100im.perfect.songs project:005:friday's firework

The beats behind the song~

*  I put together this slideshow back in June, a grateful collage of photos from our vacation in Florida and other end of school year days.

*  I first heard the song Firework back in January and had goosebumps galore ('geese'bumps according to Eric kasi marami) because of the words of encouragement ("You don't have to feel like a waste of space, You're original, cannot be replaced, If you only knew what the future holds, After a hurricane comes a rainbow..."  Amen!) and that video!

*  This was the last song added to my last concerts' repertoire.  According to Direk Rey, we needed a fast song and this was the first and only one that came to mind.  It turned out to be the favorite of so many.  Jawaid loved it so much he listened to it all the way home from KCCC and the week that followed.  Emma, too! (Katy Perry who???  :*)  Although the tweens of Josie and Bong, Marikit and Julia caught on the wrong lyrics to which Bong said "Give her a break.  She only learned the song this week!"  Thanks, Dad!)

*  My favorite line in the song has got to be this:
Maybe you're reason why all the doors are closed
So you could open one that leads you to the perfect road
Like a lightning bolt, your heart will blow
And when it's time, you'll know...

And I know YOU know.

*  The month of June was a month of performances for me, three!  One for the Fiesta in Brampton, the second in KCCC and the third in downtown for GMA 7's Pinoy Independence Day Celebration in the Toronto Convention Center.  It was such a thrill to be singing/performing again.  But I must admit the most 'kilig' part was when those kids came up to me backstage to get to sign their little autograph books.   Thanks for recording the moment on your iPhone, Toddster!


Happy Weekend, my friend!

It's time,
Chiqui

100im.perfect.songs: day004: this too shall pass

10TriviaAtbp

1~  This song was inspired by a very dear friend's relationship story, you know the one where there's a huge misunderstanding and breaking up and all that drama that we all inevitably go through in one way or another.  It all happened last year.

2~ I wrote this entire song in no more than 30 minutes.  Still brings tears to my eyes when I sing it because it bring back the memories of growing pains...and love.  Oh, the LOVE.  In the end, it's all that really matters.

3~  It's 9:31PM.  I'm normally done by mid-afternoon.  But good old Resistance was really strong with this one.  I think it's because it's "my" song, my words, my innards! which makes me feel more vulnerable.

4~  As if that wasn't issue enough, I dared myself to do a Take 1, you know, just for fun (and because I was off by a couple of hours on chores!) and so I left in all the choked-up, cracky, drippy bits which I would have normally edited out.  I am braving emotional honesty and vulnerability. 

5~  Happy thoughts!  Happy thoughts!  I am so happy, so very grateful for the response of friends and fellow artists on this little project I've got going here...more collaborations, which I like to call CoLOVEborations.  Because that's what this is all about if you think about it.

6~  Requests for certain songs and genres are beginning to come in, too!  I like.

7~  Some friends are complaining that they can't open the link to the songs.  Hmmm...must check up on that.  No, Marjo, you are not tech-challenged.  :p

8~  Yay, Friday na bukas!  I'm so excited to sleep in!  Sleeeeeeep, I love and miss you.

9~  Is it too early to sing Christmas songs?  Ok.  Don't answer that.

10~  It was so darn cold today when I picked up the kids from school.  We had to wear gloves when we went biking around the block.  Summer is definitely over in these parts. 

Aaaand my day is now over.  And out.  Goodnight, fellow creatives!

Love,
Chiqui

100 im.perfect.songs: day003: kahit panaginip

10TriviaAtbp

1.  I fell head-over-heels in love with this song last winter.  I liked it before as with almost all of Mr. C's songs, but for some reason this one hit my harrrrt this time.  I was in the process of building my repertoire for a show and considered including it in my lineup.  Didn't happen.

2. I love to sing.  I've loved it since I had any semblance of memory.  In fact, my earliest memories are those of singing along with Donny and Marie.  "I'm a little bit country...and I'm a little bit rock and roll..." ;)

3.  Eric "the mavster" Evangelista, the amazing talent behind the cool and heartfelt piano accompaniment here has been a friend of mine on flickr for many years.  We both love photography and I was a fan not only of his pictures and videos but his piano music posts as well.  Hoping for a live concert with him one of these days - in Seattle or Toronto or BOTH.

4.  I didn't sing for many years for reasons I'll share later.  Or not.  The reasons don't seem to matter now as much as the doing it.  JDI.  ;)  No matter how full my life was - with family, friends, work, possessions or lack thereof, comings and goings and the whole fun bag - it still felt like something was missing, like there was a hollow space in my insides that could never be filled by anything or anyone.  That whole sad story officially ended at a concert in our community center KCCC on Feb. 27, 2011.  And to this may I say Yay, ME!  And You.  Yes, YOU.  


To be continued...I promised the kids their trip to Mc Donald's this afternoon. ;)  

5.  And I'm back.  While I write this at 7:31PM, the kids are getting ready for bed, one is taking a shower, the other getting her clothes for school ready and I've got my rosé wine chillin' in the fridge waiting just for me.  Life is good.  Now if I can find the right lotion for these very dry hands then life would be just perfect. 

