Tripping Through Violets

Love is in the air! :)

2012-02-14T17:54:00.001Z

Hello lovely people! How are we all? :)

So today is Valentine's Day. :) And I break my (quite a few months long) YouTube silence with a chirpy little ukulele song for someone very special. ♥ ♥ ♥

I hope you like it!

Lots of lurrrve
xxxx

On My Way

2012-02-02T16:14:00.000Z

Hello there everyone :)

I am still Wight-side currently....trying to get over an annoying cold that has been hanging around for far too long! Most annoyingly, it has been stopping me from recording anything/doing a YouTube song/video. However, I will start working on one as soon as it goes...it will probably be a cover, but I am not 100% sure yet. Maybe I will suddenly get inspired and come out with a song. :)

When I get back to Uni I hope to be doing some more work on the songs we recorded around Christmas...and hopefully be able to put a few out/show you some. :) I am yet to work out how I am going to release the songs this time...but I shall keep you updated as the plan develops. ;)

Ooh I got my marks back for the work I posted previously! I got a first. :D Very excited about that. :) I am not generally a first student...I struggle my way through a bit...so I am very pleased about that. :) I don't feel that I have found my own 'voice' when writing music yet...or what I really feel works for me. However, I'll keep trying...though I do know that it is based more in acoustic instruments...a lot more. I'm still finding the electronic stuff very difficult.

I had better go now and get planning. ;)

TTFN! :)

Holly
xxxxx

P.S - I shall leave you with this song that makes me smile whenever I hear it! :)

Long time-ish no see!

2012-01-25T23:07:00.000Z

So here I am...sitting on the sofa with the lovely Violet Kirby (yeah, my cat :P) and wondering where to begin with this blog! But I guess that was the beginning. Phew! Glad that's over with. Lol.

I hope you had a brilliant Christmas and New Year! I had a lovely, relaxing time with my family before making the trip back to University. Since I got back to Uni it has been all systems go...I've been doing coursework and preparing for an exam we had. Ooh...I can post the coursework pieces here...they're instrumentals, and a little different, but I had fun writing them...and they still come from the same place that my songs do...

Number 1...Sky Cycle

Sky Cycle by hollykirby

Number 2...Winter Flower Box

Winter Flower Box by hollykirby

Please do let me know what you think! I'm still learning to write instrumental pieces, and any feedback is extremely, ever so, more than welcome. ;)

I also wrote this song. :) For a particular man who makes me very happy. No, it's not Alan Rickman. :P

Lost In You by hollykirby

One might even go so far as to say that, I am in love....would you believe it? :P

It dawned on me the other day that I'm actually halfway through my time at Uni now! Geeeez. :-S Bit scary...however...I feel I have learnt so much there already. About life more than anything. (Though I have learnt some very useful stuff about music too! :P) And being able to live on my own...well I have housemates......but with myself, if you know what I mean. :) When you're completely dependant, you can only be a limited version of yourself...I don't mean that in a negative way...it's just that discovering things yourself is so important, and even though I kind of knew that before, I didn't fully realise it until I had to do it!

Oooh...I got a bit of very exciting news the other day! I'm supporting Joan Armatrading at the Yeovil Octagon in June! SO excited. :D I will leave you with this video...a great performance of her song 'Love and Affection' on Jools Holland's show...

I'm very excited about this...a little nervous. :P But sometimes the most nervousy gigs turn out to be the ones that leave me buzzing for days. :)

I'd better go to bed now...but I will be back soon...I'm sorry that I haven't blogged in a while. I will try my hardest to make the posts more regular...I also hope to post another video to YouTube soon, but at the moment I'm recovering from a horrible sore throat/cold combo. I'll get thinking during this time.

Night night peoples! :) And I hope you are all well. :)

Holly xxxxx

I Leave This Time...

2011-12-03T15:34:00.001Z

Howdy peoples! How is everyone? I hope you're well. :) I come bearing gifts!...Kinda. Lol. I come bearing a song!

Another trance collaboration with the excellent Darren Smith. :)

~ Ooh ~ and just to let you know - if you'd like to keep track of Darren and Holly's collaborations, we're now working under the name 'XenonRose'.

Here are some links to our pages...

http://twitter.com/xenonrose
http://www.soundcloud.com/xenonrose
http://www.youtube.com/xenonrosemusic
http://www.facebook.com/XenonRose

And we should have an actual homepage up very soon. :)

Oky doke - so here is the new track! :)

I Leave This Time by XenonRose

What do you reckon? :)

Also - the Holly Album 2 team is back to work in the studio tomorrow night! Hopefully with a string quartet this time! Exciting. :D

TTFN xxxxxxx

P.S - Happy Birthday Mum! ;) xxx

VLog1 - and so it begins...

2011-11-30T23:37:00.001Z

Here's the VLog as promised! I'm such a goofball...

ALBUM NUMBER 2 - let the recording commence!

2011-11-29T15:02:00.001Z

HELLO everyone. :)

I come with rather exciting news.

The recording of album number two beginneth TONIGHT!!!

I'll be recording it over the course of a few months, with a producer (the lovely Mr. Iain Berryman) and a variety of very cool engineers and live musicians, which I am very excited about.

I'll also be documenting the journey with a series of video blogs and blog posts here - so keep your eyes peeled. ;) (If all goes according to plan, the first video should appear tomorrow.)

- Also - over the next few months I will be posting photos and potential artwork/album designs here and on YouTube to see what you guys think. :)

I hope you are all well! :)

TTFN

Holly xxxxx

Bit of a whinge.

2011-10-30T18:30:00.001Z

Hello everyone. :)

How are we all?

I'm sorry it has been a while. To be honest, I've been struggling a little with things. (This next bit is going to be one mega whiny explanation/rant - you have been warned! ;))

(*Takes a deep breath*) Weeeell...lots of little annoying things kept making me feel bad, and then I started feeling bad all the time and then my back started really hurting and I sprained my ankle about a month and a half ago and it hasn't gone away and I went to the doctors and I have an 'non-healing ligament' and I have to have physiotherapy for my 'back' which is actually my coccyx. I have a thing called 'coccydynia' which is a pain in the bum (Literally. *Chortle*.). And during visits to the docs etc. my hard drive decided that it didn't want to work anymore. So I had to get a new one of them. Not cool. Because I was a hopeless with my backups I lost a lot of stuff...and then my computer wouldn't go back to the most recent backup, so now I'm back at March which is highly uncool. (I am now backing up every day.) I'm also struggling a ridiculous amount with my Uni work. I feel really behind and I don't have a clue what I'm doing. So I'm quite down in the dumps at the moment.
Whiny rant over!

I always feel bad for feeling bad over such silly little things when there are people who are putting up with much worse.

I'd better go and crack on with this work...whining isn't going to sort things out.

To continue the slightly miserable theme, I shall leave you with this slightly miserable song that I wrote. - Recorded by the lovely Iain Berryman at Uni.

Waiting For Time by hollykirby

TTFN xxxx

Adventures! Oooooh!

2011-10-05T17:22:00.000+01:00

Howdy peoples!

So...I'm back at Uni, we have lots of work already, and I have two rather cool adventures to tell you about. :)

The first one is a London adventure...and so is the second! It's actually the first time that I've been to London in ages. I thought I'd go quite a bit last year seeing as I'm so close now, but I didn't. This year that appears to have changed, having gone twice in a matter of days. I'm actually trying to build a little ticket display thingy across my wall, I'm a quarter of the way across with all the train/boat tickets from last year and this year. Like so...

I know a slight curve/blatantly wavy line will take longer, but my OCD tendencies couldn't handle a straight line. I'd be standing there adjusting wonky tickets all day. ;)

Ok...so...

Adventure No. 1:

The other day my lovely friends (Christine and Arjun) and I went to London to look around the musical instrument shops in Denmark Street and others...Hobgoblin too...such a great shop. I had actually been looking online at a couple of guitars in a shop called Angel Music in Denmark Street - they looked great - so I wanted to check those out in real life. I had been searching for/thinking about getting another guitar for ages. In my mind I knew exactly what I wanted my guitar to be like, how much I was prepared to pay, the age...etc....hence it taking ages! But when we went into Angel Music, I spotted THE guitar. :) And luckily the cost was the price I had in mind. As soon as I tried it I knew it was THE one for me...it just felt so great to play...it sounds rich and lovely and it has a fairly small, neat body. It's a 1975 Martin 000-28. You can tell that it has been loved and there are a few signs of its age...the pickguard is curling up (weirdly) at the edge and there are a few places where the varnish on the purfling has come off, but nothing significant...and I think it adds character. ;)

Here she is in all her glory (definitely a girl)...

What a beaut. :) Next I need to find a pick-up to insert so I can easily play her live. I think I've found one actually. And it's only a temporary one too, so I can take it out after the gig without damaging the guitar. Nice. :)

Anyhow - as well as me buying a beautifully lovely guitar, we went and ate sushi and visited The British Museum, which was rather fun. :) We saw Ancient Egyptian mummies and stuff, and also clocks through the ages. I love clocks and watches so that was very cool. Here is a picture that I took of my friends outside the British Museum. It's just a fun one...and everything about it makes me giggle...

I especially love the lady walking past with the ice cream. Lol.

We also went in a very cool music shop called Hobgoblin. I highly recommend it - it's a great shop with a huge variety of instruments from different cultures. I also got this rather weird plectrum there...they actually gave it to me for free because they can't sell them...hmmm...wonder why?!

So that was a rather cool day. :) Then yesterday evening we had...

Adventure No. 2:

Arjun and I went to see Tanita Tikaram live!!! SO incredibly exciting. :D :D :D And she was awesome. And guess what?...Totally met her afterwards...she's incredibly lovely and friendly. (And she was wearing some really good shoes!) (And we have matching guitar straps!) We had a little chat with her and I got my ticket signed...(note the number! Lol)

YAY! :D

I also bought a t-shirt...her t-shirts are really cool...and you can get them online over at her official website.

Here I am looking equally awkward and strange, modelling mine for you...

YAY! New t-shirt!

I also had my picture taken with her - thanks muchly to the lovely Glenn ('twas great to see you again!) - and the result is priceless. (In a "that is a very funny photo" way.) I'll ask Glenn if I can put one up here. :)

I hope you are all well!

TTFN and lots of love
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Also, I totally love this song/video at the moment. I think Imogen Heap is awesome...so clever...and this is such a different, but brilliant song. (Love the video too.) (And the song.) (I already said that.) (Do you think I like it?)

Hello Mainland!

2011-09-26T23:43:00.003+01:00

Hello everyone!

How are we all? I hope you're well. :)

So I'm back at University now - I've settled into my new room...put my posters up etc. and I'm getting ready for the semester to start again.

You may have noticed that I've been having a little fiddle around with the designs on my website/YouTube etc. - I thought it was time for an update. That's what you get when you drastically change your hairstyle...your photos are instantly out of date. ;)

Anyhow - I have just realised that it is quite late and I should probably go to sleep.

I will keep you posted with videos, bits of news and coursework and things. :)

I still have album two plans going through my head - but now it's a bit of a waiting game until we find out when it's time to go into the studio! :) Very excited about it all...I'll be sure to document it - with vlogs and the like. :)

Lots of love
xxxxxxxxx

Photos!

2011-09-14T16:48:00.001+01:00

I come bearing photos! Here are few of the ones that I received back from the lovely Rob Longford. :)

What do you reckon? Luckily I managed to not look terrified or pull ridiculous faces for most of the pictures. I wasn't terrified - Rob's a lovely chap, but I seem to have a habit of looking scared in photos.

Anyways, here be a small selection...

1.

6. Sometimes I just can't help it.

A wally's wallet

2011-09-13T12:06:00.002+01:00

Hi everyone :)

Over the weekend the Kirby family had a kind of non-computer weekend...well...not a completely non-computer weekend...but computer usage was restricted to the evenings...

It seems that I spend most of my life on the computer at the moment, doing various bits and pieces. I don't mind; I enjoy it, and the internet is a fantabulous thing.

When I'm not online I'm listening to music, writing music, playing badminton, eating or sleeping...but there are so many other things that I enjoy and that I miss out on because there aren't enough hours in the day.

But over the weekend, minus my laptop on my lap, I didn't know what to do with myself. Generally at weekends I try not to do music stuff so I have time for other things, but this weekend I was totally stumped.

Should I paint? Ok...but what? I don't know. Ok, don't do that then. Read? Nah, not in the mood. Walk? It's raining. And then it struck me!

I'll make a wallet out of an empty Salt & Vinegar Chipsticks packet.

Er. Alright then.

Please note: I'm truly TERRIBLE at making things with my hands. It is something that interests me, and something that I'd like to get good at one day, but for now, I'm really, really not good.

I actually had it all planned that I was going to build my own guitar over the 4 month holiday that now seems to have vanished. I bort and red a book about it and evryfink.

So, wallet. For anyone who is not familiar with the glorious creation that is the Chipstick, the definition is "a salt and vinegar flavour maize and potato snack"...and they are my weakness. Along with bourbons, but let's not go there.

So a lot of sellotape, cutting and sticking later, I arrived at this "wallet". I use the term "wallet" very loosely, but I do plan on trying to use it as a wallet. Yes, I may lose a lot of money in the process, but I'm pretty stubborn.

And this is it:

(No sniggering at the back please.)

How cool am I?

That was rhetorical.

Yes well, that was a highly productive exercise, but I genuinely couldn't think of anything else that simultaneously fitted the weekend category and floated my boat.

Back to the music! ;)

TTFN

xxxxx

P.S - Expecting the photo shoot photos soon - you'll be the first to know when I have them. :)

P.P.S - Really loving this at the moment. Makes me go all fuzzy. Such a beautiful sound.

Skillzzz...

2011-09-09T15:11:00.000+01:00

Hi everyone! :)

How be we all?

So yesterday I had the pictures taken. Hopefully they'll turn out ok. Despite the subject, I have faith - Rob's a great photographer. I should be receiving them back about Tuesday-ish, so it'll be fun to see them. - I'll let you know when I've got them back and will put some up here and on my Facebook page too.

Yesterday I got shown this by the lovely Darren Smith - it's from a really cool music magazine called 'Future Music'. A track that we did together called 'Breath That Lights The Fire' made it into the featured section. - Demo Of The Month! - And what a lovely write-up!

And here's the track...

Breath That Lights The Fire (2010) by NewAgedTravellers

Exceedingly exciting! :)

Also, the other day I was given a book by my old primary school teacher. It was a book made up of my work from when I was 6. All the work was based around the subject of buildings...what they're made of, different kinds etc....I actually looked through it with Brooke, and it gave her a good giggle.

Especially this...

(6 year old Holly discusses the importance of 'windowws')

(...and...er...no comment! Lol.)

Brooke especially liked the 'donceys' bit. The black pen is my teacher trying to guess what I meant to say.

I think I was away with the fairies.

For a change! Lol. ;)

TTFN
xxxxx

What To Wear...

2011-09-07T17:20:00.001+01:00

So...tomorrow I'm going to have some promo photos taken for the website and album number two...and I'm struggling to know what to wear.

Clothes are something I don't really get. No, hang on...I get that we need them and that they help to categorise us as people (and keep us warm/decent!). But I don't really like the whole categorisation thing. And I find it hard to understand how music and clothing go together. No wait, I get that someone dancing round a stage in cowboy boots and hat is likely to be a country musician...and someone in a long gown with pristine hair, make-up etc. is unlikely to be singing country. Or rap. Singing rap? Saying rap. Rapping.

