Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Anna's update Jan-March 09

it's already march 09!!

hey hey, well it's certainly been a while! i can't believe it's already march!

i've had a really nice time living back in australia, hanging out with family and friends and singing in front of such familiar faces. There's been some fun things going on, like being invited to sing at Damien Rossi's Oscar's Party held on the Gold Coast, modelling evening wear in the Sunday Mail, and on a sadder note but full of hope...I was asked to perform at last Wednesday's Bushfire and Floods Appeal called "Fashion and Arts Unite" at the City Hall in Brisbane. Gus Macgregor and I wrote a song specifically for the evening via the internet since he lives in Switzerland, which has just been posted on my youtube page - "Fashion and Arts Unite 09". It was an amazing evening that bought together over 120 people who donated their time, work and effort for the successful evening that raised over $32,000. The song is called "Dust Gets In My Eyes" and it was quite an emotional song to sing given the circumstances. The lyrics are on the website should you wish to read them (anna.com.au).

i'm very happy to say that my new project is coming along just nicely. I am in the middle of sorting the arrangements of the songs and working with a fabulous arranger in Los Angeles. The demo's are sounding great and i CANNOT WAIT to fill everyone in on it exactly....but not just yet. I am LOVING the orchestral side of things, that's all i'll say right now....i think alot of you will love it even though it's a style that may not be on your ipod yet. i hope to change that.

i appeared on a chat-show called 360 last December that will be posted on youtube once the footage is editted down to bit and pieces...it was fun. so the moral of THIS story, is to keep checking out the youtube page out: aml youtube link

oh i MUST tell you about a friend of mine who has just released his piano CD....but don't think for a SECOND that it's some boring piano instrumentals...have faith in me when I say, this guy is phenomenal....in fact, go to his website and watch the clip of him playing "Children" by Robert Miles...and then tell me what you think No exaggeration....Mark Watson is amazing. I've worked with him for years and years and apart from being one of my bestest friends, he is super talented....I have a few of those friends as you know. ;) It's strange when you see them on stage doing their thing and then you think "oh yeah, we're friends as well and look at you GOOOOOO!!!!". Check him out at Mark Watson website

apart from the sensational version of "Children" that he does....PROMISE ME you'll listen to: 2) Cadenza and 3) Olympiad. These originals are unbelievable! They have a dance track going on under them and a super melody that you'll be humming along to. They need and deserve to be played LOUD! you can purchase the CD from his site as i did.

ummmmm, i can't think of all the other things...so i better go, cause at the moment i'm snowed under with sending music back and forth to roger....gotta LOVE the internet!!

take care and i think i've left you with a few things to check out....hope you like the Bushfire and Flood Appeal song.

aml
xoxo

Thursday, May 22, 2008

Jan - May 08 Update (includes Italian Week)

Hi....no really......HI!!!!

Allow me to acknowledge that this is WAY overdue (how funny I wrote a song 2wks ago called "Overdue", anyway I digress) as I was saying....I've been meaning to write and write and write.

I'm typing this from my bed at my family home in Brisbane, Australia, it's 1.27am and my eyes are feeling quite heavy, almost like a sleep starvation....though they're being little troopers right now. I got back to Australia, as I normally do, at the end of Dec 07, and decided to stay a little longer than normal as this year as I had other things i wanted to do, some of which involves music and some that doesn't.

It's been fabulous being home amongst family and friends and not rushing off so quickly. Though, as it gets colder here, I AM missing my winter wardrobe that is still in London, given I had no solid plans or timelines.

The music project that I've sort of told you about, but not really, is still under wraps, but progressing very nicely with label meetings that have started happening over here. I don't want to ruin the surprise, but I do wish I could let you hear some of the tunes now, because I'm so proud of it.....but I'll wait. Discussions are currently happening, so I will unfold necessary information at the right time. Thanks for bearing with me on that.

The other thing I've taken on this year, is a house renovation/development. I love the whole property market thing etc, and wanted to try a full project and yep, I've definitely tackled a FULL ON project. So at the moment, I'm dealing with tradesmen during the day, plus personally getting in there with the dust and grime, and then at night doing the music side....so i feel like QUITE the schizophrenic, but I'm not complaining. I'd much prefer to be busy than idle.

And the 3rd thing going on right now is Italian Week 08. I was asked by Alessandro Sorbello from New Realm Media to perform at the event which is being held at South Bank Piazza in Brisbane on June 1, and must say, i'm very proud to be a part of it! It's a new, fresh team of people with great ideas who are dedicated to making this festival fabulous. I'll be performing a few originals i've never sung live before, plus a few italian songs. I don't think many of you would have ever heard me singing in italian before. I do hope they'll have a live feed on their website, so you can all watch it. So I've been organising the music for the musicians so that their marvellous talents can be heard! You can find more at: http://www.italianweek.com.au


Naturally you can all imagine that I'm devastated to be missing out on watching the Time Machine tour DVD from Mr Darren Hayes! I believe that's happening in London in June and it looks like some of you will see it before I do....I have seen a snippet of it, and it looks great! Whoever sees it first, ENJOY!

Well right now, I am DYING to rest my poor little eyes, so from them and i, we bid you adieu, and until next time.....just be!

love aml
xoxo

Thursday, February 28, 2008

the "aml" google blog introduction!

Hellos googlers, bloggers, myspacers, facebookers, youtubers and every other possible internet forum! :)

welcome to 'aml blog'.

(for those who don't know me, best to go to www.anna.com.au or myspace.com/annamarialaspina)

now, as you know i've been in London the past 3.5yrs in and out, of course depending on where singing and songwriting or tours, namely 'darren hayes' (of savage garden fame) take me. i'm writing this from my hometown of brisbane, australia, where i've been busy at work on a new recording project. not one to want to say TOO much before it's ready, so let's just say, i'm really excited about it and am looking forward to sharing it with you soon. i'm 3/4 of the way through writing the new material and it's a little different to the pop/rock you will have heard in the past. don't get me wrong, i love the style and will always continue writing it.

in fact, i'm thrilled that the song "MORE", that i wrote with phillipe anquetil and chris lee-joe is on the album of japanese superstar, kumi koda (released Jan08) and the album hit the number 1 chart position recently. so that feels pretty good to see a song you wrote in phil's spare bedroom/music room is on such a successful album. and thankfully she sings it fabulously well!

i shall be back to write more soon, but until then, happy internetting! (is that a word?)

aml - (anna-maria la spina)
xoxo

Monday, February 18, 2008