Rising Star and feeling inspired

I am truly sorry that I haven't updated my blog in such a long time! It feels a little like how I feel when I go to write in my journal and realize that months have gone by and I didn't even realize it. I know this might sound strange, but I have a theory that time in New York City moves faster than in other parts of the country. I really do think it's true. I've lived in a few other states and countries, but never has time flown by like it does here. I think it's because everyone is hustling and pretty much all the time- so before you know it, a week has gone by, and then a month, and then a year! Well that's my excuse anyway...and I'm sticking to it.

Anyway, happy Spring everyone! Things are starting to pick up again for me in the world of music. Last month, I had the privilege of going out to Utah to play at a Rising Star event. Rising Star is this amazing non-profit organization that helps leprosy colonies in India. They've using my "Grateful" song in one of their videos on YouTube and so they invited me out to play "Grateful" as well as a few others songs at one of their fundraising events. 

I knew about Rising Star, and the work they did, but I had no idea how moved I would be by the experience of playing and singing at this event. I was truly inspired. The thought even crossed my mind as I heard people tell of their stories about going to India, even bringing their entire family over there to live for a few years..."Maybe we should move to India, there's so much good that can be done there too." They even had a live video chat with the children in India and we got to see them and hear them, and they sung us a song, and it was really incredible. I mean, how can you not want to go to India after actually seeing the children and hearing them sing a song...seriously?

 

I also had Brinn Chipman play her fiddle with me on some songs which was really lovely. She plays in a band called Matteo. It's such beautiful music- you've never heard anything like it, I promise. Give them a listen.

Anyhow, thanks to all who bought my CD at the Rising Star event. All the proceeds went toward the Rising Star fundraiser. It was amazing, I sold almost more CD's at this event then at my CD release show. So thank you to those who supported.

As for future shows, I have one booked in Nashville and some I'm setting up for Utah and Idaho in the Summer...so I'll update those on my website in the next few weeks. I'll also be posting a new song and a video real soon as well. I can hardly wait to share them with you- but they are still in the works, so once they finish, I'll post them for you to enjoy.

Until then, I hope everyone has a great April! Spring is finally here...or almost.

Xo,

Bianca

Fundraiser Update!

I am beyond amazed at how much response we got from the "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" fundraiser. Not only did people download the song, donate a few extra bucks, make hot cocoa gifts, we even had someone make a "Hot Chocolate Stand" with their family! 

There were people from all over the country who bought extra download codes and used those as part of their gift packages to loved ones, or at parties, etc. Here's a few examples of how they turned out.

As for the hot cocoa stand, Shelley Coates decided to put one together with her family and it turned out beautifully! In fact, her 6 year old son was part of the motivation behind it all. When he saw the Mormon Helping Hands video, he was so moved by what had happened to families in the East Coast during hurricane Sandy that he wanted to raise money in efforts to help those people "buy a new house." They were able to raise $105, and it was sent to a woman and her two daughters who live in Staten Island along with a note and pictures of their hot cocoa stand. 

I honestly can't help but get teary-eyed as I look at these photos. I am truly so touched and inspired by the examples of others. Especially this little boy- so young and with such a pure heart. Children inspire me.

As for the money that we raised for the "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" fundraiser...we made a total of $681! 

With that money, we did the following:

Bought gift cards for families in need...

Bought clothes to donate to the Steven Siller Foundation which is a place in Staten Island that is collecting clothes, food and items for people who lost everything during the storms. Those people were allowed to come to the foundation and do some "shopping" for things they needed. I was told they were in need of teenage clothes in particular, so that's what I spent my Saturday before Christmas doing. I went to buy the clothes in the crazy packed lines at the stores...

I then drove to the foundation in Staten Island, praying the whole way that I'd get there before they closed at 4:00pm. (I made it...but just barely!)

Since they were closing up, I didn't get as many photos as I would have liked to...but I got a photo with this guy at the foundation. Not even sure who he is really, but it's all I have to show I'm afraid. :)

So THANK YOU to you all for your support in this fundraiser! Thanks for listening, for spreading the word, for downloading, or for reading. Thank you again to Weeds to Wishes and How Does She for writing about it as well and supporting. And lastly, thank you to the musicians who made the  music happen.

It was such a joy and the highlight of my Christmas this year.

May you all have a blessed 2013!!

Xo,

Bianca 

Check out how awesome this idea is...

I am so pleased to team up with WeedsToWishes.com and HowDoesShe.com for this digital download of "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas!" We have had so much fun brainstorming creative ideas as to how we can raise funds to help families in need this Christmas.

At first we thought..."Oh, what a great idea to give a Hot Cocoa gift away to loved ones and include the download code." (like you see in the photo above) But then, we thought to take it even one step further...

..."How about we make a Hot Cocoa Stand (kind of like a lemonade stand) and get the whole fam involved! And that's just what we did! Only, there are free printables on both WeedsToWishes.com and HowDoesShe.com that will allow you to download the cute banner and labels so that you can make your very own Hot Cocoa Stand!