What I find hard to work out is how I should dress to make people think that I'm going to be singing/making the music that I'm making. Hmmm...tricky.

xxxxx

Independence

2011-09-06T18:49:00.000+01:00

I know I've said this before, but from now, I'm going to try to write a little bit in this blog a few times a week. It won't always be a crazy weird rant like this one here - maybe just a picture or a little video of my thoughts/something random that I like and want to share to see if you like it too. I feel a bit like I've got out of the swing of sharing thoughts (HAHA! "thoughts" just autocorrected itself to "thrust"!!! Let's not go there.) on my blog, and I'd like to change that.

And the topic of this blog…

Independence

Independence is something that, until recently, I've not truly grasped. There has always been the comfort of home, having my family around me to reassure my thoughts, comfort me when things aren't going well…and to be honest, when it comes to home comforts I think I've been pretty spoilt. I'm not saying that in a bad way…and I'm not saying that my parents stuff me with junk food and pander to me all day every day - though the cups of tea are always flowing! I mean it in the most positive way possible. I'm very lucky to be part of a household that is very close. I feel like I can tell my parents anything, and I do. So when it came to going to University I wasn't mega sure how I'd get on.. I knew that I'd miss home, but with things like the internet and mobiles, I knew that my family was just a phone call away.

But even with this very strong connection with my family, I found that I was quite strong when it came to living on my own. I didn't find it hard to make my own decisions and be satisfied with my own judgements. I didn't feel scared and I just got on with things. When you have someone there to help you with things all the time it's easy to become lazy, but in the end it's a lot more satisfying to do things for yourself. Before I went to University I felt like a bit of a prude. Well…I didn't consciously feel like one, I just knew that I wasn't the most fun/adventurous person in the world, and I wondered how University life would suit me. Naturally I was nervous, but I never thought that I wouldn't be able to cope. I was lucky enough to be put in a house with some truly lovely people, who I now feel very privileged to call my friends. And I feel that around these friends I can be fun…and it has brought out a side of my personality that I was never sure existed. I'm not saying that I'm a mega rebel who does lots of dodgy stuff and gets into trouble now, but I have realised how important it actually is to not take yourself too seriously. Not that I took myself very seriously before, but I've now realised it's a lot more fulfilling to be a little braver and more confident in who you are…that way you know that your friends really are your friends, and if people don't like you then that's up to them.

When I came back home I found it really hard to adjust. I know it's all in my brain, but when I went away I felt like I grew up a lot over a relatively short period of time and picked up a lot of new of information that I'm now squishing back into my 'at home' brain.

I'm not sure what the point of this little rant is…but I felt that I needed to write something down to work things out in my head.

It's not that I don't like being at home. - I love it, but it feels odd because now I feel like I have another home in Surrey too, and I miss it. Just as I miss here when I'm there.

I guess it's good that I feel this way really. Otherwise I'd be sat on the sofa at home forever, not wanting to leave. I think perhaps that it's just becoming apparent that now is the time when it is completely up to me where I want to go and how I want to be. I need to follow what makes me happy and go with my gut instinct.

As the end of a slightly more 'emotionally eventful' (boyfriend/not/uni/above stuff etc.) year approaches, I'm becoming aware that I need to learn to listen to my gut instinct more and trust what I feel deep down. I realise that there's no point in being lazy and going with the flow, feeling things and not acting on them. Those feelings are kind of precious and rare so should be acted upon whilst they exist.

Thinking about it slightly more clearly now…I think it's a kind of guilt thing. I feel unsettled and odd because I feel like I'm being disloyal to my love for home and family, because I'm enjoying University and the company of my new friends. Which is silly. If I let that stop me then I really would be sat on the sofa forever. What a plonker.

I just need to go with the flow and chill out a bit more I guess.

Ever so slightly confusing and pointless rant over. ;)

P.S - Whenever I feel like I'm whinging about something that's not all that important (like this) I always feel a tad bad about it. It's just me thinking aloud really. I'm not trying to make a specific point…I just think that maybe one day someone might read the thinkety things and think…oh yeah I know that feeling, and now I don't feel silly for feeling it…anyhow. :)

TTFN peoples!

Lots of love xxxxx

The wheels are in motion!

2011-08-30T09:40:00.005+01:00

Hello everyone :)

How are we all?

I hope you are good. :)

So lately...I have been thinking a lot about the album...how I should approach it, what should the instrumentation be like? Should I try to use all acoustic instruments this time? What should I do differently based on the last one?

I've been thinking about this a lot...and I now think that I have been worrying too much about the end product, and how I want it to be better than the last one. Not because there was anything wrong with the last one, but it's always good to improve!...So in worrying about it I had kind of forgotten the fun involved in the process. I just need to find a way of doing it that feels right, and is enjoyable.

And I think I've found a way...and I'm quite excited about it. Nothing has been finalised yet, but I shall let you know when it has. The songs I'm hoping to get on there are as follows:

(In no particular order.) - that's a favourite. :P Such a comedian...

Crazy Rolling Train
Forever Bound To Fairytales
Queen Of Hearts
Riddles & Rhymes
Sublime
Gone For Good
The Tallest Tree
The Lady & The Past
Warmer In May
Go Figure
Smooth Talking
Hearts & Roses
A New Heart

A few that you may not recognise there.

I'm rather excited actually. I have quite a clear idea of what I'd like it to sound like, and I think the person who I may be working with will be able to bring some very cool acousticy sounds to the tracks.

Anyhow - I'd better go and do some more planning! :)

- Ooh - and I'm meeting with a photographer again tomorrow - just to finalise what I'd like my new set of photos to be like. :)

Speak soon!

Lots of love xxxxx

P.S - Recently I got very excited about the fact k.d. lang said nice things about my Adele cover. :D She's most definitely my favourite singer and I think her musical interpretations are spot on, so it's not mega surprising that her comment puts a big grin on my face!

"I think it's great. I love your narrative read on the lyrics!!! Good job."

WOOOO! :D Haha. And if you're not familiar with her/her music, here's the music video of her most famous song: Constant Craving...

And possibly the second most famous from the same album "Ingenue."

Someone Like You - Holly's version

2011-08-17T08:41:00.002+01:00

Hi everyone - here's my latest video - a cover of Adele's 'Someone Like You'...

I hope you are well - I'll write a proper blog post soon.

Take care,

Lots of loves xoxoxox

Go Figure by Holly Kirby

2011-07-31T22:17:00.002+01:00

Oky doke. So here it is...the angry breaky uppy song that has been brewing for a while. This one is not so much about the break up...but the mean stuff that comes afterwards...doh. :-S

Well at least it's out of my system now. ;)

Album. Number. Two?

2011-06-27T08:54:00.008+01:00

Hi everyone!

Thank you so much for your lovely comments on my latest video! I'm very pleased that you like it. :) ...Despite the not-so-great sound quality and the singing goofball!

So now comes the time when I am thinking about my next album. :) I'm currently in the process of working out how I'm going to do things this time...should I try to get the artwork done professionally? Or make it homemade again...?

The thing is - when I do things myself I am never TRULY happy with the result. It's really difficult to think - yes - that's exactly how I'd like it - when you know that it's not up to a professional standard - because you're not a professional!

*Goes to make a cup of tea for extra brainpower*

...and she's back.

Also...production. Last time I produced the songs myself. I composed the backing tracks before I went to the studio for all the tracks - apart from "Impossible", and "Tripping Through Violets". These two were produced with Gareth and Olli in the studio. This time, I was thinking of finding someone to help me out on all the tracks and make sure there's a good balance of continuity and variation running through the album. But I really don't know. AAAAH!

The thing is that I know what I like...and so I get worried when I sort of, hand over the responsibility to someone else. It's not like I don't trust the other person to do a good job! But if I do it then I know it's going to be 'me' and there's a greater chance of it being what I want to convey.

Anyhow - I'm going to go and have some photos taken for a website update/promo/possibly album art soon. I need to think about the album theme and what kind of thing I want in the meantime. Tricky when I haven't recorded the tracks! Doh...

I'd better get doing some BIG thinking...

I hope you're all well and groovy!

Lots of love xxxxx

P.S - I'm really getting into photography at the mo. 'Ere's a picture what I took yesterrrday. (That was my Isle of Wight accent creepin' in there.)

(If you click on the pic it takes you to my Flickr account. I have a funny/different username on there because I was going to keep it secret. But I'm not sure why. So it's not a secret now.)

I also have a deviantArt profile if you'd like to join me on there...same funny username applies.

The Tallest Tree

2011-06-24T00:32:00.003+01:00

Hello peoples :)

How be you all? So I did a video! It's a simple, straight through the camera microphone one, so the audio quality is not great...but I thought I'd just put it up anyhow...

I never realised I was so goofy. Oh dear oh dear! :-S

Lots of love,

Holly xxxxxx

Here

2011-06-13T21:36:00.002+01:00

Hi everyone

So here I am - and here they are - the holidays! The first year of Uni is over. It feels like it has gone really quickly, and I've learnt so much...more on the 'life experience' side of things I think...not that I haven't learnt musicy stuff! I've definitely been learning that too, but I guess the lifey stuff is more apparent.

I'm feeling weird at the moment. I'm in a 'feeling sorry for myself' kind of mood and I hate that. It's such a wasteful state to be in. (Note to self: get out of it then!) I think it's because of the change of scenery. I find it hard to switch between Uni life and home life and right now, I've been struggling with my songs. Every time I try to write something I just get stuck...or with the production side of things...I guess it's a kind of writer's block. The harder I try to make something work, the more frustrated I get, and the less it seems to work.

Today I sat down and tried to record a song for YouTube, but failed a bit. Then I decided to just play the piano and record what happened when I did. The following clip is what happened. It's a bit rough, and I'm not a very good pianist, but I think it's what I feel in piano form...well it must be...since it's what came out. After I'd recorded it I added a few strings underneath to make it sound a little fuller.

Here by hollykirby

I'll really try to get something on YouTube soon...even if it's just an old style, straight to the camera/through the camera microphone video. Hopefully it'll be a little easier now that I've written something, even though it is an instrumental.

I hope you're all well. :)

xxxxxxxxx

CMC Coursework Tracks

2011-05-22T15:13:00.004+01:00

Hi everyone :)

I hope you are all well.

I bring you a couple of tracks that I have been working on for my coursework.

I have so very very much to learn still! Lol. We were given a lot of freedom with this task...I decided to write two pieces based around the theme "Dreams"...as the titles suggest! And I tried to do two pieces in a style that I wasn't too familiar with...Dreams I is based around drifting off to sleep, dreaming, and waking and Dreams II is based around your dreams being broken.

Dreams I by hollykirby

Dreams II by hollykirby

So they're both quite different! Lol.

TTFN xxxxx

A little wondering.

2011-05-15T16:17:00.004+01:00

In trying to be more like 'you', 'yourself'...could you be less like yourself? In trying to find a state in which you are completely comfortable, could you actually be moving further away from your identity...?

I've just been thinking a lot about image recently - not in a vain way - just pondering the thought. I guess I've been doing the stereotypical 'finding yourself at University'/'just broke up with your boyfriend' thing.

The more I live, the more questions I ask, and the more I realise that I'll never know the answers...because there aren't any! Life is so fluid.

I'm playing at a gig tonight - two songs - Suzanne Vega's 'Luka' - and Fisher's 'I Will Love You'. I'm playing with a guitarist and string players on 'Luka' and just with a pianist on 'I Will Love You.' I'm just holding the mic and singing. I'm rather looking forward to it. It'll be a new experience...and one where I'll be more open to expressing myself...no hiding behind Lady this time. I wonder how I'll go...feeling quite strange at the moment.

Mood = floaty/intense. They don't quite go.

If You Should Go

2011-05-06T16:07:00.002+01:00

Howdy :)

Here's a track that I've been working on for my Pop Harmony Coursework. - I was just wondering what you thought of it?...A kind of jazzy song...

This is actually my second (and final!) attempt at a piece for this coursework. My first attempt was slightly rubbish. I may try to polish it a tad and post it at some point so you can hear its rubbish-ness.

Anyhow - any comments would be muchly appreciated. (Good or otherwise. ;))

Lots of love xxxxx

If You Should Go by hollykirby

Thinkings. Thoughts. That's the one.

2011-05-01T09:54:00.004+01:00

The end of my holidays are nearing and after putting the video on it's now back to the coursework! I'm loving being home and am already looking forward to the summer holidays! It won't be long before I'm back really...I have some exams/deadlines at Uni...but my first year at Uni should end on June 2nd. :)

I have really enjoyed my first year at Uni...I'm glad I chose to go, although I do miss the Isle of Wight and the people on it very much. I guess it sounds a bit cheesy, but I've learnt a lot about myself and life in general, as well as other people. Even though I love the Island, I sort of feel that I've been a bit sheltered from a lot of things...and I know that I'm quite naive. But now I feel like my naivety is more of a choice. I prefer to enjoy the simple things and ignore the pessimism. It doesn't mean that I wander round with my head in the clouds, ignorant to reality...it just means that I'd rather look to be inspired and enchanted than to seek out and exacerbate things to moan about.

Anyhow...I'd better go and get some breakfast!

Speak to you soon. xxxxx

Forever Bound To Fairytales - an original song by Holly Kirby

2011-05-01T02:04:00.005+01:00

See - I said I hadn't forgotten the April video! ;) (See the upload date...)

I hope you like it xxxx

Hellooo :)

2011-04-22T22:12:00.002+01:00

Hello everyone :)

I thought I'd just do a quick update. :)

I'm playing my first gig in a while on Sunday at the Gosport & Fareham Easter Festival which I'm very excited about! - I'll try to post some piccies when I get back.

- I'm currently on my Easter holidays from Uni...got lots of coursework to do! - I'll be sure to post in online once it's done/submitted. :)

- Ooh - also - I haven't forgotten about this month's video. :)

I hope you are all well. xxxxxx

Independence

2011-03-24T17:41:00.003Z

Hi everyone :)

I thought I'd just do a little hello/thinky update thing. :) I'm really pleased that you liked my latest video. - It took me a rather long time to make. Lol. - But not as long as you might think. I have a very good piece of software which allows me to set how often my camera takes a picture. - I set it to 2 seconds for most of the video creating process, and did all of the 'magic' things in between captures.

Should I have told you that? I mean...er...JOKE! It was all magic of course... :P

I've been in thinky mode recently...not that I don't normally think...but...anyway...

I think it has just dawned on me how much independence I now have. I think it has only just dawned on me because I have now settled down into this idea of independence.

And also, it has been accentuated by the fact that I find myself 'on my own' for the first time in six years. It hurts me to say - but I'm no longer with Ben. When you come out of quite a long and intense relationship you're bound to feel a tad lonely I guess. It's strange, but since the break up I've found it harder to write songs. All the songs that I've written about the subject seem like lies. - They're not - but in my mind, I know that because of the hurt/jealousy I feel, I may have a tendency to blow things out of proportion, and I don't want the songs to seem unreasonable. I don't know...

However, I will continue to write and see what happens. :)

I'm trying to treat this independence as a new beginning...I think that's the best way to treat it.

So here we go, new Holly. :) Well...not new...just braver and stuff. :)

xxxxxxxxxxxx

P.S - I'm currently starting to think about my next release, so more updates will be made from now on. :)

Mrs Moonlight - an original song by Holly Kirby (stop motion)

2011-03-19T20:10:00.001Z

Hi everyone :)

Here's my latest video! :)

A fun summery song.

I hope you like it!

Lots of love,

Holly xxxxxxx

Quick update ~ Harmony Coursework mark

2011-03-16T11:09:00.003Z

You may remember the three pieces of music I posted on here which made up my second piece of harmony coursework.

I got my grade back...

