This is usually the time of year when you start getting organized. You have new goals and it seems easy to dispose of useless clutter, literally and figuratively speaking. They don’t call it spring cleaning for nuttin’! I’m definitely excited to see what things are accomplished in 2010. Jess and I recently started going back to school, so I feel kind of young again now that I get to flash my student ID around town for discounts. Strange because I didn’t even realize this was the semester we would start until Jess signed up for a couple classes and encouraged me to as well. This was very last minute, but I managed to squeeze in one necessary credit.

I don’t expect this to interfere with my other projects any time soon. I won’t have any work outside of class and so I’m taking advantage of this time while I’m free and motivated. This means spending more time on the Angelic Voices website, as well as working on my own music. This doesn’t even include all the non-music projects I’m involved in. Believe me, my time is rarely wasted idly. I couldn’t sit still if you asked me to! I just enjoy being in the thick of it and dabbling in each of my interests. Sometimes this means that I don’t get to focus as much on one thing, but variety is the spice of life and I’m feeling spicy!

Since I began releasing music there are a few key moments like this that stand out to me most. These are the ones that blew me away and made me realize what a small world we live in. Sometimes you’re reaching people even when you feel like no one is listening. For now I will share 5 of these moments that I hold particularly close to my heart.

#1 Being contacted out of the blue by Liesje Sadonius, the original lead vocalist of Hooverphonic, to tell me that she likes my music. This coming from the person who sang lead on one of the very first albums that got me into dreampop/downtempo music. She seemed to have fallen off the face of the earth after that release and now she was listening to my work! Truly an honor.

#2 The time my brother was talking to someone at work about his sister who spelled her name J-A-K-K-I and she asked if I happened to be a musician. Apparently she had been introduced to my music by a friend and was already familiar with my work!

#3 Finding out from an online acquaintance that he heard one of my songs playing at a club in the UK. Talk about shocking! What a coincidence that he was there at the right time to report back to me, or I never would have known!

#4 Since I moved to San Diego I met a girl through totally unrelated means who previously was introduced to my music through a friend who was playing it at a party. She recognized me from the picture on my MySpace page!

#5 Some years ago I used to play regularly at a little pub. I was always extremely touched by the warm reception I received each night I played. I felt like I was at the center of the universe some nights. People would even ask for my autograph and come every week to hear me play. It’s one of the sweetest memories I have from a completely different time in my life.

About the only thing I miss about being in Michigan during the holidays is spending time with family. I can’t honestly say I’m missing much though, as it seems the family is scattering about as the years go on. Also, my brother came out to stay a couple weeks and wore me out plenty! So much so that I couldn’t stand the thought of going out on New Years Eve. We decided to take it easy with a low-key evening, though we did go to a nearby neighborhood and enjoy some massive light displays for the last time. I would have rested up all the more if I had known my husband would surprise me the next day with an overnight trip to Arizona! We had a great time but now I’m ready to just enjoy everyday life again. Decorations are put away and I am forging onward.

Which brings me to music. If you didn’t already know, I digitally released my 6 song mini-concept album, “Seasons” on December 21st. (the first day of Winter). Simultaneously I appropriately decided to release the first single from the collection, also entitled “Winter”. Although first available through Soundclick, “Seasons” is now able to be purchased on Amazon and will soon be available on itunes and other digital media distributors. I am also planning a physical release of the CD in due time. For now, check the STORE if you’d like to grab a copy, or download the single in the MUSIC section for your collection! Also, if you’d like to know more about the concept behind “Seasons”, check the front page for more info.

So now what, you ask? Well, I have been contemplating for some time how to release music in the future. Music distribution is changing so much and mp3s seem to be the media of choice. Especially when it comes to lesser-known artists, such as myself. Printing up CDs hardly seems worth it when I consider how long they take to finish on my own. There is such a large amount of silence in between releases that it’s difficult to gain momentum. So, for now I am going to be releasing a series of singles. These tracks were once planned to be a part of my album “Luminous”, but I figured putting them out individually will keep me consistently releasing something. Perhaps when enough tracks are out I will consider compiling them as originally planned.

One thing to note is that these tracks will differ greatly from the content on “Seasons”. They are much more electronically based, and just to give you an idea of what’s in store, here is a clip from the track “A New Chapter”. Hope you are all extremely blessed in 2010 (and buy a copy of Seasons for good measure)!!

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0031Z2Y50/

At this moment the album is only available on Soundclick, but will soon be available at all major digital retailers! Hard CD copies to come as well. Enjoy!

For the most part, I have always been able to separate my work as a recording artist from politics. This is becoming increasingly difficult, as I believe we are facing crucial times. Though my passion for music is great, it will never override my core principals, which I feel are at stake. So, please forgive my absence. I realize the risk I’ve taken, but it was necessary. Thank you for your support. Music will soon live again!

Tracklisting is as follows:

01. Seasons Pt. 1
02. Winter
03. Spring
04. Summer
05. Autumn
06. Seasons Pt. 2

Tune is as I talk about the recent heatwave in SoCal, my husband’s car accident, a news flash on the status of Seasons and a current contest taking place on the Angelic Voices website!

Jakki Jelene on Pure Bliss Vocals