#21 - My Love and Passion for What I Do

Have you ever wondered what the reason was that you were brought into this world? Well, I have. And I constantly think about that. What is my purpose in this world? For one, I know I was brought in to this world, to give birth to my beautiful musical prodigy, Noah, who is my 19 month old son. Whenever I wake up and see his face smiling back at me and saying, "mommy", my heart is filled with joy and happiness. And especially when he watches me sing and play the guitar in front of him, with such attention and enjoyment, and he decides to dance about or even try to sing using his baby language. I am so proud to be a mom to a 19 month old baby boy at the age of 22 years old. I am so much happier with my life with him in it, as well as my wonderful husband. My life wouldn't be complete without these two. 

I decided to write a blog today, due to so many heartwarming comments from old friends and people I've only met for the first time, during my shows. Some of these comments really hit home and made me feel so appreciative for all the people in my life who continue to support me and my music. I would really like to take this time to thank each and every one of you for even just attempting to attend one of my shows, or actually making it...or even just voting for me for different contests I post up on my sites and sharing all my networking sites as well. Every little bit of what you do, helps me get closer to reaching my goals and dreams with my music career. I love music. I think you all know that. I appreciate all types of music and I don't discriminate. I enjoy other people's works and love hearing their soul come out through song. That's what I love. I love seeing and hearing each and every person's soul and their emotions through their work. I think we can all agree that the ones you can relate to, you can connect with in so many other levels.

These past shows I've been doing (one at my usual open mic & last night's show at The Alchemical Theater Laboratory), I've gotten so many great feedback that blew my mind. One person, in particular, mentioned how I can do better than some of the places I've performed at and that I deserve way more than that. He said that I should be playing at Madison Square Garden in front of thousands of people. I was so enlightened by that comment because I do hope to be up in front of thousands of people, doing what I love to do, and sharing my world with everyone there. I hope to make a difference in people's lives when they hear my songs. I hope to reach out to the ones who feel as if they can't go on anymore. I want to be their light in the darkness. I don't want to seem so over myself, I just really truly want to help people. 

Another comment made last night by this beautiful girl who came up to me after the show, made me feel so good about myself and my songwriting. As every artist knows, your originals, are like a piece of your soul. Sometimes, I wonder if people would get what I was trying to say or if they could understand how I was feeling at that moment when I wrote my piece. And last night, her comment confirmed it all. She said, "Your songwriting is amazing. I can totally relate to them!" That's all I really want to do. I want to be able to be relatable to my audience and give them a sense of hope through it all.

Now, enough of that. Let me fill you up on what's going on this week. Tonight, I will be rehearsing with my band to perform at an OPEN MIC in ASTORIA, NY (THE SHILLELAGH TAVERN). We are going to be performing 3 of my originals...so if you'd like to come and check it out, we'll be there around 9pm tomorrow night. Now, I also mentioned I was having a photoshoot with the lovely, SHARLOTTE FONDEUR-CASAS, for my single "BURY ME". It's going to be interesting! I am so excited with working with her this Friday and I can't wait to see what the outcome will be! And finally, I have 2 shows coming up again. One in FEBRUARY 16 at GUSSY'S BAR in Astoria, Queens for a HURRICANE SANDY BENEFIT SHOW with my manager's band, OUTLET, and another great band called GREEN OR BLUE. This benefit show is to raise money for the victims of Hurricane Sandy. Windows of Opportunity Inc. is hosting this event. I will also be doing another show at GUSSY's BAR with my band on March 1st/2nd. I will confirm all the details when I get them.

OH! I forgot to mention! I am also auditioning for the 2nd time, for THE VOICE on February 17th! I hope to get past the first round this time. If not, there's always more opportunities coming my way, I know for sure. Also, get ready for my album! Hopefully, I will get to start working at the studio on creating my full-length album. Exciting things for the year 2013. I cannot wait to share it all with you! Now, here are some pics that were taken at THE ALCHEMICAL THEATER LABORATORY by DAVISTON JEFFERS, and some videos taken by my friend, ISAAC LUCIANO-MALARET. Thank you, everyone, once again and hope to see you guys at my shows!