I got a First! Yaaaay! :D 76% which I'm rather pleased with. :D

Wooooo!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Spontaneity

2011-03-15T22:11:00.004Z

On Sunday I did something very un-Holly-ish.

- I woke up...quite late...(it was Sunday ;))...got something to eat...and recorded some music...then I remembered that I had been invited down to Brighton.

I thought about it in my Hollyish way - it went something like this...

You have a test tomorrow...ok, a small one, but you don't want to get back late and be tired...you should revise too...and it's quite far...and you could just stay here...and you would have to change trains, which is quite scary...and it will be late and dark...and you don't know your way around...

In my mind I had validated my decision not to go.

And so I replied to the inviter and said thank you very much for inviting me, (it was to a gig), but I won't be able to come - I hope you have a lovely time...

And then I thought again.

And an hour later I found myself on a train with one of my lovely friends from Uni. - We were on our way to Brighton. We were quite excited about our spontaneity - it was like a little adventure. :)

So we arrived in Brighton, got something to eat, got something else to eat (we had been travelling! ;)) went to the gig and watched the very talented Ronit perform... (here is her website) - then to the pub to celebrate the inviter's birthday, and then back on the train to Guildford. It was a really great evening - and we met some lovely people.

So my first experience of spontaneity was a very positive one! Here's to more in the future! (Well thought out, rational spontaneity of course. ;)) It's more about being brave and not always doing what's easiest I guess.

I hope that you are all well. :)

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Howdy :)

2011-03-11T16:08:00.004Z

Hello everyone :)

I just thought I'd do a little blog to say hello! :)

I've been quite busy with composing and lectures recently. - We've got some deadlines coming up in the not too distant future which I'm working towards.

I've also got another gig in Chancellors on March 27th, which should be fun. :)

- There's another video to come this month too. :) - I haven't forgotten my one a month thing!

It's not long until the Easter break now. - 4 weeks off! - on the lovely Isle of Wight. :) - OOH! Also, I'm playing at the Gosport and Fareham Easter Festival! which should be very fun. :) It's organised by the same people who do Wickham Festival. :) - Another lovely one.

Aside from the work, (which is actually quite fun) Uni is good. :) We've had lovely weather recently, which makes everything that much better. My room is slightly messy (sorry Mum!) and I really need to go to the laundrette, but I haven't had to cook bean on crumb yet! :P I'm a posh student, I have herb plants on my window sill and everything! Though I think I might've drowned them...

Anyway - messy room = creative mode!...Which can't be a bad thing. I've spent the past few days doing recording. - I wrote a little song about the sunshine for my coursework. - I haven't finished it yet, but I was planning on putting it on Soundcloud/YouTube for you to hear/see...but I haven't submitted it yet, so I'd better not as our lecturers are online...unless I specifically ask this particular lecturer...

Anyhow. I'd better get back to it! ;)

TTFN,

Holly xxxxxxxx

P.S - I'm really loving Tanita Tikaram at the mo so I'll leave you with one of her songs. :)

P.P.S - She was only 19 here. :-O

...and then this. *Please note* - I think Tanita is thoroughly brilliant - but I think that this is rather funny...

...and what she's really like!...

More coursework!

2011-02-23T13:37:00.006Z

Hello everyone! :)

How are we all? :) Thank you so much for your lovely comments on my latest video - I'm really pleased that you like it.

I've been really busy with coursework lately, but I've just finished a few of my pieces, so I thought I'd show you what I've been up to. :) - They're not great, but hey...I'm still learning...

Here we have one piece in dorian mode, one in mixolydian mode, and one diatonic piece - made for my harmony coursework. Please let me know what you think...I think they're a bit 'interesting.' ;) (Please see below the tracks for lyrics. :))

Hello Springtime by hollykirby

Dreamings by hollykirby

Air of Mystery by hollykirby

Dreamings

A bronzy bower caped in gold

Between the autumn leaves she roamed

Twisting through the nettle bed

Where moths and flies were bound in web

Dewdrops on an open path

Fireflies to dry her daytime tears

Crimson clouds that floated by

Carry her sorrow through the night

Let her wake to smiling eyes

To nature's call, a new sunrise

Tie her hopes and bind them tight

Bringing all her dreamings into sight

Slumber mind and slumber eyes

Close to a new sun, burning bright

Take your time to start again

And wait for love 'til who knows when

Find reflections, find your soul

Become the one that you'd be proud to know

Air of Mystery

The pieces of your puzzle aren't as small as I surmised

I spent my time admiring all your intellectual lines

But now I see that time was wasted and I could've just stepped back

To find behind the intellect another broken track

Tell me your opinions and I'll listen carefully

But don't expect that I will necessarily agree

You can threaten my securities and criticise my claims

But keep your disenchantment, all your judgement, your disdain

Does it get lonely when someone dares to disagree?

Stop looking for the answers in everything you see

And give a little time to the air of mystery

I don't like your attitude, your derogating ways

It's harsh to laugh into a face that hears what you have to say

If you scorn my speculations, inclinations and my thoughts,

I take it that cold-shouldering is what you're asking for...

Does it get lonely when someone dares to disagree?

Stop looking for the answers in everything you see

And give a little time to the air of mystery

Does it get lonely when someone dares to disagree?

Stop looking for the answers in everything you see

And give a little time to the air of mystery

The air of mystery

Crazy Rolling Train - an original song by Holly Kirby

2011-02-11T01:53:00.003Z

Hello everyone. :)

Here is an original song. :) I recorded it yesterday with the help of one of my lovely Uni friends. - Just a simple video from my room.

I hope you are all well. :)

Lots of love xxxxx

Rain on the Avenue

2011-01-31T00:59:00.004Z

Hello everyone :)

I know that I haven't given you much music recently, so here's a song that I wrote and performed for my harmony coursework...

The requirements were to write a piece of diatonic music, whilst trying to fit in some of these features...

7th chords

Secondary dominants

Tritone Substitutions (didn't manage this one)

It's called 'Rain on the Avenue'...please let me know what you think! :)

Rain on the Avenue by hollykirby

TTFN

xxxxx

P.S - There are some more originals in the pipeline, but I have a cold at the moment so can't record them. :( Doh.

From the moving train...

2011-01-27T15:12:00.003Z

I'm currently having a little break from Uni.

Examinations week...well...fortnight, is happening at the mo...and I've done my one exam! So I've decided to pop home for a few days.

The past few weeks have been a bit tough and I felt like I needed to get away for a bit. I think I'm going to go for a walk tomorrow.

I've been writing beginnings of songs and then not being able to finish them because my feelings have changed halfway through.

I took the train and then the boat back to the Island. Even though I get nervous about travelling alone, I enjoy the thinking time that I get.

I think about the people at the station, I think about the things that we pass as I look out the window...

Today, after we had left the station I looked out the train window and saw some interesting things.

I saw a little cottage. - Derelict - the roof had collapsed, and it was about the size of a room. It sat neatly within the hillside, surrounded by trees with broken branches, and their silhouettes were emphasised by a very grey, wintery sky.

It was a sorry sight, and I only saw it for about a second, but the image was so enchanting that my mind couldn't help but fill it with colour.

I wondered who had lived in the little house and whether children played in the branches of the trees, or just one person lived there to escape from existence. It must have been a very secluded place to be...and I guess the seclusion would have been emphasised by the constant passing of trains...

The trains keep going, but you're not on board.

Looking at this cottage from the train I felt quite peaceful...I was picturing this scene, but I was moving. I was not a part of it. I was travelling...moving forward...and I felt good about this.

Even though the past few weeks have been tough, they have been necessary. I have learnt from them, and I know which direction I am going in. Forward. I will be Holly - and I will keep discovering who she is.

As someone said to me recently: Life is a journey, you can't be static.

Do you have to feel?

2011-01-02T18:11:00.007Z

I'm really enjoying my course at University. However...

A lot of the composing tasks entail composing Electronic Music.

Creative Music Technology.

The course title kind of suggests it really.

The thing is that I've never really listened to much electronic music. There are elements of it in the music that I do listen to, but it's very rarely a piece set within the Electronic Music genre. - So needless to say, I'm finding composing in that genre quite difficult.

I haven't yet found an Electronic piece of music which really makes me feel something...I enjoy Brian Eno's ambient music, but it's not a style that I'd like to compose in.

Last night I decided that I'd look around some Electronic Music forums, trying out recommended artists to find some inspiration. Whilst browsing I came across a thread with the title 'most emotional piece of electronic music ever?' - which appealed to me...so I clicked to enter.

A few people had posted suggestions which I listened to, and then I scrolled down a little more to find this...

'I don't really think of music as being emotional, but I like this piece...'

...and it made me think a bit. I've never thought of music as being separate from emotion. I like a piece because it makes me feel something. I don't have to identify that emotion to be able to like the piece. It's just a little something inside you that is ignited by a certain sound.

(I was wondering what people think about this...emotion not playing a part in defining your listening choices...)

So far, that little something inside of me hasn't been ignited by any piece of Electronic Music...and I think that's why I'm finding it difficult. Because I haven't been able to connect with any piece emotionally, I feel like I'm walking around without any sense of direction.

The fact that I'm pretty much a beginner with the equipment and compositional technologies doesn't help me much.

I guess that all I need to do is practise and keep listening...

I've been thinking of doing my more creative electronic stuff under a different name...and I was wondering - please would it be ok for you to help me find one?

Just as an idea, here are few electronic artist names are...

Chicane

ATB

Aphex Twin

Deadmau5

I don't know...what do you think?

xxxxx

An end and a beginning

2010-12-31T13:15:00.006Z

So...another year over. Surely it's not a whole year since we welcomed 2010? The time has gone by so very quickly. And when I think back...a lot has happened.

Memorable moments...

Album recordings finished
Album artwork designed
Sales begin...
Website redesigned
Amanda's party
Album launch (and met a wicked cool duck, I mean person)
Learnt to drive
Helped with school choir
Played at IW Festival
Met Suzanne Vega
Played at Bestival with Olli
Met some brilliant people at the Anchor
Played at Ventnor Church and met some more brilliant people
Started University
Met some more brilliant people at Uni
Late night recording in Studio One
Turned 20

...I feel that since I started University I have grown a lot...but then again...I haven't really changed. I think I'm too set in my ways to change. I'll just go along picking up things that I like and try to hold on to them.

I seem to have been able to keep my new resolutions for this past year which is a first! Following on from the success of my 2010 resolution keeping behaviour, I shall have to make some more...

Don't let being too afraid stop you from doing things.
Have more confidence/walk tall.
Drop a dress size/get a flat belly.

That'll do for now!

Oh and...

4. Make 2011 the best year yet.

I hope you have a wonderful new year's eve and an even better new year...I'm going out to see the new year in tonight. It's the first time that I haven't been at home and seen it in with my family, which is quite sad. Hmmm...

Anyway, I'd best be off. - Thank you so much for your brilliant support over the past year. It's because of you that I'm able to do what I love. :)

Take care and lots of love,

See you in the new year. :)

Holly

xxxxx

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! :)

2010-12-24T22:59:00.002Z

Hello everyone. :)

Just a little message to say...

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

...and I hope you have a very HAPPY NEW YEAR. :)

Thank you so much for your continued support. I'm very sorry that I haven't been around much lately. I shall make it my New Year's Resolution to blog more!

I hope you have a wonderful time.

Lots of love to you all.

xoxoxoxox

An update from Uni... :)

2010-12-13T22:10:00.003Z

I'm very sorry for my lack of blogging lately. I've had lots and lots of coursework to do, and with the completion of that, cooking, tidying, washing, revising etc. I've been left with very little time.

I'm finding the course really interesting...and also very challenging. It has taken me out of my comfort zone completely and plonked me in a brand new world of strange technical language and concepts that I don't understand.

I enjoy writing songs...it feels like a very natural thing to do...but composing instrumental pieces using software that I'm only just getting to grips with is something that I'm finding really difficult.

However, I'm getting the tasks done. And so far, on time. I haven't received any coursework grades yet though. We've done a few online tests though, and in 'Knowledge of Instruments' I currently have 70%, which is a first. Which I'm pleased with. However, for our Composition Technologies module, I was failing, but on our most recent test I managed to get over the pass mark, so am now passing - just.

I've met so many great people up here on the Mainland. Fellow students, housemates, lecturers...they're brilliant. I'm looking forward to being back on the Island though. I've been seeing on Facebook that some of my friends are at home already. Quite jealous about that...

I've written a few new songs since I've been here and I hope to put them online in some form or other soon. Perhaps over Christmas. :)

When I get back on the Island I'm playing in another gig at Missy J's which I'm really looking forward to. It'll be my first Island performance in what feels like ages. :)

Anyway, I'd better go now - early start tomorrow. (9am - is that early? ;))

Lots of love xxxxxx

Little One (Holly's Lullaby) - an original song by Holly Kirby

2010-12-04T12:02:00.000Z

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MUM! :) xoxoxoxox

Home sweet home :)

2010-11-05T19:33:00.003Z

Hello everyone :)

I'm currently sitting at home, chilling. :) It's nice to be back on the Island.

I came back to play a gig tomorrow, but woke up this morning with a hoarse voice and a sore throat, so I've had to cancel...exceedingly annoying.

However, I do get to spend time with my lovely family which is fantabulous. :) We wondered how Violet would react to my return...whether she'd ignore me or act like I hadn't been away. Luckily, it was the latter and she settled down on my lap in the evening.

I'm really enjoying life in Guildford too. :) Especially the company of the lovely people who I'm living with and my course friends, and the course. :) I'll take my camera back to Guildford when I go and take some pictures of campus to show you. :)

I hope you're all well. :)

TTFN,

Holly xxxxx

EEK!

2010-10-19T14:53:00.004+01:00

Today I woke up, feeling a little drowsy...I really need to start getting some early nights!

Anyway...I stepped on to the carpet and did a great big stretch and looked up to see if our friend *shudder* Mr. Spider was still up there, sitting on my ceiling.

He wasn't. - A slight shock.

Then the shock went away because I realised that I had observed that he was not there the previous night and had already been shocked then.

The odds were that he'd probably crawled into my mouth when I was sleeping, and he was now making an intricate web in my tummy. Ok - maybe the odds weren't in favour of this particular scenario, but my imagination was running wild! The sensible sounding odds were that he'd just creepy crawlied his way to another corner or crevice in my room and was just sitting there. Waiting. (And plotting a way to crawl into my mouth when I was sleeping.)

Anyway. I went into the bathroom to freshen up and when I returned I noticed that THE SPIDER WAS ABSEILING DOWN FROM MY LIGHT. AAAAAAAHHHHH!

At this point I realised that I could either shut my eyes and run away or be really brave and 'get rid of' the spider. I then deduced that, taking my personal levels of 'fear of the not knowing where the spider is', and 'fear of spiders' into account, the most sensible option, for me personally, would be to 'get rid of' the spider.

But how was I going to do this? Panic stricken as the spider started to retreat up his line of web, the multiple 'get rid of' methods were whizzing through my mind.

I didn't want to touch the spider. Ewwww.

I didn't want to kill the spider. He hadn't done anything wrong, and he probably had a family to take care of.

I needed a MASSIVE container to capture him in, so that the distance between us could be maintained.

Then I realised that this was unrealistic and there was a handily placed plastic ex-half-a-tin-of-sweetcorn container on my desk, next to a crusty cereal bowl. So I picked up the potential spider container and emptied it of its sweetcorn juices and approached the acrobatic spider.

Then I suddenly got really really brave, (I think it may have been adrenalin), and placed the container around the spider and put the lid on. Then I opened my window and shook the spider out of the container. Then, with slight trepidation, I brought the container back into the room. There was a moment of anxiety when I thought that the spider may have crawled on to my hand, or clung on to the container for dear life, not wanting to leave the warmth of my room, but no, all seemed fine and the spider was nowhere to be seen.

