Happy Halloween and thank you to everyone who has donated to my next film project. It is a sequel to my film YUP. You can help fund this campaign at the link below by donating or sharing:
One of the core creative practices in my life, besides writing and filmmaking, is playing the piano. This instrument accompanies my voice and adds color and depth to the songs I write and perform. (Watch some video below of the daily work I do on my keyboard.)
To give a brief history, I began taking piano lessons on the island where I grew up when I was seven years old. After only a few months, I begged my mom to let me quit because it was boring, but I returned to taking lessons in middle school and high school. My father, who sang and played keys and bass, always had a keyboard lying around, and in a twist of fate, I would play it by making up melodies whenever I was bored. (Apparently, boredom was quite influential in my younger years.)
Eventually, it was the piano that lit a creative fire in me as an adult. It allowed me to explore my natural abilities to sing and play simultaneously by ear and to remember all of my songs. In time, I started playing my songs at open mics (as an incredibly shy and meek young artist), and the rest unraveled from there.
Unless I am traveling, I play piano every day. I follow a few simple strategies as a musician.
Everything I play is exploratory.
I never play my songs exactly the same every time, especially when I play solo. I might throw in a variation of a chord here and there, change the tempo slightly, or play an intro differently. I do this to continue exploring the shapes and forms any song or sequence of chords can become. This is part of the reason why my songs often blend different genres together.I make every effort to be myself and not to copy anyone else.
Like most other artists, I have my musical influences, but I try my best not to be a clone of them. This means that I only learn one song of other pianists as a cover. I want to embody the spirit of how they approach music more than mimic their style. In the case of Tori Amos, for example, the one song of hers I have learned to play is her classic ballad Baker Baker (from her second album Under the Pink), and even then, I do it in my own way.
Versatility is essential.
I love learning how to play all kinds of music and internalizing the techniques and intricacies that make them flow. If I have a broad palette to choose from, I can infuse any song with different moods, textures, and styles in both subtle and bold ways. This makes the whole experience of songwriting and performing more fun. I prefer to have options, and I have so much more to learn.Aim for excellence over perfection.
Perfection has never been an objective for my music. To me, each song, especially when performed live, is a living and breathing entity that shape-shifts and engages with the world in real time. This means that sometimes the song does not come through the same way as before, and that’s okay as long as I am doing my very best playing and singing.Always make it fun.
There always has to be an element of playing piano that I am enjoying. If it ever becomes tedious and bland, then my heart walks begrudgingly out the door. As such, I always cultivate a sense of curiosity and excitement. I can play for hours if I am nerding out on something cool.
To get a little more technical, in addition to learning different songs, I practice different scales, along with finger exercises and various trills.
I try to achieve a smooth flow through the movement of my hands and fingers in conjunction with using the pedal with my feet (I like to alternate between both of my feet when using a keyboard pedal just for the fun of it.)
I also have no desire to be the best or greatest piano player of all time. That ambition can bloom in someone else’s life. I am happy to be the piano geek doing weird (but beautiful) shit and having fun.
In every part of my life, I am left-handed, but at the piano, my right hand is dominant throughout. Playing piano is the one outlier in my life that has given me the greatest joy.
The piano is my altar and my ocean. We dance together and sing. This never feels like work.
The piano lives in the heart of my daily life.
Speaking of the work of a pianist, earlier this month, I got to see a fellow pianist (and multi-instrumentalist) perform who has been on my list of people to see live. Jacob Collier is one of the musicians who makes me seriously consider quitting music and becoming a parking attendant. (That wouldn’t be so bad, right?) He was absolutely phenomenal. Jacob did not simply play the music. He embodied the music completely, with world-class musicianship, a stellar singing voice with quite the range, and lively showmanship to boot! He melted my face, and he also left me quite inspired.
The world is better with Jacob Collier in it. (At this concert, he played a lot with mandolin phenom Chris Thile.) This show at Nashville’s outdoor Ascend Amphitheater was seriously off the charts.
UPCOMING SHOWS
The French House
Ancestral Tongue
(w/ Special Guest Ellisa Sun)
Nashville, TN
Sunday, December 7
Project Updates
New Music:
Recorded more song demos
Working on my vocals for the songs
New YUP Sequel Film Project:Making more fundraising plans