Much love,

- MD

My performance of my original song, "LEECH".

My performance of my original song, "WHO I AM".

#20 - New Song/Shows/Photoshoot #2/Taylor Swift

Hello everyone! Once again, I have neglected to keep writing a new post every day or so. And I apologize for that. I have been busy writing new material for my full-length album, booking shows and collaborating with other musicians. But, I'm back! I hope everyone has been having a wonderful new year so far. I know I am! I was able to be inspired, sitting around in my room, on New Year's day and completed a new song. I entitled it, "LIFE, LOVE & BLUES". You may be wondering what it's about. Why don't you just take a listen for yourself and figure it out?

Listen to MD's new song, "Life, Love & Blues" here

So, what did you think of it? I really liked it (for one of my shortest originals I've ever written). I believe it says a lot in just a short amount of time. I was inspired to write this song, the way it is, by the fact that it was the start of the new year and how people always say they want to do things for the new year, but don't do it, or at least don't try to. And what ends up happening is that they start complaining that their life isn't going anywhere, when in reality, they're just not doing anything at all, or they're doing it with wrong intentions. So, that is how "Life, Love & Blues" came to be. I'm very proud of it and you can bet that it will be in my full-length album. 

Speaking about my full-length album, I am making plans on recording at Mama Coco's Funky Kitchen Studios for my full-length album (if not the whole album, a couple songs) with my awesome horns section (David DiTrapani - Trumpet & Darius Nazario - Trombone), thanks to my previous guitarist (for my NO DOUBT cover show), DERRICK RICE JR., who works there. I definitely know that the first single I will be recording at the studio, is going to be, "BURY ME", where you can hear a LIVE acoustic performance of it here:

"Bury Me" (LIVE) @ The Shillelagh Tavern Terrible Tuesday Open Mic (1/8/13)

Also! I think I mentioned about how I'm having another photoshoot this month? Well, yes! I am! And I'm super excited to work with this wonderful photographer, Sharlotte Fondeur-Casas. We are doing a promo photoshoot for "BURY ME" and it's going to be such an exciting photoshoot. All I know is that it will be great and that I have NO doubt that it'll catch a few eyes and hopefully help draw more people in to listen to my music as well! My 2nd photoshoot will be next FRIDAY (1/18/13). So, stay tuned for photos and news about that, as well as studio time.

OH! How can I forget! So, I did a cover to Taylor Swift's dub-step-y song, "I KNEW YOU WERE TROUBLE" and did home-made music video for it. Please check it out here and "LIKE", "SUBSCRIBE" & SHARE with everyone you know, if you enjoyed it:

I really enjoyed making this music video and recording the cover because the whole song was just so catchy! And my husband, Chris, is featured as the a**hole boyfriend (which he really isn't in real life haha). It was fun acting out these scenes with him. Plus, I played around with the lighting and camera angles when doing this video and it made me feel "professional" without using any of the super expensive equipment that I don't have. Let me just say, I used my mic stand, my Logitech HD Pro webcam and my bedroom lamp as my "expensive" equipment for this music video. You gotta do what you gotta do to get your vision tangible. And I did. I'm really proud of this and I hope you guys are too. 

Anyways, enough of this talking. Hope you guys enjoyed reading my blog today and I am going to try and actually keep posting on my blog. I don't want my fans and readers to be deprived of news that are happening around me and my music. Thank you all for your support again and I hope to see you all at my next show THIS SUNDAY (1/13/13) at THE ALCHEMICAL LABORATORY THEATER (137 West 14th Street) at 7PM. Remember, it's ALL AGES and $10 at the door. Please don't forget to mention that you're there for me, "MARY DESIREE". I hope to see all your wonderful faces there and hope you all have a wonderful day!

Much love,

- MD

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#19 - In The Wee Hours of the AM

Here I am, still awake, with stomach cramps. Can't sleep, mainly because my husband and I have routinely just stay up til about 4 in the morning. However, we must get our sleep schedules back to normal. However, this isn't really what I wanted to talk about. Let's just say, I've suddenly started reminiscing about people from my past (which, from time to time, happens in the wee hours of the morning, when I can't seem to sleep).