So I'm guessing that the spider is now outside, enjoying his new found freedom. Making webs wherever he pleases, catching flies and other creepy crawlies, eating other bugs and scaring different people.

That, or he's found his way back in here...

*sigh*

xxxxxxx

When you write what's in your head...

2010-10-18T14:50:00.004+01:00

Today I am going to write a stream of consciousness.

Today I am feeling quite blue. I'm missing Ben and I'm in need of one of his cuddles.

I have a roommate now. An uninvited one. He's just there, watching me. Well it feels like he's watching me. He's probably got his eyes shut. Can spiders shut their eyes? Do spiders blink? I think this spider must be the one who left me that beast of a web when I'd only been here a couple of days. That was a scary thing to wake up to. Or maybe I swallowed that spider in my sleep, and this is his/her sister/brother out for revenge.

I'm not sure if I should be scared of this spider. I went out this morning and observed the position that he/she was in. When I came back, he/she (...let's just call it a he spider...my instincts tell me he's a he and when it comes to realising a person's gender, my instinct are usually quite trustworthy...) ...where was I? Oh yes. When I came back, he was in the same position. However! When I looked up looked up to the ceiling just now, I realised that he was no longer tucked up in a neat little spidery ball, but his two front legs were spread out in quite a menacing position. Hmmm.

Last night I saw a really cool Suzanne Vega poster advert thing on eBay and I think I might treat myself to it. I don't know why, but I just like it lots. It'll be my first eBay purchase and it's from the USA. Rather exciting.

I'm lunching at the moment. I had bran flakes with rice milk (because I'm lactose intolerant) for breakfast and I decided to have the same for lunch. Not because I don't have anything else to eat. I have lots that I could eat. I'm just really avant garde. I'm breaking the mould man. And for dessert, I'm satisfying my sweetcorn addiction. Because I caaaaaan duuuude. Extreme lunching.

And now I shall listen to music and anticipate a tummy ache.

TTFN xxxx

Waiting for a potato

2010-10-17T19:35:00.005+01:00

Hellooo there. :)

I just thought I'd do a blog post. :)

I think I'm getting into the swing of Uni life now. I'm starting to feel grown up and I'm getting to grips with looking after myself! Washing, cooking, cleaning, being tidy, working - it's hard to fit it all in!

I'm enjoying the course - I find all of my lectures interesting. My favourite lectures are about Electronic Music. Our lecturer is trying to help turn us into 'thinking musicians'...we're constantly questioning what music is and what can be classed as music. Where does the term 'music' actually end? Or is it an infinite term?

I find that kind of thing really interesting. Stuff that makes you think. :)

We've just been set the task of writing a piece of music which contains only one pitch! Which will a be a challenge - but a very cool one. It'll be interesting to hear everyone's unique interpretations. I have to decide what I'd like to express and then get recording! I'm quite excited actually.

I'm writing this blog as I'm waiting for my baked potato to cook. They take ages don't they? I think I need to invest in a metal skewer as it says on the packet that it halves cooking time - and I'm slow enough as it is already!

I've also found myself some recording equipment now, so I should be a little more active. :) I'll post my one pitch piece when it's done too. It'll be very different! Hopefully not too terrible though! Lol. I'm quite liking the limitation of this task actually. When people give you too much choice things start getting scary and I tend to drift aimlessly from one idea to the next. Boundaries provide comfort sometimes. :)

Anyhow, my potato is nearly done.

TTFN!

Hollyxxxxx

University

2010-10-04T07:49:00.000+01:00

Hello everyone :)

So, here I am - at Uni.

I'm coping better than I thought I would. Things are so busy at the moment that you don't really get time to dwell on things. I feel very lucky to have met some lovely people too. :)

The course starts today, which I am quite excited about. :) I have Electronic Music at 11am.

I'd better go now and get ready. :)

TTFN,

I hope you are all well. :)

Holly

xxxxx

P.S - Sorry for this being really short. - I'll write little updates and things when I can.xxx

Quite Blue - an original song by Holly Kirby

2010-09-22T22:03:00.000+01:00

Hi everyone. :)

Here it is - my 200th post and my last video before University. (Only three sleeps to go! Eek!)

I hope you like it. :)

Lots of love xxxxx

Smooth Talking - original song by Holly Kirby

2010-09-16T13:07:00.000+01:00

Hi everyone - one of a few that I intend to post on YT before I go (next week). (AAAAH!)

Bestival :)

2010-09-15T15:40:00.000+01:00

Hello everyone. :)

So the other day I played at the Bestival, which was rather cool. :)

This time, I had company on stage - in the form of the lovely Olli, who helped me to produce my album.

So we arrived at Bestival, and set off to look for the Gazebo In The Woods, where we were set to be playing. It took us about 40 minutes to actually find the gazebo. It was hidden well! Well actually it wasn't, but we took a turning off when we should have just followed the straight path.

- Anyway, after a while we managed to find the gazebo and watched the act before us whilst we got ready to play.

We had half an hour - here's our set list...

Beautiful Deceit

Warmer In May

Sweet Romance

Gold & Blue

Smooth Talking

Riddles & Rhymes

99 Luftballons

And here are a few piccies. (Ta Donna! :))

The Gazebo in the Woods...

Ooh look! A fairy! :P (Or butterfly...)

Holly and Olli - the fact that our names are so similar caused a great deal of confusion. Lol...

A winking, drinking fairy...lol

If you'd like to see some more Bestival photos then there's a gallery here. I'm sure you can get the general vibe from the pics. ;)

IWCP Gallery

I hope you are all well. :)

TTFN,

Holly

xxxxx

Urge For...Writing

2010-09-04T18:05:00.000+01:00

I have an urge for writing, but I have no idea what I'm going to write, so I'll just go with the flow and see which letters my fingers choose.

Things are gearing up towards going off to University now. I'm pretty nervous actually. I'll miss the Island and the people on it so much. I'm very much a home-bod and I don't like to be away for any long stretch of time. For me, a month is a long stretch. Anyway, I'm sure I'll be fine. It's not like all ties will be cut or anything. I have technology to help me out there. I've also cyber-met some people from the course, and they seem nice, so that's all good.

I've been thinking a lot about lyrics recently. - About the rhythm that they make, the different sounds and emotions that they generate. I think a big part of why I love singing so much is actually about how the words feel when they come out of your mouth. Ok, that might sound a bit weird, but it's true. Sometimes I listen to a song, and there's a certain line or phrase that just clicks with me, so I do a cover, just so I can have a go at singing those lines. I think that's part of the reason that I love Suzanne Vega's songs. They're very lyrically focussed. The lyrics are very clever, imaginative and make you think. I was just going to try to pick out an example from one of her songs, but there are too many parts in too many of her songs that I love. Instead I'll leave you with a little selection of some of my favourites of hers...

In Liverpool, Blood Makes Noise, Gypsy.

When I write songs I now think more about how the words sound, rather than making the meaning concise. The meaning behind the words is still very important to me, but sometimes it's nice to let the mind wander. In the more ambiguous songs it's like you're giving a kind of framework to the listener and they build their own unique story around it. As a listener I find that very freeing. And inspiring. An ambiguous song holds a variety of different meanings, whereas a concise one is limited.

I've recently written a song which doesn't really 'end'. It's not a never-ending song, but there's no conclusion. It kind of makes you feel uncomfortable and I wonder to myself how it will go down at performances. Whether people will be intrigued and talk to me about it...or think...well that's a bit annoying! - However - the subject of the song is waiting and waiting for something...and when the time that she's waiting for arrives...nothing really happens. - So it kind of fits in with the mood of the song.

When you write from inside you, you are writing your direct thoughts, and thoughts are continuous. They don't end - you always continue to wonder...

I would post the song, but I've currently got a really annoying cold. :( I've had to cancel a gig because of it. Grrr...

I'm performing at Bestival next weekend and the fancy dress theme this year is 'fantasy'. I have no idea what I'm going to go as. There are the normal fantasy kind of things like fairies and stuff, but I normally like to go for something a bit different. I might take 'fantasy' in the more abstract sense of the word. Imagination rather than fairytale.

Anyway, I'd better go now.

Speak soon. :)

Holly

xxxxx

Wickham Festival & BBC Radio Solent

2010-08-10T15:08:00.000+01:00

Hello everyone :)

How are you? I hope you are all good. :)

Things are pretty busy around here at the mo. I've got a few things to report on, and have a few more coming up soon. Also, I have started getting ready for Uni! Another chapter is about to begin...so I'm kind of mentally preparing myself for that too. I will continue to write in my blog whilst at Uni...but not from home. Aaaaah! From my room at Uni. How very strange that thought is. I'm a little scared/apprehensive...but I'm ready to embrace the change. I think it'll do me good.

So.

Friday was a very exciting day - I was invited to play at Wickham Festival! So early in the morning, (too early for me) we got up and set off for the mainland. Wickham is a little place near Botley in Southern England...here's the festival's website...

www.wickhamfestival.co.uk

It was so lovely and chilled. A really family friendly kind of festival. Everyone (well, almost everyone) had brought their own fold-out chairs to sit on. - The stage was a big top kind of thing. And it was quite big! I said in my set, I think it's the loudest I've ever been! Lol.

Here are a few piccies from it. (Courtesy of Donna Taylor)

I had my own artist portacabin!!! How cool is that?!

And it had my name next to the door and everything!!! :D The toilets were rather posh too! And the soaps had a little 'welcome' on them...

I thought that was particularly impressive.

Here's a picture of me onstage with a singing face.

And here's one of a part of the audience too...

So that was pretty cool! :) I had a lovely time - and they were a really nice audience. The organisers were also really nice and we were made to feel very welcome.

Then the next day we got up early again and headed of towards the Mainland. - This time to BBC Radio Solent. :) I was very excited about this as we have it on at home every day and was looking forward to seeing what it looked like and how everything works there.

I went over on the ferry with Dad, Donna and my guitar to sing some tunes on Sally Taylor's Saturday morning show - aka - Sally On Saturday. Here's the link...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p001d7h1

The show was live (aaaaah!) so I was a bit nervous about that! But I managed to get through the songs and interview without any cringeworthy mistakes. (Phew! Lol.)

The interview/songs are available to listen to on my website...

www.hollykirbymusic.com

...halfway(ish) down the page.

I had a really great time and it was lovely to meet Sally and Geoff (the producer). The songs I sang were 'Smooth Talking' and 'Warmer In May' - I haven't put these on YouTube yet - but I hope to soon. :)

Here are a few pics...

That scary red light means that we're live. (Aah!!!)

Here's one of Sally, Holly and Geoff. :)

So that was a very cool day! :D

And tomorrow I have got another gig at the Anchor, at which I hope to meet some very special German friends! ;) ...and it's also a certain photographer I know's birthday! ;)

Anyway, I'd best be off - hope you're well! :)

TTFN xxxxx

Gigs number 2 :)

2010-07-31T13:12:00.000+01:00

Hello peeps! :)

I'm back with the 2nd instalment of the recent gig blog thing.

Ok now where were we?...

Ah yes.

After Folkstation I had a nice gig at the Woodvale. I say 'nice' because it's a good place to play. It's kind of like practice. - I don't mean that in a bad way - I just mean that people are sort of listening, and sort of not. It's kind of in between a concert and a pub gig. Anyway - I did my 2 hour set. Actually I think I did 2 and half hours - and I felt it the next day. :-S

Here's a photo taken by a friend called Ben (hope it's OK to use it!) at the Woodvale...

Then the next day I woke up feeling very tired with a croaky voice...and I had two gigs to do. :-S

The first one was a really lovely little festival called 'FONStival' - the FONS standing for 'Friends Of Niton School'. A lady asked me to play there after seeing me perform on the Acoustic Stage at the IW Festival. She has a lovely little girl who also sings and plays the guitar. Maybe a duet is in order! :)

Then later in the evening I went out to perform at Dimbola Lodge. It's a lovely place and I met some great people. Dimbola Lodge was home to the Victorian photographer, Julia Margaret Cameron...here's the website if you're interested in having a look...
http://www.dimbola.co.uk/

I performed at a gig called 'Home Made 2' along with two other acts - Michael Champion and Hosanna Rhythms. It was Vaguely Sunny's 150th gig so it felt a bit special to play there... :)
Here's a pre-event article... http://www.iwcp.co.uk/news/music/150-for-vaguely-sunny-33748.aspx
(Do you think they're running out of pictures? Lol)

I felt especially lucky to play at Dimbola because of its history. Tennyson would have been to Dimbola many times, so Lady felt very much at home there. ;)

I'm afraid I don't have any pics from those two events as Donna wasn't there. Lol.

TTFN,

Hollyxxxxx

Some gigs. :)

2010-07-30T10:39:00.000+01:00

Hi everyone! :)

Thought it was about time I did a quick update to say 'hi' and to let you know what I've been up to recently. :)

Hmm...now where were we?!...Ah yes...

The last gig I seem to have written about was the IW Festival...and that seems like ages ago now. Next up was a gig organised by Vaguely Sunny and Nichola Bailey for Ryde Arts Festival. - It was held in a lovely little cafe called Missy J's. There were 5 acts playing altogether. - It was lovely meeting other musicians - and they were all really nice. It was a really intimate gig - I think there were only about 36 tickets available! But it was really different and quirky. :)

Here are a couple of pics...(ta Donna! ;))

The venue!

Some person plinking around before her set.

The lads' set + intimate audience.

Next up after that was Folkstation! :) Folkstation is a little folk festival set up by Oila Woighers at Havenstreet - a really lovely old railway station. We were exceedingly lucky with the weather (brilliant sunshine). There was a lovely chilled out atmosphere too. I did a 45 minute set and I really enjoyed it. I felt a tad nervous which was a bit annoying, but everyone seemed really friendly so I chilled out a bit after a few songs. It was a really hot day and the lights on the stage made it even more hot too. :-S

Here's our local paper's article (mini version) - they did a big piece about it in the actual paper...

http://www.iwcp.co.uk/news/news/all-aboard-for-folkstation-33691.aspx

And I had a really nice little sentence bit!!!...It said...

Island singer Holly Kirby was a particular highlight, drawing one of the biggest crowds of the weekend.

Hehe!!! How cool!!! :D

And I also had a really nice bit in The Gazette as well...

Next up was Holly Kirby, who at only 18 (actually 19 but we'll let them off :P) is fast becoming famous for her lyrical style and soulful clear voice. Her latest CD 'AWoman You Don't Know' is particularly memorable and her voice has been compared to Joni Mitchell's.

Bit cool!!!! :D :8D (That's a blushing face. Lol)

I also have a few more to write about, but I'll come back to those because this post will be quite big if I do them here. :)

TTFN!

Hollyxxxxx

Image

2010-07-06T10:41:00.000+01:00

I've always had a thing about image. - Well, not a thing about it. - Fascinated by it really.

I experimented with it a bit in my video 'Who Are You?'

The words of the song are about discovering who you are, your acceptance of that person, and acceptance from others. And as well as urging the listener to do the same, I was sort of pushing the boundaries a bit...wanting to know if they'd still accept me if I messed around with my hair/face.

And the comments were really interesting. I think I got one comment that said "creepy"...and there were a lot of really nice positive comments about the message of the song. The "creepy" comment was interesting. - Sometimes when we come across things which are very 'different' to us, we kind of block them out or label them as 'a bit weird' because it makes us feel uncomfortable. But people change, and I think as we grow older, we become more accepting. New ideas are refreshing and anything which challenges us to think differently is good.

