Hey, friends.
It's the first day of my (micro) tour! I'm on the ground in Philadelphia and already showered and working at the nearest coffee shop. An upside of jetlag if there ever was one. It's only my second time ever in Philly, so I'm feeling a little foreign. I've got rehearsals tomorrow and then the next gig is on Saturday night. I'm creating a little pop-up show at this 'industrial chic' photography studio. We'll grab some wine and paper cups and go play some tunes.
I also finished shooting the first big-scale music video over the weekend. (You can check out the behind-the-scenes photos here.) The day after filming, I had myself a little freak out. The gist of it, of course, was this:
What is even the point?
To answer, I shall share with you this little story.
I met this super cool woman when I was in Cuba last year. Well into a burgeoning career, she decided to run for elected political office. We started talking about music, which I was shying away from at the time. After she had heard me sing some old Buena Vista Social Club tunes - and a few cocktails into the evening - she told me I had to do something about it, because it was the only antidote to that feeling of leaving the iron on.
Leaving the iron on?
Yes, she said. Every day up until she finally decided to run for office, she said she had this quiet nagging at the back of her mind. It was as if she left the house for the day, and vaguely wondered: I feel like I left the iron on. Did I leave the iron on?
You can't quite remember for sure, but you really don't feel better until you go and check.
Well, I don't feel like I've left the iron on anymore. Or rather, I did leave it on and now I've finally decided to start ironing. Or something. But that still doesn't answer the other big question: What is the point?
You'd be amazed how many people ask me this question, dressed up in other clothes.
- So, is this your job now?
- Or is it just a hobby?
- Are you going to try to make money at this?
- Are you making money at this?
- Do you think you will do this forever now?
- How will you make money?
- Are you going to do longer and longer tours?
- What is the point?
*shrugs*
I don't know if there's a point yet. But it's fun. And it's given my 2015 quite a bit of purpose. And I always have something interesting to say when someone asks me, "So, what's new?"
And having an answer to that question is totally, 100% reason enough.
Hugs,
Alexa
@alexashoen
PS: Are you coming to my Philly show? All the details are on the Facebook event page, which is linked up right here.
PPS: If you aren't coming, go follow me on the internet and keep up with my tour diary on Twitter or see some behind-the-scenes action on Instagram.
