Category Archives: interview

Podcast chatter: I’m on!

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Just for your weekend I wanted to share this fantastic interview I recently gave on the Speaking For Profit Podcast.

I share:

  • The energy of live events and the importance of improvisation.
  • Creating connection with an audience and taking them through a shared experience.
  • Wordsmithing your talk to match your audience and maximizing humour.
  • Dealing with speaker groupies
  • And much more…

The show is hosted by award-winning TV producer and ‘speak to sell’ expert Jason Reid and world-class national TV host, performer and presentation trainer Cindy Ashton. You can expect nothing less than an extremely entertaining podcast that delivers high-impact strategy to rock the stage.

The podcast features world-class speakers, performers and business superstars as they share their untold stories from stage and beyond – and that includes me!   

You can listen into my episode and gain insights by clicking here:
http://speakingforprofitpodcast.com/ep-26-kat-leonard/

Hope you have a wonderful weeeeekend!

Lots of love, everybuddy!

🙂 xoxoxo

Love Mania! I love you more than pizza!

I love you more than pizza! I was a happy guest on Night Time TV with Arlene Paculan recently and I performed my song Love Mania! 

Come to KATBARET! This Thursday Oct 27th 6pm-8pm and hear me do it live– as well as hear from other fabulous artists including Arlene Paculan, Carla Gonzalez, Lori Lane Murphy and Neil Traynor! Yahoo!

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Connect with Night Time on Twitter @NightTimeRTV and me @katbandoo!

Have a glorious day! 🙂

 

WonderFest Panel&Play May 1/16

Let’s Make Good Productions’ inaugural WonderFest Panel & Play happened last night at The Painted Lady in Toronto. And it was awesome! Who played along? These guys:

Tony Roost @OneFireMovement
Marc Anthony Sinagoga Insta/Twitter: @notmarcanthony
Signe Miranda Signe Miranda’s Veranda
Dagmar Morgan

Panelists speaking on following your dream and making it happen through DIY careers: Signe Miranda, Tony Roost, Dagmar Morgan, Marc Anthony Sinagoga; facilitator Kat Leonard. The panelists had some insights on the struggles and benefits of doing it yourself.

My takeaways:  It’s not really Do It Yourself. It’s really about finding a community of like-minded individuals who can help and encourage one another. The resources are out there and if your passion is strong enough, you will find a way. The panelists were open and inspiring, funny and endearing. I would love to tell you I could share it with you in our podcast. But as this Do It Yourselfer has learned… I need to delegate the technicals to a technophile. I effed the recording up by pressing one too many buttons. Usually I’m so good at pushing buttons. My deep apologies to all. The Panel & Play Podcast will be live and well very soon! Please stay tuned! In the meantime, please enjoy these still pictures as  a flavour slice of the evening that was… an evening of insights and laughter and community building. More than one strong connection of friendship and future collaboration was made tonight, and that’s what this is about. 🙂

Hosts Arlene Paculan and Kat Leonard. That’s us opening up the performance part of the night!  🙂 Then we performed Jockstrap.

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Comedian Marc Anthony Sinagoga

Marc is a storytelling comic, which I LOVE! He is personable and likeable, funny and open, regaling us with stories from his life with just enough dirt!

Open Micer Chris Veldhoven with Peaches

Chris regaled us of a tale of shepherds and peaches… in the dirtiest of ways. With a sparkly giggle, writer and performer Chris takes it to the spicy side and you like it!

Open Micer Harrison Fine

Producer Harrison Fine of Fine Productions is also a brilliant songwriter and performer. His acoustic bit was beautiful.

Musician Signe Miranda

Signe; musician, author and coach– she exudes such a humble and enthusiastic light. You want to be her friend and have her serenade you with her lovely strumming and honest lyrics. Love.

Open Micer Linda Wallace

Musician Linda Wallace is getting ready to pounce upon the world and she gave us such a wicked taste of what’s to come! Her voice is chilling and her musical storytelling a scene you feel a part of.

spoken Spoken Word artist Dagmar Morgan

Slam Poet champion, writer and motivational entertainer Dagmar took us to emotional levels high and low with her poignant words and epic performance. Totally engaging you can’t take your attention away from her. I can’t wait to see more from her!

Host, producer and musician Arlene Paculan

As always, Arlene Paculan soothes and invigorates us with her silky voice and unique musical expression. Arlene closed the show and topped off a glorious evening!