I've never really gone through the whole - I'm going to experiment with my image - stage. And I want to desperately. When I was seven or eight I had really long blonde hair down to my waist. Then I wanted to have it cut. So I had it cut all short. Bit like a boy really. And when you're a young child, you don't wear make up or anything, so I got called 'mate' and 'nip' quite a lot. Then I grew it again and about seven years later I had it cut short again, and really didn't like it. It's like the seven year itch, but with hair. Lol. And if that rule applies, I'm due to get fed up and cut it again soon. I was planning on doing it just before I go to Uni, because then people wouldn't have seen me with long hair. But I don't know...

I'm not a very confident person and I think you've got to be a really brave, strong person to do experiment with how you look. I'm getting better as I get older, but I still have this annoying little worry inside me about what other people think...and I'm writing songs about it not mattering!

The other day I got an email from someone telling me that I should eat less and get back to the weight I was before. At first I was really upset and angry, but I don't really feel that now. I've had it before...and 'hurting don't come easy to the scarred'. ;) And if I did get back to the weight I was 'before' - whenever that was - I'd have to put on weight. I'm quite tall (5'10") and for the past few years I've been hovering around the 11 stone mark. My BMI came right in the middle of the 'healthy weight' category, but I made it my new year's resolution to lose weight by exercising more. I don't eat a great deal, but singing and making videos doesn't burn many calories. So, now I do more exercise. And I currently weigh 9 stone 11 pounds. I've probably just broken all of the womanly rules by stating my weight, but it doesn't really bother me. It's about how you feel, rather than the number, and I feel OK. I'd like to tone up a bit, but I'm working on it.

Anyway, this wasn't meant to be about my hair and weight. It was meant to be about image and how people are portrayed.

I'll just leave you with this video. I'm now embarrassed of this video, as I am with all my old ones, but never mind...the message is still valid I think...

TTFNxxxxx

Phoebe

2010-07-01T08:56:00.000+01:00

Hello everyone :)

I thought I'd better introduce you to the latest member of our family. Her name is Phoebe. Yes, I've given it a name because I'm really cool. ;)

I HAVE A CAR!!!

How cool!!! :D

She's a little Ford Fiesta Finesse. (Hence a name beginning with an 'F' sound too.) I got her yesterday. Dad drove her back from the owner's house, with me in the passenger's seat, then we got petrol and I bought an air freshener. Lol. I felt I had to. Not because it was smelly, but it's the kind of thing you buy for a car, and I hadn't had to buy anything for a car before. I also bought a little bear for the dashboard, but he's a bit big for the dashboard really, so I strapped him into the back seat. (Don't say anything.)

After getting the petrol, we drove to a place where I could have a little potter around and get used to the car. And that was fine. I think Dad was a bit worried about getting in the car with me though. And the drive home kind of reinforced the reason to worry. I drove Dad home. It's only about three roads/five minutes away. But in that time I managed to stall twice and put the windscreen wipers on nearly every time I meant to use the indicators. One stall was when I was just setting off, so that wasn't too bad. No one was around. Then one was on the drive at home. Ooooops. Then we got home and had a little chat and after that I drove Dad and I down to the beach and around some roads and stuff, and I was fine then, and I felt more comfortable. It's really just getting used to things in the car, the clutch, indicators etc....they were on the other side in the car that I learnt in. ;)

Then after that I dropped Dad home and drove to the beach again to surprise Ben. He was pretty surprised. Lol. :) I think he was a bit nervous about me driving to start with, but he said he trusts me. We're WELL rebellious really, speeding and everything *cough cough*...here's a conversation to prove it...

Holly: "It's hard to believe we're only doing 25mph!" (In a 30mph limit)
Ben: "Yes, it feels much faster!"

Hahaha. :)

It's a really strange feeling suddenly having this freedom. When I was driving on my own last night, I put a CD on and felt like I was in my own little bubble (I was still concentrating and everything, but you know what I mean)...I felt comfortable driving.

The other day I went into HMV and bought Suzanne Vega's latest album - 'Close-Up, Vol 1, Love Songs' and also, 'Retrospective' which is her 'best of' album. I had a listen to the Close Up one straight away - (highly recommend it by the way!) but I thought - I know - I'll save Retrospective and make it the first CD I play when I get a car. I already knew the songs on it, but it's good to have them all on one CD. I didn't know when I'd be getting a car at that time, but I knew/hoped it wouldn't be too far away. If it took longer than a couple of weeks I don't think I could've resisted opening it. But as it happens, it didn't take too long, so I put the CD on and found myself driving along to 'Small Blue Thing'. :)

I'll put up a few photos later. I did take a couple earlier, but they're a bit naff.

Edit:

OK, here's a photo of her. :)

She's so coooool. :) We're still getting used to each other at the mo, but having fun doing it. :)

TTFN xxxxx

Hearts & Roses - an original song by Holly Kirby

2010-06-22T00:29:00.000+01:00

I think it's called my destiny...

2010-06-15T17:12:00.000+01:00

Today I feel like I have a tidy mind...it must be because I tidied my room recently. But because I have a tidy mind, I can see all of the things that were previously blocked out by clutter.

I had a bit of a moment today where I suddenly thought...

This is what I want to be. I want to be a singer/songwriter. I know this whole year has been aimed at me doing my music and working as a musician. But I know now that this is what I want to do.

I've always 'wanted' to do it, but not with a great conviction. When you're at school, you're asked what you want to do after you've finished school, and generally it's a career which is based around your education...your GCSEs, A-Levels or whatever...and you aim towards that particular career. I'm currently on this path. I have accepted my place on a University course to study Creative Music Technology, after which I plan to study to become a teacher. The theory I have been following is this: if anything magical happens along the way, then that's great. If it doesn't, it doesn't. But now...I don't feel that's enough.

Singer/songwriter for a living has always been an afterthought. But if it's what I love to do, then why is it an afterthought?

Because...

There's no stability in the career.

There are so many who want to be the same thing.

Much of it is being in the right place at the right time.

It's a gamble.

But recently I've come to realise that it really it is what I want to do.

When I see a stage, I want to be up there, and when I'm up there, I don't want it to end.

I live by Walt Disney's quote: If you can dream it, you can do it.

But why am I ignoring this when it comes to a career in music?

It seems that now, things are picking up, and I'm getting more gigs and I'm learning a lot and I'm enjoying it. I'm getting some lovely feedback from people, the Island's music scene is brilliant, and when I go to Uni, it's just going to stop. I can say that I'll come back for gigs, but it's easier said than done. The total journey time is about 2 and a half hours, and I'm sure that I'll be busier up there than I first imagined I'd be.

Which leads me to think about my Uni course again. Over the past year and a bit I've been iffy about it. - Wondering whether it's the course for me etc....

Thinking of Holly as a musician...I put myself into my songs. I don't want to go to Uni to learn how to write better bass lines, or to create better mixes. I don't have to do everything myself. When I'm at gigs I present myself, my voice, my words, my simple chords, my melodies and it seems to go down well.

I'm not saying that's all I need. But to grow and become a better singer/songwriter I don't need to know how to create a really good mix. I have a basic knowledge of production etc. and I know how I like things to sound. To grow as a singer/songwriter, I need these things...

Life experience

Guitar lessons (!)

A larger range of vocabulary

That's what I feel I need. Recently I haven't had a chance to do any reading, so I'm not improving. Sometimes when I'm writing lyrics I feel as though I'm trapped in a pen or something. (Not the writing implement kind, but the other kind.) And the boundaries are closing in and so is my mind. And you can't write songs with a closed mind. And I don't think studying Creative Music Technology will improve my vocabulary.

Yesterday I had the pie in the sky idea of doing an Open University course in English from home and still being able to pursue a music career. So now I'm going to do a list of pros and cons...

Let's get the cons out of the way first...

CONS:

It means that I'd be living at home still, and I don't want to be sponging of my parents if I don't have any gigs for a while. (I imagine they'd probably like some peace and quiet too!)

I wouldn't gain the 'life experience' that Uni has to offer.

I wouldn't have a base to do gigs from in Guildford.

(I'm sure there are more...I'll come back to it...)

PROS:

I'd be able to continue with my Island gigs. Regular slots etc.

I wouldn't get homesick!

I'd still get a degree and I'd HAVE to read.

My vocabulary would improve and I could have guitar lessons on the Island.

(I got an A for A-Level English and a C for Music (a D for the composition section))

And I've done OK living on the Island this year. I've had some wonderful experiences. The trip to London...meeting Suzanne Vega...an incredibly fun album launch...making the album...gigs...passing my driving test...it's not like I've missed out by being here.

I wish I didn't feel as though it's expected of me to go to University. But that's how it is. To get a good job, that's the general, secure way to go.

I'll stop now before I start going round in circles.

TTFN xxxxx

Isle of Wight Festival 2010

2010-06-14T15:32:00.000+01:00

Yo yo everyone :)

Goodness! It's been a while! Lol. Now what is there to report...?

AH! Yes, Isle of Wight Festival! :)

Well, on Friday I played in the Kashmir Cafe. :) I played for about 45 minutes, and it was really fun. :) There's always a lovely atmosphere - very chilled. Here's a pic...

(All photos courtesy of Donna ;))

I don't know what I was doing there. But this photo shows that I have legs so I thought I'd put it on.

I did a mixture of covers and originals. I think that 'Paint It Black' had the biggest clap. Lol. :)

Then on Saturday I wasn't playing at all so we just enjoyed the day (though it was very tiring) and watched the artists. In the morning we watched Melanie perform. I thought she was brilliant. At the end of her set she sang with one of our local choirs, which was really moving. I had tingles the whole way through!

Here's a video of the performance on Youtube...(They also went into 'Give Peace A Chance' at the end which was brilliant, but it got cut off the end of this video.)

We also saw Little Boots on the Acoustic Stage who was brilliant. She's got a great voice and is a fab piano player too. After that we watched Crowded House, who were good...and then in the evening we watched Blondie who were cool. :)

I also got to wear my uber cool wellies. (Please excuse the legs!)

Then on Sunday came the day for me to play on the Acoustic Stage. :D When I woke up in the morning I was a bit nervous, but when I was getting ready and saw the people who were going to be watching I felt fine. :)

So I started off with Gold & Blue. I was singing away happily, but I could tell that something wasn't quite the ticket, as people were pulling funny faces and the sound people looked a bit flustered. Then, near the end of the song people started clapping. :-S That confused me a lot...then I was told that people could only hear my guitar, and not my voice! I think that someone was left with the audio who wasn't really sure what was going on, and a setting was selected that shouldn't have been. But the man who was controlling my monitors (who was very good) went and sorted it out. :)

After that I did 'Beautiful Deceit', then 'Gone For Good', 'Riddles & Rhymes', 'Gold & Blue' (with voice!) and finished with 'Poetry'.

I really really enjoyed it, and people said some really lovely things afterwards. :)

Here are a few piccies...

I particularly like this one....Haha! This lady just started dancing in front of the stage. I dedicated Beautiful Deceit to her and she did a big ending and everything! Lol...

And I gave her a special clap at the end too. :)

Then in the evening we went back to the Acoustic Stage to watch Suzanne Vega. :) And because I played on the stage earlier I had my backstage pass - so I went back and met her! :D She's really nice. - I had my piccy taken with her too. :)

Her set was definitely the highlight of the Festival for me. :)

I hope you're all well. :)

TTFN from a very happy Hollyxxxxx

A (not so) speedy update...

2010-06-02T15:09:00.000+01:00

Hello everyone :)

Just thought I'd do a quick update. :)

I've got a gig tonight so most of my day has been spent preparing for that. It's at the Anchor Inn this time - 9pm start. :)

Also...I did my driving test today.

I PASSED!!!!!! WOOOOOO!!!! :D

First time too! YEAH!!! I thought that I'd failed when we arrived back at the test centre, but he said..."I'm pleased to tell you that you've passed. Congratulations." And I said "Really?! Wow! Thank you!"

I got five minors. You're allowed to have 15 minor faults - 16 and you fail. One was for moving off safely...I think one time I moved off I was still partly looking over my shoulder. One was for observations at a junction...I didn't see a car until the last minute (but it was still safe)...and the other three minors were for going too slowly. OOPS! Lol.

Anyway, I'd better go and practise for tonight's gig.

TTFN!

Lots of love,

Hollyxxxxxxx

YES!!! :D

2010-05-27T11:53:00.001+01:00

Hello there! :)

How is everyone? It's been a little while since I've done a post, as I've had a busy week!

Now, where do I start?...Ok...

On Friday (May 21st) I had a gig at the Woodvale. - It was a very enjoyable gig, as it always is down there, but a few things went wrong...for example... we had a lot of feedback from the equipment. It's probably our fault because we're novices, but it's very frustrating. Then it goes away, and you don't really know why it's gone away. Anyhow - that was a bit annoying. And then at the end of the second set, my music stand decided to give up, throwing all of my music on to the floor...hm. Luckily it was at the end and I only had about three more songs to go, so I just picked the three up and got on with it. Then at the end a lovely man came up to me and said that he'd been watching me on YouTube for a while and had come all the way from Germany to the Woodvale to watch me! :-O So the gig had some really cool bits! And also some not so cool bits (stand etc.)! Lol.

The next day I was up bright and early (after falling into bed at about 1am - eek!) to go to Platform One for the Wight Noize industry showcase. It was a bit scary, but the judges said some lovely things about my voice, words, image...which was really cool - and I made it onto the shortlist for the Acoustic Stage at the IW Festival! Which is cool. I'm just waiting to hear a bit more from them about that. :)

And then on Sunday I went out to Ventnor to do a bit of filming...well...I wasn't doing the filming, I was being filmed for a promo vid for Ventnor Fringe Festival. (http://www.vfringe.co.uk/) It was lots of fun. :D They were making a set of little videos in the style of La Blogotheque's Take Away Shows.

( http://www.blogotheque.net/spip.php?page=cae_all&lang=en )

One of the recordings involved me walking into a cafe full of people whilst singing Beautiful Deceit - which was very fun! :D Hopefully you'll be able to see them at some point.

Then I had my driving lesson on Monday, and I was shockingly terrible, or terribly shocking...as my test is looooming... :-S I also went into Newport to sort out some extra bits and bobs for the album launch...

Then on Tuesday...

ALBUM LAUNCH!

I woke up in the morning and felt very very nervous and also pretty tired...Violet kept waking me up in the night as she wasn't very well. :-S Then I got my set list prepared and organised things for the evening...

In the afternoon Mum and I went up to the Quay Arts for the soundcheck and met a duck who was on his travels. The duck, whose name was Xeno, filmed the performance in the evening, which was very kind of him. :)

After the soundcheck Mum and I whizzed home and I quickly got changed for the evening and had something to eat. Then we whizzed back to the Quay and I tried to calm down a bit whilst feeling very nervous...

Then the bell rang for the audience to come upstairs and take their seats. I hid behind the wings and spied on the audience coming into the theatre. - As I watched more and more people come in, I felt less and less nervous, and more excited! It was such a cool feeling. Then Stuart, the brilliant sound/lighting man introduced me and I went onto the stage. All of the seats were filled and there were some people standing too!!! I was like :-O

I had such a brilliant time. It's the first time in ages that I've felt so comfortable on the stage. Actually, I think it's the first time ever. There have been times before that have come close...but this was a different feeling. I felt comfortable on the stage, and I also felt comfortable being me. I'm a bit of a wally, and generally I feel a bit embarrassed for being a bit of a wally, but on Tuesday it felt like people were accepting me for my wallyishness and laughing at me in a good way, rather than in a bad way. And I had some lovely, lovely feedback from people (not the screechy noise kind!). In the break and at the end, people were queueing to talk to me and for me to sign things!!! That's never happened before! Lol.