Isn't that amazing?! Seriously...it's like a dream come true. Please let me know if you try it and how it goes for you! I'd love to see and hear how it turned out.

And as a last reminder- if you'd still like to download the song or get download codes from me, you can download the song here or email me with questions at biancamerkleymusic@gmail.com-



Thank you again to those of you who have already downloaded it...and to all of you who have shared it, reposed it, and tweeted about it...thank you so much! It will mean so much to those we help this Christmas. So thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Xo,

Bianca

One year ago...can you believe it?!

I can hardly believe that one year ago, I released "A Part of Me." I feel like that was so long ago, and yet like it just happened. What a thrill it has been to put out that album and to have had the opportunity to play those songs to people all over the country this past year.

In memory of that monumental time for me- I'm going to repost a few videos on here because I must. First one is of when Holly Hackett, a best friend of mine from forever ago, came to surprise me the morning before my show. I seriously had no idea she was coming...it was such an awesome surprise.  

Then of course on November 11th, the show for me was magical. It was such a joy to play with such talented singers and musicians (Mindy Gledhill, Jamie Bendell, Naomi Steckman and Mike Theis...). I loved it. Not only that, to all who came that night...if you are reading this post, and you were there that night- THANK YOU also for coming and supporting. For those who supported through the Kickstarter Campaign...again, THANK YOU for making the album possible. And to those who bought or listened to the album after it was released...thank you, thank you, thank you. Truly.

And to finish off the anniversary post, I leave you with this..."A Part of Me" recorded as a series of songwriters that is called the NYC Music Collective. I hope you enjoy. Thank you again for watching, reading, listening and following. It means a great deal. 

ARTIST #5 - BIANCA MERKLEY from ROCK*iT FiLMS on Vimeo.

Much love,

Bianca

P.S. Aaaaand there may be a Christmas song coming your way soon too. More to come on that in the near future.

Singer-Songwriter Confessions...

Dear reader,

I have been sorting a lot out in my mind these past few months. Singer-songwriters tend to do that. Maybe we think too much. Actually...we do think too much. Lately I've been thinking about how to adjust to the changing priorities that continue to shift in my life. I toyed with the idea of taking a complete "break" from music. But that didn't really feel right either. Although, I realized that music for me is going to have to be  3rd or maybe even 4th on my list of "to do's" for at least a few months.

I may be able to explain in more detail in the coming months, but for now...I am content with just making it known that I am still here. I am still creating, singing, playing, writing, and enjoying it...just with a little less intensity for a short while until I get a few things sorted out.

And with that in mind...I must admit, posting a video weekly just isn't realistic for me. I had to come to terms with that. I am sorry to let anyone down with my lack of video posts. I decided that once a month is really more like it. Meanwhile, I'll continue to play a few shows, and finish writing some new songs I have in the works, post a new video occasionally, and record these new songs (which I can't wait to share with you!).

Also, since I've been seriously slacking in my video posts, I will share one with you today. It's from my favorite singer-songwriter of all time, Patty Griffin. And this song felt appropriate to me as it is the first song I ever heard of Patty's, and it's also perfect for this rainy Fall weather. I LOVE this song. I hope you enjoy it too.

Xo,

Bianca

Opening for New York Dolls singer, David Johansen, this Saturday!

I'm looking forward to this weekend for a few reasons.

1. I love Fall weather and I love weekends during these months.
2. I am excited to play at The Falcon in Upstate New York!
3. I am looking forward to playing/singing with the talented Matt Sucich along with trio, Jeff Haynes on percussion, and bass player Doug Weiss. 

We'll be opening for David Johansen (who happens to be the singer of the New York Dolls! How crazy is that?!) and we go on at 7pm.

If you are interested in coming, you can check out http://www.liveatthefalcon.com/ for ticket sales and more information. I'd love to see ya there!

Opps...you get two in one this week!

I also forgot to put last weeks video on my blog...I thought I did, but I guess I only put in on Facebook- and forgot to actually put in on my blog. Sorry!

This is from my most recent show at Rockwood Music Hall with two ladies that I love dearly not only because they are amazing singer-songwriters, but also just because I genuinely think they are great people. It is so much fun to sing with them. Their names, just in case you were wondering, are Jamie Bendell and Amy Vachal. Check them out- seriously, you'll be glad you did.

This is us singing a song by The Civil Wars, and it's called "Poison and Wine."

A Little Moonlight: Key to Good Health and Happy Relationships?

I used to go to an acupuncturist in Richmond, Virginia who told me as part of my "prescribed medications" that I needed to take a few herbs, get good rest, and...go on walks with my husband at night to look at the moon. I'm not kidding you. That was what he prescribed. I loved it. Taking walks at night with my hubby is one of my favorite things to do. "Oh, what a little moonlight can do!"

Last Friday, Randy Bergida and I played this little number together that I wanted to share with you. It's a jazz tune that has been one of my favorites for years. I don't know what it is about this song- but I just love it. The wonderful Billie Holiday is known for singing it...maybe that is partially why I love it so much. So here you have it, our version of "What a Little Moonlight Can Do." I hope you enjoy!

