding
you have to wait until the 12th May for the single and the 9th June for the album. Sorry to tease you!
I can tell you it was thrilling to hold them in my hand, even-not-the-final-actual-CD-and-vinyl!
This week
You guessed it, I have been
….sorting out the electronic press kit - now available on my website!
….sorting out the physical press kit
…Getting the publicity printed
I will be posting out a lot this week!
Finally
I am going to share the story behind my song WAKE UP and let you hear the in-progress version LIVE!
WAKE UP
We were given something to safeguard
We were given something to sow
We were given something to safeguard
We were given something to know
What is it? What ARE we given?
something to safeguard
something to sow
something to know
?
The great Nina Simone said
'You can't help it. An artist's duty, as far as I'm concerned, is to reflect the times.'
It is a punk anthem!
I DID grow up at the time of punk - I was 16 at the end of 1977 when it was all so exciting and such a kicking against all the norms of the time.
Punk was angry and raw and decidedly not polite but of course at the time as a young Asian girl growing up in Bradford I was not allowed to go out to gigs so I never actually saw any bands at all.
But the excitement was palpable. I loved the unpolished energy, the noise, the attitude.
I think I have always kept some of that feeling of anger in my work.
And WAKE UP
is angry.
I am angry. There is so much to be angry about isn't there?
Lie after lie from the most powerful.
Inequality growing at an alarming rate.
A calculated breaking of rules and a deliberate coldhearted hostility to people who are powerless (often through the actions of the powerful) and in need of support.
Instead, a blaming of the powerless, and the cynical and constant manipulation to divide us….
Increasing polarisation and the rise of the right wing internationally…
The environment…
Increasing mental health issues
I could go on and on and on….
And it can make you feel powerless. But together we are NOT powerless.
And I am a singer. A writer.
This is ALL I can do but I have spent my life fighting inequality within my teaching work, and though music because I BELIEVE THAT ART IS POWERFUL.
I write and perform music precisely because
'I believe art can inform and transform. At a time when barriers are being put up across the world, it is vital to see how art can unite us, how we can use traditional cross-cultural forms to explore important contemporary issues around culture, race, identity and gender, while also having fun!'
You say that I'm a dreamer. but I'm not the only one…
'You can't help it. An artist's duty, as far as I'm concerned, is to reflect the times.' Nina Simone.
Exactly.
Remember the newly mixed and MASTERED version will be released along with my album on the 9th June - save the date!
And that newest version has SCREAMING GUITARS curtesy of the incredible Giuliano Modarelli….
SO PUNK!
Do let me know what you think?
Here is the promised in-progress performance of 'WAKE UP ' from my show at the Norwich Arts Centre for International Women's Day 2022.
Here it is!
LYRICS:
Wake Up
We were given something to safeguard
We were given something to sow
We were given something to safeguard
We were given something to know
Wake up wake up the dawn has come
Get up get up the call has come
It's not time to rest It's not time to sleep
It's not time to cry It's not time to weep
It's the time to stand It's the time to rise
It's the time to see
Beyond the lies
Afraid to touch your aching need
Fill emptiness with endless greed
Not religion colour race nor creed
We're all born all live all die all bleed
We were given something to safeguard
We were given something to sow
We were given something to safeguard
We were given something to know
With my love!
Samia X