We have some pictures from the evening too. - I do believe that the aforementioned Xeno took some, and we also have some courtesy of Donna...I shall put them on Facebook and come back and put a link on here. :) Here's one of them just for now...

Waffle hands! Lol. :)

TTFN! :)

Lots of love from a very happy Hollyxoxoxoxoxox

P.S - I'd just like to say an ENORMOUSLY HUGELY MASSIVE THANK YOU! To Vic of Vaguely Sunny promotions who helped me so much - and also to the lovely Xeno (who in fact is a human, and not a duck!) Larry and Trevor and Uncle Tim and Wolfgang and the Tassie Gang - for always being there - I couldn't have done it without you. :) xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Howdy :)

2010-05-19T08:46:00.000+01:00

Helloooo everyone :)

Just a quick update...

Things are getting quite busy at the mo - I've got a few things in a row later on this month...starting on Friday actually!

I'm at the Woodvale again on Friday, May 21st, singing out a mixture of originals and covers. :) Then on May 22nd I've got an 'industry showcase' thingy. - I've entered the competition 'Wight Noize'...the prize is a chance to play on the main stage at the festival, which would be incredible!...Here's a little bit about it from our local Island news blog...

http://ventnorblog.com/2010/04/07/wight-noize-2010-competition-launched/

And then on Sunday I may be shooting a little video for the Ventnor Fringe Festival...

http://www.vfringe.co.uk/

Which will be rather cool. :)

Then on Monday I'm driving...Tuesday...now what's on Tuesday.........

Oh yes.

ALBUM LAUNCH! Woo!

I'm going to call Quay Arts in a mo to check the ticket sales out. :) I'm also planning a few quirky things for the actual evening to make it a bit more...interactive. Lol.

And then I've got a little bit of a rest (performance wise) before the IW Festival. :)

Now I'd better go and call Quay Arts...

TTFN xxxxx

A trip to London...

2010-05-14T20:19:00.000+01:00

Hello everyone :)

I am back and I shall now tell you a bit about London. :)

Day 1

On Monday morning we (Donna and I) set off bright and early and boarded the Red Jet to get us across that little stretch of water. We were a bit excited...naturally...you may be able to tell...
Then when we reached the other side we went to the bus stop - after stopping off for a cuppa on the Southampton Red Jet side.

It's the first time we caught the Greyhound coach...but it was ever so easy. Here we are. :)

Then we got to Victoria Station and it was all very Londonish and exciting. We had been told to meet Tomas in Starbucks so I struggled with my phone, trying to find out exactly

where we were and how we'd get to Starbucks. We couldn't really work it out so we thought we'd just go for it and leave the station. After doing so we saw Starbucks directly opposite us. Hmmm...So we waited there for a bit before going to meet Amanda.

Amanda is a brilliant person. She's got such a presence...it's hard to explain. It's great to be around her...a very refreshing feeling. I wish I'd had more time to talk to her about things.

After meeting Amanda we caught the taxi to Katy's house, which is where we were staying. Katy is really lovely - she was very welcoming and made us feel really comfortable. :)

Carl, who was the DJ at the party, was also staying at Katy's...

Then later on we went out shopping with Amanda for something to wear. We

met Dounia and her lovely Mum too. Dounia is the very talented little girl who was also singing at the party. Shopping with Amanda was really cool and we got some lovely things. :)

In the evening Donna and I went out for a Thai meal. It was reeeeeally yummy. :D

Day 2

On Tuesday we got up and went to go and see Amanda again. Whilst she was at her tango lesson Tomas took us along Sloane Street. - We were going to see the Saatchi Gallery, but when we got there it was closed, so we just had a potter round and Tomas and I went to Subway and had a meatball roll thing. It was YUM. :)

Then we went back to Amanda's and I played some songs to her...we decided that I should perform Beautiful Deceit and Riddles and Rhymes at the party...

At that we went back to Katy's and ordered a yummy takeaway. :)

Day 3

On Wednesday (party day!) we went to the venue for a soundcheck. It was a lovely decommissioned church in Mayfair...

Then we went back to Amanda's to have our hair and make up done, which was really cool. :)

Here's Dounia and I...

Then we made our way to the venue to get ready for the party. :)

Dounia was on before I was - she was brilliant. She has such an amazing voice. Here's one of her videos on YouTube...

Then it was my turn. - I wasn't nervous really - more excited. It seems that once I get nervous I can't get rid of the feeling...but I managed to keep it at bay this time. So I went on and did my songs and then came off again. I got some claps which was good. :)

Then we enjoyed the rest of the party. :)

Amanda and Holly...

Then we went back to Katy's and went to sleep. :)

Day 4

On Thursday morning we both woke up feeling very tired. *Yaaaawn* We went downstairs and had breakfast and a chat before packing our bags, saying our goodbyes and heading home. :)

It was a great adventure...but it's also nice to be home again. :)

TTFN xxxxx

London!

2010-05-07T20:26:00.000+01:00

Hello everyone :)

I thought I'd just do a little blog to let you know that I'm going to be away for a few days. Well, I'll be back on Thursday. :)

I'm going up to London to play at a party in Mayfair. It's very exciting. I'll be sure to take some piccies. Donna's going up with me, so that'll be cool. :)

Amanda Eliasch found me on YouTube and enjoyed my music, so she contacted me through my website about playing at her birthday party. I'm really looking forward to it. :) - Being from an Island makes going on to 'THE MAINLAND' quite a big thing. It's funny what that little stretch of water can do...

Anyhow, it's sure to be a bit of an adventure - I'll let you know all about it when I get back. :)

We had a little choir performance today. - They were very good - they made me proud. :) We'll now be working towards the celebration evening at the end of term which will be good.

Also, I've booked my driving test...but I'm not going to tell you when it is. ;) It'll make me even more nervous! Lol. I'll just tell you when I've done it. :P

I hope you're all well and I'll speak to you soon. :)

TTFN and lots of love xxxxxx

The Album Launch & a lack of ideas...

2010-05-05T12:37:00.000+01:00

Hellooo there everyone. :)

I'm back with news of my album launch. :)

It will be held at the Quay Arts Centre, on May 25th (a Tuesday evening). Doors are open at 7pm, and the performance starts at 8pm. :) There is a bar (watching you Xeno) and there will be people tearing up tickets and everything. :D Cooool.

You can contact the Box Office on 01983 822490 :) - tickets are £1. :)

http://www.quayarts.org/event.aspx?id=2990 There's the venue's site with my little piccy there. - There should be some more text there shortly. :)

Also, - found out about this lovely write-up on the Bestival website today! How cool is that?!

Local Isle of Wight singer songwriter Holly Kirby has been writing and singing her own songs pretty much as long as she can remember. A gifted musician her folk based songs are beautifully lilting, intelligently written tales of love and loss held together by her wondrously heartbreaking vocals.

Her influences include Joni Mitchell, Loreena McKennitt and Sandy Denny and it’s no exaggeration to say that this young lady is well on her way to becoming as accomplished and successful as any of her heroes.

I think that's mighty lovely. :)

On the video front, I'm currently suffering from...er...video-maker's block. :-S Darren and I have done a trancey tune, and I'm really stuck for ideas. It's so tricky... :-S I'll keep thinking. I really want to get it on YouTube asap, because Darren has done such a great job with the music! Hmmm...

Better get to it!

Lots of love xxxxxxxx

Weeeell...

2010-04-29T12:47:00.000+01:00

Hi everyone. :) I hope you are groovy.

I...um...took my 'mock test'...well, it wasn't reeeeally a mock test...it was kind of just for me to see how a real test would be. I guess I've just defined 'mock test' haven't I? :-S Anyhooow...if it had been my real test, I would have...

failed. :-S

Right, what happened waaaas...I driving along this road, and then there was a learner driver (bloomin' learners) doing a turn in the road. So I stopped, all good. And then she continued along the road, and before I moved off again, I forgot to check over my shoulder, so that was an instant fail.

You can have up to 15 minor faults on your test before you fail, and no serious or dangerous faults. But I got 5 minors (dipping the clutch when I didn't need to, being too hesitant at a junction, not checking my mirrors in slow moving traffic, being a little bit far out from the kerb on a reverse round a corner, not looking in my mirror before changing gear) and a serious. It's OK though, it just means that I'll be extra, extra observant in the future. :)

I have also uploaded a little video of choir's Zombie. :) Sorry the sound quality isn't very good - it was done through my laptop.

Check out the harmonies for the chorus :D - I can't take credit for those - they were made by the lovely Chloe. :)

Anyway, I'd best be off now. Lots to do. :)

TTFN xxxxx

Progress...

2010-04-26T11:25:00.000+01:00

Hello everyone. :D

I though I'd just do a blog post before I go out driving. I'm a bit scared at the mo because my teacher says that I'm ready for my test. :-S It's a scary thought for me...and probably for other drivers too. :-S

So today we're doing a mock test to give me an idea of how I'd get on in a real test. Uh ooooh! Bit scared.

On the music front, my album sales appear to be going well. :D I finished my first box yesterday. (I got 10 boxes in total... ;)) I'll be publicising it a bit more over the next few days and will probably be putting a video on YouTube about it. :)

Other YouTubey things......Darren Smith and I have created another trancey tune. (Sorry TV! I know you love it really! :P) and I hope to be making a video for that one shortly. (As soon I have an idea.)

Also...my gorgeous choir have a little performance opportunity coming up shortly so we're preparing for that at the mo. On Friday we sang Zombie by The Cranberries. They're really quick at picking things up. I actually recorded a take of Zombie on my laptop - the quality isn't great, and the door opens and closes a few times and makes a funny sticky noise, but you can still hear their uber cool singing. :) I'll try to upload the audio track to show you when I come back from driving. :)

TTFN,

Hollyxx

Debut album available now!

2010-04-19T16:44:00.000+01:00

Hi everyone!

I've just got back from the Post Office where I sent off the pre-orders/donator's CDs. - Hopefully they should be with people soon - but I can't say exactly when because of the mahoosive volcanic ash cloud thing. :-S UK orders shouldn't be affected though.

So - Holly's first ever/debut album is finally available on the website under the Holly's Shop section. :D Phew! And the orders are coming in, so Holly is busy. :D All is groovy. :)

I'd better go and do some of my admin. I am now a business woman as well as a musician. Hah! I've always fancied the idea of power dressing...

:) TTFN xxxxx

THE CDS ARE HEEEERE!!! :D

2010-04-16T13:08:00.000+01:00

Yaaaaaaay!!! At last! They're here!!! All covered in plastic and new and cool. :D

Here are SIX of the TEN boxes!

I have a new seat! Hooray! Lol.

Now...have they sent me the right CDs?

They certainly have!!! :D

Reading the booklet! :)

Now comes the hard part...delivering etc. Hopefully all will be OK though. :) I can feel a to do list coming on...lol.

I guess I'd better get started!

They should be available for sale on my website this weekend/next week. I'll let you know. :D

TTFN xxxxx

YAY!......oh.

2010-04-15T12:37:00.001+01:00

Howdy peeps!

Today is Thursday - the CD delivery day...until I received a phone call saying that they are going to be delivering them tomorrow instead. Hmm. Oh well, I guess it gives me more time to make sure that I've got everything ready this end. :)

Ooh - by the way, I've sorted myself out on Second Life - and my name is 'Holly...' Hang on. Before I say my last name I have to explain that I had to choose it from a list of names that they provided. It's 'Holly Birdsong' - I chose that one because Birdsong is one of my favourite books, although very sad. And I like listening to the birds singing. :)

I don't know if you can find someone just be knowing their name, but there it is - if you come across me that's who I am. :) (And I'm wearing a red beret. :))

Anyway, I'd better go and do some admin. :)

TTFN and fingers crossed for tomorrow! xxxxxx

Second Life

2010-04-12T14:44:00.000+01:00

Hi everyone :)

I thought I'd just do a blog to let you know what's occurin'. :)

I got an email the other day from the manufacturers - and my CDs should be arriving here on Thursday! Eek! Exciting stuff though. :) - So now I'm just getting ready for when they arrive. :)

Thankyou for your brilliant comments about about about about love. :P (Especially you TV, I just knew you'd love it! Lol)

It was really great collaborating with Rob and Darren, - two very talented peeps. :) Lyrics by Rob, vocal melody/singing/video by Holly and musical production by Darren. :)

I warn you now - there may well be another cheesy trance tune by Darren and Holly on the way soon. - So keep a look out for that TV! ;)

Ah - also...

I've just joined Second Life. Here's a little bit about it if you don't know what it is...

Second Life is a three-dimensional virtual community created entirely by its membership. Members assume an identity and take up residence in Second Life, creating a customized avatar or personage to represent themselves. The avatar moves about in the virtual world using mouse control and intuitive keyboard buttons.

Second Life’s virtual world also includes sound; wind in the swaying trees, babbling brooks, audible conversation, and built-in chat and instant messaging. Residents buy property, start businesses, game with other residents, create objects, join clubs, attend classes, or just hang out. The rendering of Second Life is remarkable, making it an instant guilty pleasure.

I joined because I've been reading various articles about marketing music and its name has cropped up a few times. Apparently, musicians are able to put on live gigs in Second Life - their live audio playing out as if their little avatar thingy is singing. It's also great for socialising...

So I downloaded it the other day and my little avatar thing got plonked down into this brand new 'Second Life' world. There were lots of people walking around me...(real people, aaah!)...and I couldn't help feeling the same shy/nervous feeling that I do in real life. (Or 'First Life' as I believe 'Second Life' people call it.)

So I quickly switched to 'Edit Appearance' mode where no one could talk to me...what a wuss...and tried to make me look more like me. Admittedly, that's not the point of Second Life...you can go wild and get multiple piercings/tattoos etc., but because I'm on there as myself, as a musician, I thought it best to try and copy my own appearance. If I turned myself into a beautiful buxom brunette, then people would be pretty disappointed when they saw what I actually looked like! :P

I've been on Second Life twice so far. I'm currently wandering round, trying to find a hairstyle that's a bit like mine, preferably a beret that's a bit like mine and hopefully clothes that are a bit like mine. - You can't easily design your own clothes/hair so people make shops which 'sell' them. Second Life actually has its own currency called 'Linden Dollars' - The current exchange rate is about 250 Linden Dollars to 1 US Dollar. I haven't spent any money yet. - You don't really have to - lots of places do things for free. Well, some places. Haven't found a free beret yet though. :-S

I haven't spoken to anyone yet either. I'm a little bit scared. I need the security of a beret and a different hairstyle to do that. You know when a lady says 'Ooh I can't answer the door, I haven't got my make-up on!'? - Well I kind of feel a bit like that at the moment. Lol.

Anyway, I'm still getting the hang of it. There seems like lots to learn about, but once I've got myself sorted out appearance-wise I'll be hanging round the musicy bits for a couple of minutes each day. On Second Life, you can even build houses, get married etc. - it's incredible. I don't think I'll be doing that though. Lol.

TTFN xxxxxx

P.S - If any of you use Second Life, then I'll post my name on here when I've sorted myself out! Lol.xxx

About Love...

2010-04-11T10:21:00.001+01:00

Holly did a vid...

Intervieeeew. :)

2010-04-06T13:29:00.001+01:00

Hello everyone! :)

I thought I'd just do a blog post to say 'hello'. :) I hope you're all well...we've got lovely weather over here today. - Sunny...although a bit 'airish'. ;)

I'm still waiting for my CDs - hopefully they'll be here next week. Oooooh! Exciting! (It's taking a while isn't it! Lol) They'll be available from my website as soon as I get them though. :)

- Oh - also, I did an interview a few days ago - if you'd like to have a look, it's on this blog...

http://nickolarse.blogspot.com/2010/04/interview-holly-kirby.html

Nick's really nice and has been around on YouTube for a while - you may recognise his username. :)

TTFN,

Holly xxxxx

P.S - I hope to be uploading a collaboration soon - be warned - it's very different! Lol. :)

To sell? Or not to sell...?

