Week 2: Writing a Pitch has proven to be.....well really really hard... But.. I did it! This pitch has got me in a stitch. I do not know which words to ditch.
How do you fit something so complex and personal into a 15 second spiel? All I can say is, thank god this is part of the challenge!! I've been meaning to do it for a while now and have been putting it off. I didn't think it would be a difficult task but I am now realizing just how wrong I was! That said, if it wasn't for being part of this, I now know that it would have been put off for a lot longer. #1 The biggest problem I had was figuring out who I sound like. I am working on my EP but only have one song up right now.... aaanddd this song was written before I had really defined my sound. My new stuff sounds a bit different from the one posted, so I have very few people to ask help from because only a handful have heard the new songs! # 2 The second hardest part was cutting out words and editing it down, and down and down some more. I came up with about 10 pitches before merging and narrowing down to one. After all that was done, I still had about 6 artists that I was comparing myself to.... still too long and way too confusing for anyone reading it. In the end, I settled on 3 artists. Then the next task was to find the right way to describe how I relate to each. I think I have it now though. I would ask for feedback but I don't really have something that you guys can listen to for comparison! ..... (Don't fret though! I have a few songs just getting mixed right now. I hope to have them ready for the world to hear in the next couple of weeks!) .... but I do welcome any thoughts/critiques/suggestions/comments. Anyways, here it is: Dervla's catchy sound hits your ears with the go-getter attitude of Katy Perry
mixed with Pink's blunt honesty and some Blondie deja vu. Her steamy but innocent voice makes her instantly recognizable. It's a bit tough to get used to, but I think I'm pretty content with it.....I gotta just keep reminding myself that it's not set in stone; I can always change it later on. On to Week 3... I've only read a little bit but I think this will finally be a bit of a breather for me as I JUST (as in TODAY!) re-launched my newly renovated website (http://www.JustDervla.com)! The task may require me to make a few tweeks here and there but for all intents and purposes, it's done!  Maybe I'll switch it up next week and do a video blog  Ciao for now! xo  Dervla Week 1 of the 'Canadian Songwriters Social Media Challenge'- getting started!
I've never really done a blog before (or read many for that matter), so I'm not exactly sure of the format but I am going to treat you like a sort of 'diary' for this challenge. Write whatever I feel like.
(Side note* I apologize now for how long this is. It's the first blog so I need to get everything established for the next 8!) But first... a few things to know about me. I have been in the city about 2 years now pursuing my music career. Before that I was a real estate agent and not happy. I knew I needed a change and after a few months of really thinking it over, I said to myself "If I could do anything, not matter how unrealistic it is, what would it be?" A singer. I left my job (and long-term boyfriend) for Toronto. It took me a good year at LEAST to fine-tune my direction and figure out exactly what I was doing. I initially was in a soul/funk band, did some stuff with rappers, etc.... I was all over the place. I now know that I was to do pop music- tracks made from a producer with a really catchy beat and, for the most part, danceable songs. After my first co-writing session with a producer, I realized I could do it by myself... Little did I know, I'd actually be quite good at it! So here I am, a solo, pop, singer/song-writer and working on my EP (while releasing singles). I have released a few of the 'solo' songs along the way (one was even used on Degrassi!), but the sound I am finally happy with, that defines me, is still in the works (one song is almost done; just waiting to get it mixed. The rest are at various stages of being completed and ready for being released). I've finally got them all written though. It's just a matter of funds to pay for recording/mixing/etc... What else? ... Oh! I'm also serving to make money to support this very expensive initial step but have actually recently (in the past week) decided to start looking for a job (any job!) in the music industry as I think it'll be a very valuable opportunity... As well as taking this challenge So here I am. Starting out, I'm very excited. I feel like this challenge will really truly help me. There are so many things that need to be done and I think this will help to organize it all. I've always been a 'list' person. It helps to get things done and it feels so good to physically 'check it off the list'. This strategy seems to be a more in-depth and focused version of my basic ways already. Yay! At least I've sort-of been on the right track! I think the 5 successes per day is a good idea and I also like the idea of only having 6 tasks per day. I occasionally put a time estimate for each task but am going to do it every day now. And I think it's important to now put too much on my plate per day because, when it doesn't all get done, it is almost more stressful. Focus area.... where to start. I wrote for 2 FULL pages and am still not finished! I ran out of time today but am going to finish it tomorrow and then re-write it in the pretty colors the next day :) Build a Team: This is something I've actually been thinking about lately anyways. I am not to the point where I need an intern... but who knows, maybe I will be at the end of the 9 weeks ;) I already have a vocal coach (Lorraine Lawson) who is wonderful and one of the most important people in this uphill quest! She has been in the industry for many years and also even used to manage artists, so she helps me in SO many other areas as well. She has paired me up with many people who are at the top of the game in their role. One person is John 'Beetle' Bailey, the owner and ammmazing engineer at The Drive Shed studio where I record my music. Another person she has introduced me to is Arthur MacArthur: In my eyes, he is the best producer in Toronto. He understands everything I'm asking for (even when I'm like "can you change that 'bam bam bam' to more of a 'boom boom boom'!"- what? I know. But he gets it and pulls out the exact sound I have in my head) and not only does his beat make you hear but feel it inside, the little extras that he puts in actually inspire me when I'm writing to it. We vibe. I also have a website designer and a graphic design person. I am currently looking for a photographer but have a film team for when it comes time to shoot a music video and an amazing guitarist for live shows. Need management but not just yet. Gotta wait till I have more music finished. If I don't have the product I don't have anything to market. Same goes with a publicist. I hope to have the 'product' all completed before the end of February- but releasing singles as early as 2 weeks from now). That's about it for now! xo :) Dervla 
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