Let's go back to when I was in middle school and my first kiss (well, at least the one that counted). I was always the shy girl. I was (what I thought) SUPER average and who was just basically "wallpaper" to everyone. But mind you, I was very involved in the arts department. I started out with dance class. So yes, before I did my music and songwriting and singing, I was a dancer. Mostly modern, ballet, hip-hop and some gymnastics (since I was a cheerleader back then - as well as during my last year in High School). I was also very active in the theater department. I loved improvising and my drama teacher loved me (as I loved her and her style). I remember she always brought a new doll to class whenever we saw her. She loved making bears from Build-A-Bear and dressing them up. One time, her bear was dressed as a cheerleader and we all thought it was cute. However, I can't seem to remember her name right now. Hmm...well, I hope I can remember and see how she is doing nowadays. 

Oh man. Straying off topic. As usual. Anyways, I always thought I was "average" and fairly normal looking (as in - "I'm not pretty" - although I still think that way sometimes). I had two best friends then. Both of them were very skinny girls that weighed 90 pounds and whom the boys ogled over. We were considered as CHARLIE'S ANGELS. I was Drew Barrymore because I dyed my hair even back then (oh! I also had really long hair then too), and my other friend was Lucy Lui because she was the most Asian out of the two of us, and lastly, my other friend was Cameron Diaz, because she was a little ditzy (so to speak). I remember during our year in 8th grade, I started to break out of my "shy" shell. I started to speak up and finally got over my shyness and performed at an Open Mic show where I sang the song from MULAN, "Reflections". This was the official show that started my love for singing (and the fact that my family had always been musical). Anyways, that was the start of many changes in my life. My confidence peaked a little and I started to feel better about myself. Now, by being around my two friends back then, I always put myself in the back and watched them get praised by their good looks by everyone who knew them and saw them walk by. I thought I was so fat ogre whenever I was placed in the middle of them when we walked the halls. So, now...you must start to understand why. Well, first of all, they were like 90 lbs. when I was 100. I thought it was such a huge difference and I thought people weren't attracted to me, but only to them.

However, one day, a boy was transferred to our class. I'm not going to say his name out loud, but let's just call him..."PETER". So, Peter was transferred to our class (I don't remember why) from another "top smarts" class. We were in the middle of a stock exchange class work-out and he was placed in my group. You know that saying, "Things happen for a reason"? Well...you'll learn how and why. So, he sat down in our table of 3 people. I was very interested in the class lesson and wanted to do great in my work, so I was very welcoming towards him and talked to him and helped him out. I was considered a "geek" back then because I wanted to do good in my school work and I always almost had high grades in each class. Nobody else really talked to Peter, except me. And I guess he and I just clicked since then. Apparently, he then developed a crush on me. And here I was, Ms. Oblivious, still thought I was this "average" girl that no one liked or thought was attractive. Well, let's fast-forward to the good part (mainly because I can't remember every single detail of what happened). So, Peter basically only stayed in our class for a couple weeks (or was it just days?) and returned back to his original class. I still don't know the reason why, but let's just move on. Then, a couple weeks passed, and apparently...some of my friends from his class told me that someone had a crush on me. Lo and behold, it was Peter. I was quite shocked, but very much intrigued by it. I started to feel better about myself. And other than that....I was also nominated for PROM QUEEN (after deciding to hand in a last-minute essay on why I should be considered for Prom Queen). Things were starting to look up and I remember saying on my essay: "It shouldn't matter whether or not you're really popular or 'hot'. All that matters is that you believe in yourself and to be always be true." I think that was what got me a chance to participate in the running.

After all the whispers and gossip going around about me and Peter then, I decided to talk to my close friend who was a close friend of his. I remember this cute moment when they all told me, "Come by our classroom! Peter wants to ask you something!"