2010-04-01T15:22:00.001+01:00

Hello everyone :)

I hope you're well. :) I just thought I'd do a quick blog whilst I'm waiting for my music computer to 'warm up'!

My CD is currently at the printers and I have been informed that I will receive all the copies back...all 1000! (eek!)...in about a week and a half. - Though we won't know for sure until they confirm a date. It's getting more and more real! - Well, it was real anyway, but you know what I mean. ;) Now I have to sort out my jiffy bags ready for sending them out to people. :) (Hopefully anyway! Lol) I have an image in my head of myself just sitting here with a pile of boxes of CDs and jiffy bags, just refreshing my inbox checking for orders, and never getting rid of them. :-S

A bit like this really...

Let's hope not! :-S *I'm crossing my fingers already*...

As you can see, Violet will do nothing to help me...though she was pretty helpful with the artwork...

"Oh yes! That's me!...Good choice..."

Anyway, I shall leave you in peace now. As you can see, I'm not the greatest drawer! Lol.

Lots of love xxxxx

P.S - You can click on the artwork, Violet and Holly photo to make it bigger and get a sort of preview of the album art. :)

Contemplation on a comment...

2010-03-26T12:14:00.000Z

Hi everyone :)

A good friend posted an interesting comment on my latest video...and it made me think...so I'm just going to write down a few of those thoughts...

The comment said that I must have lived a lot of life to be able to write the things I do. Which I thought was very interesting.

It's strange, but I really haven't in certain ways. I don't get out much, my idea of fun is just sat listening to Joni Mitchell on vinyl and watching the world go by from my bedroom window. Or sitting at the top of Tennyson Downs and just thinking.

It's a very innocent way to be I guess. People have commented (in real life...not that YouTube etc. isn't real life - but you know what I mean... :)) that I'm naive and quite innocent, and that it seems like I don't know what goes on in the real world. I'm living as if I were seven still...but I know what the 'real world' is like. Hang on, what is the 'real world'? Surely the phrase is defined by the individual...it has billions of different meanings.

It seems the definition according to teenagers living in England is going out, trying to fit in with those around you to seem 'cool' (whatever that means) - by (maybe) drinking and preferably looking like someone from a magazine. People have said to me (people my own age) - 'You're a teenager! Act like one.' Which I think is ridiculous...that's like saying...'You're an OAP! Act like one!' You'd get a lot more stick for saying that. It feels like they think you should fit into a certain box, and because you don't, it confuses them.

I am who I am. And I like living that way, and I'm not doing anyone any harm, so I'm not going to change. I like talking to people who are older than me because I find what they have to say is interesting and I feel I learn from them. I like reading poetry, because I find it interesting. I like learning about software, because it's interesting. I love music and the effect it has on us, because it's interesting. I find 'interesting' just as fun as (I expect) teenagers find normal teenager-esque things that I'm not inclined to...

Back to the comment...

On the surface...I guess the answer is no. I haven't really 'lived'. But mentally, I guess I have. From the situations and people I've encountered I've learnt to separate what I feel is important from the not so important. - And I guess I've decided on different things to people around me who are my age.

My songs are stories, thoughts and moments based around the things I find important.

The fact that my parents are slightly older parents might have something to do with it. As a child I remember being taught to have respect, good manners etc. and going through school I encountered people who hadn't been taught those things...and I didn't like the look of being shouted at in front of the class, so I decided to stick with my good manners and respect....of course, you make the decisions subconsciously though.

When I think back to my childhood, there are a few things that really stand out.

When it was time for me to go to bed, my Mum would come into my room and say goodnight to me, and sing bits of songs to me. Que Sera Sera, A Mouse Lived In A Windmill and Killing Me Softly. And every other night, my Dad would come in and tell me stories about when he was younger and the things that he and his friends used to do. I used to love that so much.

And I've carried that love of creativity with me. And I apply it to things I encounter everyday. I love how words sound when you put them together in a certain way, and I love making stories out of those sounds. I especially love it when someone else can also relate to what I've produced. Music is deeper than thought, it comes from the core of you and to connect with someone else's core is a wonderful feeling.

And I'm always making up stories in my head. I pretty much live in a fantasy world actually. It's not that I don't know about the 'real world' - it's just that I choose to live elsewhere. It suits me better.

I'm sorry for the long, contemplative, possibly slightly confusing post. (Well, I'M confused. :-S) I was trying to work out the answer as I was going along. But now I realise that there is no answer.

Should have known. ;)

A Thursday

2010-03-25T18:25:00.000Z

Hello again. :)

There were about 13 at choir on Tuesday. That's a kind of middly amount really. Don't get me wrong, they're a lovely bunch. :) Choir is the highlight of my week, but it would also be lovely to see them all more regularly.

Today I've been practising for some of the gigs I've got coming up. - One this Saturday, and one next Saturday. :) Among the new songs are these two...

:)

Chelsea Morning is one that I've been wanting to learn for ages but have never quite mastered the guitar part. But I think I've nearly got it now. :D I'd love to be a lot better at the guitar than I am at the mo.

I hope everyone is groovy. :) I'm still waiting for my proofs from the printers. - Should be soon... :)

TTFN xxxxx

A Tuesday afternoon...

2010-03-23T13:00:00.000Z

Hi everyone :)

I just wanted to say a big thankyou for your brilliant comments on my newest video. :) I'm really pleased that you like it. :)

I'm going into school to do choir this afternoon. Hopefully there will be a few people there. The number tends to vary quite a lot really...from 20 something to about 5. :-S I know what it's like after a day at school, you just want to go home and relax. But I can now sympathise greatly with the teachers too. If the students have committed to doing something then they should stick with it. If I can't make it to something I said I'd go to then I always let the person know that I won't be there before it starts. I consider that as just being polite. If they don't want to do it anymore, then that's fine too, they just have to say. That's all.

And that's all for my little rant too. Lol.

We're actually going to try to do a mini-concert thing soon, so we need everyone to be at rehearsals. I'll let you know when I get back. ;)

TTFN,

Hollyxx

Riddles and Rhymes - a Holly Kirby original. :)

2010-03-22T19:05:00.001Z

I did a vid. :)

A matter of fancy dress... :)

2010-03-19T20:14:00.000Z

Hello everyone :)

Just thought I'd do a bit of a blog for you. :)

The album artwork is currently at the manufacturers and I hope to be receiving the proofs next week. :) Then I need to send them back and say they're OK and then they make my CDs! :) Cool, huh? The manufacturers are very good and very helpful. They like everything to be just so, which is nice. :)

I have a question for you now... after a comment on my previous blog I had a thought... ;)

At stated in the previous blog, I'm playing at the Bestival later this year. :) And at the Bestival they always have a dressing up theme. In the past it has been 'space', and 'the sea' - but this year it's 'fantasy'...

Here's what Rob da Bank (Bestival organiser) has to say about it. :)

Rob da Bank says: "Roll up roll up tribe of the Bestivalites: descend from your starships, rise out of the seabed, fall from the stars, unleash the Magick and release your imagination into our 2010 world of FANTASY. Open the gates and welcome in Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, The Wonderful Wizard Of Oz, The Lord of the Rings, hobbits, trolls, elves, fairies, the Odyssey, King Arthur, Merlin, the Dong with the luminous nose, William Morris, A Midsummer Nights Dream, The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, Willy Wonka, Sir Gawain and The Green Knight, Harry Potter, Spirited Away, The Time Machine, Star Wars, the Incredible Hulk, Magick, the supernatural, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, Lord Ganesh, Fantasy Island, Caractacus Potts, Tarzan, Veruca Salt, Zombies ... the only limit is how far your mind's eye can see!"

I was just wondering if you had any ideas as to what I should go as? :) I like dressing up as quirky things...but I can't think of anything at the mo! Lol. And I'm sure that you've got some ideas! :)

Please feel free to let me know in the comments box! :)

TTFN xxxxxxx

CD art and Bestivaaaaal!!!

2010-03-16T10:10:00.000Z

Hi everyone. :)

Hope you're groovy. :) I hope you've had a good weekend. - I've been in Bournemouth and arrived home yesterday.

I thought I'd do a quick blog to let you know that I've sent off my artwork to the manufacturers! Hooraaaay!!! :D Hopefully everything will be in order. :-S *Fingers crossed* - ooh, also...

I'm going to be playing at the Bestival! On the bandstand. :) - Here's a link to the...

Really cool Bestival website. :)

Right, I'd best be off now - I'm going to do a bit of recording. :)

TTFN,

Lots of love.xxxxx

Spicy Tuna Cakes :)

2010-03-11T20:38:00.000Z

I'm currently feeling very chuffed with myself after cooking lunch AND tea for myself! :-O

For lunch I cooked some 'Spicy Tuna Cakes' :) - I kind of made up the recipe a bit though. And it worked! WOO! :D I did have a guide recipe, but I didn't have stuff that was on it.

For 6 large(ish) cakes I used...

2 tins of tuna
2 and a half tablespoons of mayo
2 and a half teaspoons of curry powder
1 egg (partly beaten)
A sprinkling of garlic
A good squeeze of fresh lemon juice
1 and a half teaspoons of English Mustard
1/3 cup of breadcrumbs
1 small onion/half an onion - finely diced
A sprinkling of black pepper

Then I splooged them together to make 'patties'? (I think that's what American people say. Lol.) And then I dredged them in a mix made of...

1/4 cup of plain flour
1/3 cup of breadcrumbs
A pinch of salt

And then I put them in the frying pan and cooked them until they had a nice crispy, golden brown outside layer. :)

They didn't fall apart! :-O And they ACTUALLY tasted yummy!!! :-O :-O I couldn't believe it! Lol. I ate them (well some of them ;)) with a sweet chilli dipping sauce which was reeeeeeeeeally yummy. :)

Here they are...
:D Hehehehehe. :)

For tea I cooked Egg Drop Noodles. I didn't bother taking a picture because they didn't look very good. Lol. But they did taste yummy. :) Check out the skillzzzz. :)

Anyway, I'd better go now - I've got some washing up to do! :-P

TTFN xxxxx

Just a Thursday :)

2010-03-11T10:06:00.000Z

Hello everyone :)

I thought I'd just do a quick blog. :)

On Tuesday I went to the Speech and Drama festival again - we did a Team Mime, which was really fun. :) We came 2nd out of...I'm not telling you. Lol. :)

After we'd done our performance a lady came up to me and told me that she really enjoyed my poems the other day (the ones I won the cup for :D). Which I thought was lovely. - I didn't know her, but she said she recognised me and wanted to tell me how much she enjoyed my performances. :) Cool, huh?

Yesterday I had my driving lesson...I'm getting there now! Lol. About time too. Karen has started to talk about taking my test! (EEK!) Scary stuff. I've managed to get over my fear of roundabouts now. I used to have this feeling of dread every time I approached one. Not mini ones, they were ok. Just big ones. If everyone used them properly it would be fine. But people cut you up and don't signal properly! :-O Which is very confusing. Especially for someone like me, where common sense is rarely present. ;) I do enjoy driving though. I look forward to each lesson.

Last night I packaged up my red book master, album art files, order form and a sample CD to send off to the manufacturers. Hopefully it's being posted off today. :D Then it'll be a couple of weeks (max) before I get the proofs back, then a couple more weeks before I get the CDs. :) I have to shift 1000 copies, which will be very tough! Lol. But hopefully I'll be able to do it in time. Hopefully I'll still be doing gigs when I'm at Surrey. Apparently Guildford is really good for live music.

I'd best get on now, got some musical stuff to do. :)

TTFN,

Lots of love xxxxxxxx

A few thoughts.

2010-03-07T16:50:00.000Z

Hello everyone. :)

I thought I'd write a blog for you on this sunny Sunday afternoon. :)

Firstly I'd like to say a big thankyou to everyone who has commented on my preview song. And also, thankyou for your support. :)

A bit about the CD...

I can say now that I am 100% happy with the CD and how it has turned out. I have a few ideas for my songs on the next album (let's hope I'm able to do one! :)) - and indeed, improvements, but for my first album - I'm happy with how it has turned out. I've put a lot of work into it and I'm completely happy that it's ME. :)

The thing is that...if people don't like it now...then they don't like my style, or my way of doing things. And that's fine. I enjoy experimenting with lots of different styles, that's just me, and that is evident from the CD. I think this 'convention' they speak of sounds pretty boring. Sometimes I like BIG sounds, sometimes I like raw, acoustic sounds, sometimes I'm happy, sometimes I'm sad, just like everyone else, I like variation. I like writing songs that are from inside of me. And my feelings don't always go with an acoustic guitar, sometimes they go with a piano or big strings. My music is ME and I'm in all of my songs.

All that's required to write a song is inspiration. The feelings are already inside you, waiting to come to life. Inspiration is the trigger. A very wise person (called Joni Mitchell ;)) once said "Music without the muse is just 'ic'".

I'm not writing music to a formula. I'm not writing it to make money. - Though it would be a dream come true if I could make a living doing what I love - but I'm not changing to fit 'convention'. I write music to share my thoughts with people, and if they can relate to my music in some way, then that's wonderful. Sometimes we can get so caught up in our own feelings that we think we are alone, and it's such a great feeling when we find that we are not. Songwriting is a great comfort really. It's kind of saying 'do you ever feel like this?'

I love performing live too. I think it's the honesty that makes it so special. In real life we can hide our emotions. We, well...I...am the kind of person who jumbles her words up. I'm getting better, but I'm not quite there yet. And when you sing a song to someone, especially your own original song, it feels like you can look into the eyes of an audience member and sing straight to their heart. You don't stutter or stammer because all the words are already there for you, but you can give them a different meaning each time you perform them. And they have 10, 20, 50, 100, 1000 different meanings! - As each audience member takes the story differently.

Anyway. I'll leave you to ponder. I'm going to go and write a song. :)

Lots of love.xxxxx

:)

2010-03-04T13:47:00.001Z

Sublime

2010-02-27T16:23:00.001Z

Just a snippet of a forthcoming song. :)

Violet 'helps'...

2010-02-24T18:32:00.000Z

(you can click on it to make it bigger :))

Updates :)

2010-02-22T19:25:00.001Z

Hello everyone! I'm back! Lol.

I have a few of updates for you. :)

Right, firstly - I hope you are all well. :) I'm very sorry that I haven't been around much lately, I've been really busy with my artwork. But I think I'm pretty much done now. :)

I printed it all out on Saturday evening, thinking I'd done everything and it was ready to go, but then I had second thoughts about some of the images and re-did a lot of bits on Sunday. Today we got in touch with the printing company and asked a few questions, and all I need to do now is sort out my files, drop in a barcode, print out a little guide and send it off to get some proofs. :) Then when I've received the proofs and okayed them/sent them back, they get started on printing the actual CDs. :) Cooooool. :D

When I've received the CDs I'll sort out a release date and get the orders sorted out. :) Aaaah! :)

And here's the album cover...

Number 4. :) I've used a couple of the other pictures inside the booklet. Hopefully they'll turn out OK.

You may also have noticed that I've been fiddling around with the design of the website to correspond with the album artwork. There are going to be bits and bobs changing, so don't panic if things disappear/seem a bit weird for a few days. It'll just be me fiddling around with stuff. :)

Actually I think that's it for now. :)

I hope you are all well. :)

TTFN

Love Holly xxxxx

Getting there......