And here's kind of a funny thought...do you think that a little more moonlight in your life could actually be a secret ingredient to greater health and happy relationships? Just a thought. What do you think?

Dear earth, I am coming back to you now...

So I fell off the face of the earth (according to a dear friend of mine here in NYC)...and I can't deny it, it's true.

I have had the opportunity to first go camping and sing silly camp songs... 

go to my best friends wedding...

play pretend with my nephew...

laugh with my mom and sisters...

play a house concert with an amazing band called Lady and Gent...

Eat my grandmas AMAZING peach pie (it's seriously to die for)
and go jogging in the morning with my dad (he works me into shape everytime)

take a road trip with my hubby...

drive the Las Vegas strip and ride splash mountain...

pick organic strawberries at some random farm in California...

get a sun burn at the beach and ride bikes around San Diego with friends...

all in the last 3 weeks. It's been AMAZING! 

I don't get to see my family who live out west very often, and so this time, I decided I was going to set other things aside while I was there, and I was just going to enjoy every moment of it. I hardly sent any emails, I hardly even played the guitar actually (so bad, I know!) but it was so necessary. I've decided that time just moves too quickly. It's so rare that I get to spend time with these people that I love so dearly, so I tried my best to be present. I think the realization that my niece who was 6 years old at my wedding is now 12 (going on 18) has really been a wake up call for me! I'm missing out on some of the lives of people that I love! 

So I know I said I was going to post a video a week...but I failed miserably at that this month. BUT, don't worry, I'm back now. I've come back to earth. I actually got back this morning...and I'm slowly transitioning to reality. I'll be posting a video this week and have some new songs in the works as well.

...in the meantime, I just wanted you to know that I'm alive and well...very well.

Although there are still some areas in my life that I long for to be different, I cannot deny that I am so blessed. It's almost more than I can handle. Do I even deserve all of this? I don't feel like it sometimes. But I'm grateful for it, and grateful to my Father in Heaven for being so generous and patient with me. Really though. How grateful I am to have had these last three weeks to spend with people that I love. 

Thanks for letting me fall off the face of the earth for a little bit. I'm back now (I think).

Xo,

Bianca

P.S. Today is my anniversary (7 years!!), and tomorrow is my birthday (don't worry about it!), and on Wednesday of this week, I am playing a show at Rockwood Music Hall at 9pm with two other gals that I am so fond of. You can hear them here and here. It's going to be great. You should come.

Wanna hear A NEW SONG?!

So I'm behind on all sorts of stuff as of late. Sorry about that. I have been dying to write about my Utah tour experiences, and still have planned to do that actually- but in the last two weeks, something else has always come up! Needless to say, I just wanted to share this first because I can't help myself. (I will post about Utah next, I promise).

 I always get excited to share new material, and this hear song is one I am particularly excited about. When writing it, I felt like it ought to be a duet, and it made it's debut last Saturday at Rockwood Music Hall with Matt Sucich singing and playing along with me. (By the way, if you haven't heard his music yet...you need to get on that. Go check him out- he'll be releasing some new material soon that is AMAZING.)

Speaking of amazing, last Saturday night at Rockwood was a lot of fun thanks to the fabulous musicians that played with me (namely Naomi Steckman on cello, Jason Bertone on Bass and Yaeir Heber on washboard) and especially to those who came out to listen! Thank you for being so attentive and wonderful during my show last week- it was a lovely evening and I enjoyed so much to share it with you.

More to come soon...but in the meantime, enjoy this new song, "Wishing Well."

P.S. As for background on this song...I wrote if from a place of deep desire. Have you ever wanted something so bad it hurt? Not like a cheesburger, I mean something that speaks to your heart and the deepest parts of yourself. Maybe you yearn for a spouse, a baby to hold in your arms, or a dear friend/companion...you may yearn for a job you love, or your career to take off, or something that is of great worth to you...whatever it might be, you feel such a strong desire for it that you wonder how long it will take, or if it's even possible! I have been yearning for a few specific things in my life in the last 2 years or so, and this is where this song came from. 

Xoxo,

Bianca

Guess where I'm going tomorrow??

Yip...that's right. The Beehive State.

And guess where I'll be on Saturday?

Yip. You guessed it...Velour in Provo, Utah!!

And guess what I'll have for you if you come to one of my shows??

Umm, one of these sweet kite buttons, as well as my new album.


So pretty much all I can say is that I am excited. I'm excited to play music in Utah especially! I feel like it's been so long. I'm excited to share my new album with those of you in Utah. I'm excited to see family and dear friends in Utah. And when it comes down to it, the mixture of those two combined couldn't be any better! It's going to be a great week.


See you soon dearest Beehive State!!

Xo,

Bianca

P.S. You can also see where else I'll be playing in Utah/Idaho if you check my website as well as Facebook and Twitter for updates (www.biancamerkley.com)