So, I waited with my friend at the door of their class, during passing time in the halls. Every person that walked in gave me a smile, as if they knew something I don't. Soooo...finally, I spotted Peter walking closer to the door, with his best friend next to him. They both had a smile on their faces, but you could tell that Peter was nervous about something. I started to get nervous too and the butterflies in my stomach fluttered like crazy. I swear my cheeks turned red. So, as they got closer, my friend told me to stay by the door because Peter was about to ask me something, then she proceeded to walk into their class. As Peter and his best friend approached the door, his best friend gave me a smile and sat down in his table. Peter was now alone with my by the door, with a slight uneasiness to his face. His hand may have been tucked in his pants pocket, but I'm not sure. All I can remember that the moment this was happening, it was very cute and I can still remember that feeling I felt; puppy love. 

Peter started to talk to me and you could tell that his classmates were trying to listen in. So, he decided to close the door a little (or not, I can't remember quite well). After a few quirky exchanges and awkward smiles, he finally asked me the question:

"Will you go with me to prom?"

And what did I say?

YES.

And next thing you know, he had a huge smile on his face (as well as I) and said our goodbyes. And from what I can remember, he walked in to his class and closed the door and then a few seconds passed and all I heard was muffled "hoorays". I remember having this huge smile as I walked down the halls to my classroom. And from then on, Peter and I spent mostly all our time together, until he had to leave NY (due to his father's company moving). It was a sad goodbye, with mixed feelings. OH! And the whole point of this post was the fact that he was my first legit kiss/boyfriend. And remembering all this made me want to see how he's doing again. Hopefully, he remembers me. Anyways, after that, I tried contacting him for 2 years, but never got a reply. I'm sure it was because you need to move on with life. And things happen for a reason. I think he was brought to me in my life, at that moment, to help me realize that I had beauty inside me that I never saw before. And he helped me see it. So, wherever you are, "PETER", I want to thank you. 

Anyways, that's it for now and story time. I must get some rest, for I have lots to do today. I'm meeting up with a great friend of mine who I met a year ago at THE GLEE PROJECT 2 CALLBACKS in L.A., Brittany Luna. She's amazing and she's an even more awesome musician/singer. Soooo...I must be off to dreamland (or at least try to). Have a great night/morning to you all. Thanks for listening <3

Much love,

MD

#18 - New Year, New Start & New Original Song ("LIFE, LOVE & BLUES")

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE! This is going to be an exciting year for a lot of people, especially me. There are a lot of great things that are going to be happening for the year 2013. One major thing happening, is that I will be making my first full-length album as soon as possible. I will also be doing more collaborations with other artists and networking with other people in the music business. 

There are a couple of shows coming up this month (I can't believe it's already January 2013!!!) and one in particular is going to be at The Alchemical Laboratory Theater once more, on January 13! So, I hope to see you all there! Another event and person I will be connecting with this month, is this wonderful photographer, Sharlotte Fondeur-Casas. You can check out her work here:

http://www.sharlottefondeur.com/

When I first met her, there was something about her vibe that made me feel welcome. Plus, she was just super sweet and made you feel comfortable. We happened to share some ideas about a photoshoot that we will having late this month. I'm really excited for this and to finally work with her, because I saw some of her samples and I absolutely LOVED her photography! She's absolutely beautiful, inside and out. Anyways, the photoshoot we will be having, is to promote my sing, "BURY ME", in which you can watch a LIVE performance of it from The Alchemical Laboratory Theater (when I performed on December 23, 2012) here:

So, the start of the new year, the start of a new song...I would say. I was sitting in my room, thinking of a song to cover, and staring at my little "recording studio" set-up on my bed....when all of a sudden, music and lyrics started to spill out of my head and I couldn't stop writing and composing my newest original. It's called, "LIFE, LOVE & BLUES". You might be asking if it's a bluesy song...well, yes, it is. I had this tune in my head for about 2 months. I couldn't find the right words or melody for it, until now. So, without further ado, here is my newest single, composed and produced at my little "recording studio" on my bed:

Enjoy <3

https://soundcloud.com/marydesiree/lifeloveandblues

I hope you all had a wonderful New Year's and got to enjoy them with your loved ones. Just remember, make this year a good one <3

Much love,

MD