2010-02-15T20:20:00.000Z

Hi everyone,

I'm sorry it's been a tad quiet lately! I've been really busy with my artwork recently - only two pages to go now though! Phew! And then I need to send it off. :) Pretty cool, huh?

I've also just returned from a couple of days break in Bournemouth. I haven't been feeling well lately, I've had a sore throat and a horrible cough so haven't been able to do any singing...it's so frustrating. Even though I've still got a cough, I'm feeling better - so it's back to the arty stuff. I warn you now - it's not great, it's just that I'm a perfectionist so I need everything to be just how I'd like it to be. I'm no artist, but I do enjoy art. I studied it for my GCSEs and it took up a lot of my time because I'm such a perfectionist!

Anyway, I'd better go now.

Speak to you soon. :) xxxxxx

Beyond the Silent Sea

2010-02-08T09:03:00.000Z

Hey everyone. :)

Just thought I'd tell you a bit more exciting news! Lol. :)

Did I ever tell you about my song 'Will You Come Home' being made into a trance/dance song? Lol. - Well if I didn't, I have now! :)

Darren Smith, the man behind 'New Aged Travellers' tranced it up a bit (a lot) by my request. I think someone suggested it on the original video on YouTube and as we wanted to collaborate on something, I asked him if he was up for it, and he certainly was. :)

And the result is 'Beyond the Silent Sea' and it is currently the best-selling track on a Dance Compilation CD - and the joint best-selling track released by a certain record label. (Called Diamond Life Records) Pretty cool!!!

Here is the link if you'd like to have a listen to it in its entirety. :)

http://soundcloud.com/darren-smith-1/beyond-the-silent-sea

:D I just know that this will be TV's cuppa tea! ;)

TTFN xxxxx

:D :D :D

2010-02-06T22:25:00.000Z

HELLO!

I'm feeling exceedingly chipper this evening. I thought I'd just share a quick thought with you before I go up the wooden hill to bed. :)

About an hour ago, I left a little message for Suzanne Vega on Twitter - (as you can see on my Twitter page) - and she replied!!! It was just a 'thank you!!!!!' but it shows that she's a nice person as well as being a brilliant musician. :)

YAY!!! :)

Anyhoooow. Lol.

TTFN xxxx

It's all in the mind...

2010-02-02T08:51:00.001Z

Hi everyone... :)

So - I managed to upload it! Here's a quick link for anyone who wants to see the vid from here...

At last! Lol. Next for an original I guess. (Fingers crossed)

I'm going to try to explain a comment I made the other day on the comments section here - saying that 'the problem is in my mind' (or something like that)...

When it's been ages, and I'm due to put on another video - suddenly I panic, and nothing I do seems to turn out right. Even if other people think what I've done sounds fine, I can never properly hear that - making it really hard to hear what's good and what's not.

On Saturday when I was trying and failing to do 'Warmer in May' - everything seemed to 'not sound right' - and I think that that was maybe (probably) something to do with going to the studio. Now that I've been there and have heard what my songs can actually sound like (all professionally recorded/mixed etc.) it feels like my brain won't settle for any less....which is a bit of a pain in the bum really! - As I really don't have the skills that Gareth and Olli do.

Anyhow, I shall persevere...maybe the key is to leave less time between each video. Easier said than done though. :-S

TTFN xxxxx

Phew!

2010-02-01T22:36:00.001Z

New video to be uploaded shortly... ;)

DOUBLE/TRIPLE/INFINITE AMOUNTS OF GRRRR!!!

2010-01-31T17:34:00.000Z

Hello again.

I'm not going to be able to get it done today. (What a surprise) I'm using a different (easier) piece of software now, but I'm not going to be able to get it done tonight.

All I know is that it will be on by next weekend. :-/

xxxxx

GRRRR!!!

2010-01-31T12:22:00.001Z

Hello everyone.

I'm really sorry, but I'm not going to be able to get Warmer in May done this weekend. I tried and failed to do it all of yesterday, and I doubt it would be much different if tried again today.

However - I will try my best to put a cover on today. It might be a bit of rush doing music AND a video today, but I'd really like to put one on.

Anyhow...

TTFN xxxxx

Arty stuff...

2010-01-29T20:06:00.000Z

Hi everyone. :)

I'm really sorry that I haven't been around much lately - I've been working really hard on the artwork for my album. I'm currently doing the booklet stuff. It's taking a while! But I have been working solidly at it.

Hopefully it will turn out OK. :-S

I'm going to really try to get a song done this weekend for YouTube. I haven't done a video for ages. :-S I will try to record 'Warmer in May' tomorrow. I'm using some new software, so hopefully everything will go to plan. :-S Eek...

Anyhow, I'd best get back to the album art...

Lots of love xxxxx

The final five! :)

2010-01-22T14:02:00.000Z

Hello everyone! :D

Yesterday I spent all day fiddling around with album artwork - well - the front cover. These are the best ones. :) - I tried to edit the photos that I showed you on here, but I couldn't get the fonts to work with them. :( So here's what I've come up with for the front cover...

Please feel free to vote again like you did before...I will definitely be using one of these. :)

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
There we go. :) When we've decided on the cover I'll get to work on the booklet/tray art. :)

Thankyou very much. :)

TTFN xxxxx

New title - A Woman You Don't Know. ;)

2010-01-19T11:07:00.000Z

Helloooo!

I hope you are all well. :)

Yesterday I went back to the studio to finalise the mixes to make sure that I am 100% happy with the final CD. :) - and I am - 100% happy. Everything on there is how I'd like it to be. It was a kind of...please could we have more of this...less of this...different sound there kind of day. So now everything is sorted - all the tracks are....finished!!! :D

Now I just have to sort out artwork and ISRC codes...making a CD is so much more complex than I first thought. But all the hard work now will make actually holding the CD when it's all finished so much cooler. :)

The other day Donna, Andy, Brooke and I went out to take some photos - possible album art. It's so difficult getting a good picture. I was kind of thinking that the one that dapuppygirl edited on the forum would be good...

But we don't know where the background came from, and therefore we could have some copyright issues. - And also, that photo of me was taken...about 3, maybe 4 years ago so to me it feels kind of...too childy. Lol. (Childish didn't seem to fit. Lol)

Anyway! Here are some of the pics from the photoshoot on Sunday. Any thoughts/comments would be great. :) (And especially comments about whether you think that the piccy above would be better than any of the pics below...) Thankyoooou. :)

(Also - You can actually CLICK on the pics to make them BIGGER this time!!! :D)

2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

If one turns out to be more more popular than the others then perhaps I could upload some more like it and then you can choose again! Lol. :D Choosing artwork is soooo hard. :-S Aaaaah...and I have loooooads more too.

Anyhow, would be great to hear what you think. :)

TTFN xxxxx

Wait! We have a late entry!

Not really :P

He Always (Education)

2010-01-15T10:17:00.000Z

Hello everyone :)

I hope you've been doin' good. :) I've been feeling a bit...in limbo lately. I need to get my artwork sorted for the CD and I'm going back to the studio on Monday to finalise the mixes and stuff. So hopefully I should be able to walk away with the CD ready to send to the replicators...meaning that I need to get my artwork sorted...eeeeek. Stressful stuff. I'm going out with Donna on Sunday to take some piccies, so hopefully we'll get some good ones from that.

Today I'm going to elocution...I couldn't go last week because of the snow. :(

I'm doing two poems in a speech and drama festival thingy. I used to do them when I was younger. I don't know if you've seen this before... lol...this is a piece of prose that I recited at one of the festivals, it was a solo piece, but we turned it into a duo for the purpose of the video...

I'm the one who looks like a boy. (Listen out for Snowy in the background - not that you can miss her!!! Lol) How 'posh' are we? ;)

Anyway, this year I'm doing the festival again. First time in...5 years I think. And I'm entering the poetry class. One is a set piece called 'Mr. Strugnell' - Wendy Cope, and the second is your own choice. So I chose one called 'He Always' - Anon. Mrs Wills showed it to me and I loved it straight away.

It goes like this...

HE ALWAYS

He always

He always wanted to explain things, but no one cared.

So he drew.

Sometimes he would just draw and it wasn't anything.

He wanted to carve it in stone or write it in the sky.

He would lie out on the grass and look up in the sky, and it would be only the sky and the things inside him that needed saying.

And it was after that that he drew the picture.

It was a beautiful picture.

He kept it under his pillow and would let no one see it.

And he would look at it every night and think about it.

And when it was dark and his eyes were closed he could see it still.

And it was all of him and he loved it.

When he started school he brought it with him.

Not to show anyone, but just to have it with him like a friend.

It was funny about school.

He sat in a square brown desk like all the other square desks, and he thought it would be red.

And his room was a square, brown room like all the other rooms.

And it was tight, and close.

And stiff.

He hated to hold the pencil and chalk, with his arm stiff and his feet flat on the floor, stiff, with the teacher watching and watching.

The teacher came and spoke to him.

She told him to wear a tie like all the other other boys.

He said he didn't like them and she said it didn't matter.

After that they drew.

And he drew all yellow and it was the way he felt about the morning.

And it was beautiful.

The teacher came and smiled at him.

'What's this?', she said.

'Why don't you draw something like Ken's drawing? Isn't it beautiful?'

After that his mother bought him a tie and he always drew aeroplanes and rocket ships like everyone else.

And he threw the old picture away.

And when he lay out alone looking at the sky, it was big and blue and all of everything, but he wasn't anymore.

He was square and brown inside and his hands were stiff.

And he was like everyone else.

All the things inside him that needed saying didn't need it anymore.

It had stopped pushing.

It was crushed.

Stiff.

Like everything else.

It's quite long, and quite hard to learn. But I'm getting there. I love the meaning behind it. It really makes you think.

If you found it as interesting as I did then you might like this too...a friend sent it to me and I really enjoyed watching it...

Anyhow, I'd best get on stressing about artwork and learning poems and stuff. :)

Lots of love.xxxxx

Pretty cool huh? :D - from our local paper.

2010-01-10T16:08:00.001Z

The Choral Ensemble, led by Holly Kirby, right, sing Hallelujah. Picture by Peter Boam.

MUSIC, song and drama was the order of the day at Cowes High School’s annual Christmas celebration.

Held at St Mary’s Church, Cowes, the festive event saw performing arts students entertain the 150-strong congregation with original sketches and contemporary dance.
The school choir sang a selection of songs and carols, including Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah and God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, and there were also performances by the school’s wind ensemble, flute quartet and a clarinet ensemble.
Student Toby Metcalfe conducted the school band and there were solo performances by Hannah Jacobs, who played the cornet, and Hannah Tew and Macey Collier-Bain, who sang Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Pie Jesu.
Jed Dwight led the readings and Chloe Luter, Jack Lyne, Charlotte Pointing, Anna Brodie and Joseph Ashworth were among the students who read Bible passages, devised work and poetry.
A retiring collection raised £120 for Unique, a charity which supports those affected by rare chromosome disorders.

At the Woodvale...

2010-01-10T13:29:00.000Z

Hi everyone. :)

We managed to get to the Woodvale for the gig yesterday! :D Hoooraaaaaay! :)

On the radio they were saying that all of the roads around the Woodvale were closed/really dodgy, so we were getting a bit worried. :-S - But Dad went down to have a look in the day and he managed to get around ok, so we decided to go for it.

When we got there there weren't very many people, but I set up and got going. - It was really just my family and some friends, and some regulars - so a really nice, homely kind of atmosphere. I'm really lucky to have such great support. :)

Here are a few piccies - thanks to Donna. :) The lighting in the Woodvale is a bit strange, so it's really hard to get a good picture, but she did a great job (despite lighting and subject)...

Don't worry Xeno - it's water. ;)

Mid-song. :)

Black and white mid-song...

I also added a few new songs to my set...

Zombie
Heart of Glass
Here With Me

I'll put videos down the bottom of this post again. :)

- And by the way - the snow finally seems to be melting!!! Hooraaay. :) At first it was like...OOOH SNOW! but now it's like...oh. Snow. Again. It's just annoying now. Oh well...

Here's Brooke's polar bear - she's called him 'Archie Le Blanc' lol...

I found it hard to get a good pic of him - he kind of blends into the background! :)

Anyhow - TTFN :)

Lots of love xxxxx

Zombie - The Cranberries

Heart of Glass (wouldn't let me embed...)

Here With Me (same...)

Snoooooow! :)

2010-01-07T16:26:00.000Z

(Pics courtesy of Donna ;) Thanks Sis.)

Hi everyone. :)

As you've probably heard, we're experiencing 'heavy snowfall' on the Island! Which is odd - just after we were saying how very little snow we get! Lol.

I say 'heavy snowfall' but for those who are used to snow, this would be a tiny amount! But as we're not used to it at all - it's caused chaos! Lol. This is the most snow we've had in 20 years - so I guess the councils think there's no point in getting all prepared for something that's so rare.

Anyway, I thought I'd show you a few pics from yesterday...apparently the snow's going to stay with us for a week... :-S

Brooke and I contemplating the design of our polar bear...

Some birdies. :) (We've been putting out food for them, don't worry. ;))

Andy's snowcat. :) Nice work...

All white!

Holly's groovy snow hat. :)

:) I hope you are all well. :)

Lots of love xxxxx

A sign...

2010-01-04T19:07:00.000Z

Hi everyone :)

I just thought I'd show you this...

Pretty cool huh? :) I've got a gig at the Anchor on Wednesday and theeeere's my name. :D

Hehe. Anyway...

TTFN xxxxx

Tripping Through Violets

Love is in the air! :)

On My Way

Long time-ish no see!

I Leave This Time...

VLog1 - and so it begins...

ALBUM NUMBER 2 - let the recording commence!

Bit of a whinge.

Adventures! Oooooh!

Hello Mainland!

Photos!

A wally's wallet

Skillzzz...

What To Wear...

Independence

The wheels are in motion!

Someone Like You - Holly's version

Go Figure by Holly Kirby

Album. Number. Two?

The Tallest Tree

Here

CMC Coursework Tracks

A little wondering.

If You Should Go

Thinkings. Thoughts. That's the one.

Forever Bound To Fairytales - an original song by Holly Kirby

Hellooo :)

Independence

Mrs Moonlight - an original song by Holly Kirby (stop motion)

Quick update ~ Harmony Coursework mark

Spontaneity

Howdy :)

More coursework!

Crazy Rolling Train - an original song by Holly Kirby

Rain on the Avenue

From the moving train...

Do you have to feel?

An end and a beginning

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! :)

An update from Uni... :)

Little One (Holly's Lullaby) - an original song by Holly Kirby

Home sweet home :)

EEK!

When you write what's in your head...

Waiting for a potato

University

Quite Blue - an original song by Holly Kirby

Smooth Talking - original song by Holly Kirby

Bestival :)

Urge For...Writing

Wickham Festival & BBC Radio Solent

Gigs number 2 :)

Some gigs. :)

Image

Phoebe

Hearts & Roses - an original song by Holly Kirby

I think it's called my destiny...

Isle of Wight Festival 2010

A (not so) speedy update...

YES!!! :D

Howdy :)

A trip to London...

London!

The Album Launch & a lack of ideas...

Weeeell...

Progress...

***Debut album available now!***

THE CDS ARE HEEEERE!!! :D

YAY!......oh.

Second Life

About Love...

Intervieeeew. :)

To sell? Or not to sell...?

Contemplation on a comment...

A Thursday

A Tuesday afternoon...

Riddles and Rhymes - a Holly Kirby original. :)

A matter of fancy dress... :)

CD art and Bestivaaaaal!!!

Spicy Tuna Cakes :)

Debut album available now!