2/17/12  So excited to be working on Blood Siren and being in a band! We are mixing industrial music elements together with rock, pop, and dance.  It's dark, yes, but sexy and groovy all at once.  I like to say that the music is the "procreation mechanism for the post-apocalyptic era." We just filmed our first music video last week and I can't wait to show it to the world when it's ready. And our live performances are certainly gonna rock.  

8/10/11    It all happened yesterday. I sent a brief note to some friends, asking them to pitch in $5 so we could meet our $10,000 goal. Next thing you know, 30 friends either pledged or INCREASED their pledge, and we went from $9,680 to $10,190!!!!

I am feeling so many things--relief, amazement, gratitude (lots of it), and pure joy-- not only because we have reached our goal, but because of YOUR support to my project. To have 175 friends around me who have shown their support through pledging, just makes me feel so grateful and gives me the encouragement I need to pursue my passion (and believe me, artists need a lot of encouragement!!!)

Thank you to these friends: John B, Jeff N, Brett F, Alan C, David W, Tina O, Alex G, Freddie D, jms3music, Rich T, Kim N, Jeanmarc R, Rock E, Janet V, Mary T, Calvin L, Giuseppe N, Roger F, Charleen, Bernice L, Trumpet Grrrl, Elliott, Geoff F, Meg, Reckless Daughter, Rich T, Mayra F, Melinda G, Andreana S, Lois B, and Viviana AD!!!

I also wanted to give a special thanks to my producer and friend, Michael McGregor, who was the one who really pushed me to do this Kickstarter thing. Remember having to pass around those fundraising catalogs as a kid? Yeah, I always brought in the least amount of sales in my class--I just never felt comfortable asking people to donate. So I was super terrified of doing anything fundraiser-like, even though I really needed some help making this album. But Michael encouraged me to at least give it a shot, and actually got video editing software and made the Kickstarter video that you watched. Michael also co-wrote and produced my last EP, Bittersweet Chocolate, and has really been instrumental in creating my electronica sound. Tomorrow we are heading off to Paris to his studio to meet some people in the music industry in Europe and record some new material for the Hot Chocolate album. So wish us luck! I know that it will be a time of creativity and opportunities.

Au revoir!!! Layla