6.  It's been two full weeks since O and I got back from our vacation w/ my parents and siblings back in Manila.  14 whole days.  I've got a really nice video summary - my parting gift to the Barangay Pineda (what my dad calls the fam) of the fun times which I couldn't bear to watch yet.  It gives me a heavy feeling in my heart and really pinches.  So I'll probably wait another week...baksayon engrande withdrawal symptoms suck.

7.  I'm thinking of doing my original songs next.  Enough of covers for now.  I don't know if I'll ever include HDYK in this hundred.  Maybe that's be the finalé post.  100 songs.  A song a day.  What was I thinking???  LOL.  

8.  I have my dear superfriend Leander Mendoza to thank for my home studio set-up.  He was the one who encouraged me to JDI.  We went to this music store and got the studio-grade mike and the wires and the cables and the mixer and spit screen thingies (to avoid the popping sounds ^_^) - stuff I would never have had any idea how to put together by myself.  I'm so grateful for fellow artists, beloved kindred spirits who have come to my aid, my 'rescue' really and Lee (Lablee on Gallo-fueled days) is one of the best of them!  I hope to have a CoLOVEboration with him on this project.  Lablee, hint-hint!

9. Remembering yesterdays RE-learning:  When I do that which I love to do, the 'unlovables' become more tolerable and therefore I am more peaceful and joyful.  More joyful equals less 'momsterful'. :p

10.  Did I say "I love singing" yet?


Kahit Ika'y Panaginip Lang
Composer: Ryan Cayabyab
Piano Accompaniment: Eric Evangelista

100 im.perfect.songs; day002: i like someone like you

One fine day at the breakfast table during my summer vacation in Manila ~

Leslie/Mumzy2:  I sent you a song.  Have you checked your Facebook yet?

Me/Mumzy1:  Yup.

L:  Have you heard?

Me:  What?

L:  The song.

Me:  What song?

L:  Oh, so you haven't gone on FB, have you?

Me:  Yup.

L:  Hay, naku.  Just check it out, k?

Me:  Check what?

L: Mumzy?

Me: Ya?

L:  Here.  Have more coffee.
:))))))))))

I love and missssssssshoo (and mamay, daday, zoeygirl, rands, etc.etc.etc.) so much, Mumzy Leslie!  

Thanks for Chadeling with me....always and forever and ever.  Love.

Mumzy/Até C./Chadele #1.

10TriviaAtbp.

1*  The calling each other Mumzy started when we became moms - first me and then her and then it stuck.  It just felt rightfully fun to call each other that instead of our real names.  Although it kills me everytime someone, when we'd go out shopping or pasyal/hanging out at ATC and people eagerly ask "Daughter mo?!?" referring Leslie my sister who just called me "Mumzy!" being my daugh....ugh!  Makeover!  Makeoverrrrrrr, BILIS!!!  It doesn't help that Leslie looks years younger than she actually is.  Like...50% off!  Right, Mom...Tita Myrna?  LOL.

2*  We listened to Adele's songs - and watched the SLY video - a hundred and one times during my vacation (dining table, bedroom, den, living room,  in the van, during our Manila Hotel weekends, by the pool, in the bathroom!...) thus the phrase "Let's Chadele." was born.  Chadele, of course, means "to channel Adele." ...and please use your bedroom voice while speaking. 

3*  I learned how to play SLY via YouTube.  I had a baby grand piano - thanks Pet and Les! - to practice on and  I thought it was the coolest thing!  Love YouTube for that.  Love you guys more.

4*  I sang my "Thanks for everything!" songs on the piano on my last day with the Albanos - family, staff and all.  I didn't have a thank you gift so I gave of my talent instead.  This song, plus my original composition "This Too Shall Pass" and HDYK, of course.  The real gift, of course, was to me.

5*  I almost didn't share this song.  It's been six days, almost a whole week, since I've said I'll launch.  I have grand delusions of untruths such as perfectionism, shame, massive resistance, not enoughness and a host of other War of Art issues.

6*  I don't know how long I'll be able to keep this up - what with the struggle of birthing the project but I do know one and only one thing:

7*  That I enjoy singing and sharing my songs with others, and that's the truth.  A Truth.

8*  So for as long as I know (and remember) this, then the project will stay alive and well.

9*  And right now it's 12:29PM and as I promised my Coach Julie that I'd commit to posting this  by 1:00PM, I'm beginning to feel anxious and my insides are searching for another 'excuse' not to.  I have many to choose from.

10*  Resistance is alive.  I acknowledge it.  I move over/under/around it.  The important thing is that I pass through it. 

So here we go!

Courage in creativity,

Chiqui Pineda-Azimi

A hundred imperfect songs

Without further ado and no fanfare except...maybe...this one ~ Tantararaaaaaan!!!

Presenting The 100 IM.PERFECT.SONGS PROJECT.

Song 001:  Upon This Rock, Sandi Patti Version. 
Piano Accompaniment by my Superfriend Leander "Lablee" Mendoza.

Lovingly.
Imperfectly.
And always, courage in creativity,
for you and for me!

Love,
Chiqui