Stay tuned for more episodes of Panel & Play and the podcast (I swear I’ll make it work)!
If you would like to participate as a panellist or performer, or have ideas for topics you would like to see covered, please email LetsMakeGoodMail[at]gmail.com or visit Let’s Make Good Production’s Facebook page.

Let’s Make Good Productions
Twitter/Insta@LMGProductions

Arlene Paculan
Twitter: @arlene_paculan Insta: @ourleanpea

Kat Leonard
Twitter/Insta: @katbandoo

#SpreadingEmpowermentThroughArt! 🙂

Come By Here on Rogers TV Toronto!

 

Heather Hill and I perform our song Come By Here on Daytime Toronto on Rogers TV. See Elizabeth Baugh from Ovarian Cancer Canada discuss ovarian cancer and its symptoms as well as the event and compilation CD She’s Listening which Heather and I were a part of among other generous and gifted artists.

For more on the process of Come By Here and lyrics, visit my blog on the matter here!

For more information and to help or donate, visit Ovarian Cancer Canada. 
🙂

People Profile: Prescilla Una

Meet Prescilla Una:
Music Artist and Community Builder

Prescilla-Music Therapy List 2014

Like many professional artists, Prescilla Una spends her time not only creating her art but also promoting the work of herself and others. Founder of Peaceful Revolution Music, Prescilla offers a multitude of services including music lessons, event organization and artist development. And she’s starting up a new open mic night Mondays in Toronto!

Prescilla’s first album Music Therapy is available now and she is currently working on her second album, Enlighten. Prescilla’s music style ranges from rock, acoustic, to EDM and jazz.  Here’s a taste!

This is her I am music video released March 11 2015

 

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I posed some questions to Prescilla and this is what she said! 🙂

What is your career?
I am a professional music artist. I perform and also deal with the business side of music as an indie artist.

Is it the same as your passion?
Yes, I have sacrificed a lot to live in my passions.

What is your passion?
I am a music addict!!!!!

What are the greatest challenges and greatest rewards of your career?
The greatest challenges would be to keep finding ways to  keep up with the cost of living while working in the indie music scene. The greatest rewards are when I complete a project: mastered a song recording, released a music video. The initial song writing is fun for me. I also enjoy the work that is placed towards producing. I enjoy the challenge.

What is your advice to others embarking on similar career?
Don’t stop if you love what you do because if you have true passion, it will keep you going through the journey.

What does it mean to be an artist?
I consider my self not a music artist, but, an artist of life. To me, an artist is a person who creates and continues to do so on a regular.

5 years ago, did you expect to be where you are today? Why, why not?
5 years ago, I was thinking I’d have a stable full-time job, but I ended up risking the stability for an adventure in music, well worth it!

Where will you be in 5 years?
In 5 years, I see myself affiliated with a major label, producing other artists music and developing artists. I also will keep creating my on music to release. I will be getting into different styles of music to keep me growing and having fun in music. My music label PEACEFUL REVOLUTION MUSIC  will expand.

What would you say to your 8-year-old self?
Enjoy your childhood and stop being so sad.

What would you say to your 80-year-old self?
Keep fit, keep dancing, keep spending time with loved ones.

How lucky are you and why?
I have created my own luck through hard work and, focus and dedication. Nothing has ever been given to me. I feel more blessed, not lucky.

What would people be surprised to know about you?
I am a private person, I’m not sure why I’m in entertainment, but this is where my heart has brought me and  I happier than ever. I enjoy influencing culture in a positive way.

What makes you laugh? What is fun for you?
My daughters always know how to make me laugh! Fun for me is spending time with my loved ones.

What makes you question humanity?
People should not be killing people or wanting others to suffer. All of humanity should be helping one another get through because we are all trying to survive, stop making it so hard. If you help more than you take, you are creating positive karma.

What is your favourite quote?
“Be the change you want to see.”- Ghandi

“Music is a moral law. It gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and charm and gaiety to life and to everything.”- Plato

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Prescilla’s weekly open mic Diamond In The Rough  launches Monday March 21st
at The Tennessee in Toronto – 1554 Queen Street West.
To perform or get more information: – message@prescillamusic.com

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And of course to explore more about Prescilla and Peaceful Revolution Music, visit: www.prescillamusic.com  Until you get there, here’s another taste of Prescilla’s music!

 

Enjoy and have a glorious day! 🙂

 

 

 

People Profile: Viktoria Dunker

Meet Viktoria Dunker:
Artist, designer, sprite of the universe.

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I met the bewitching Viktoria Dunker over a double-espresso latte with a squirt of hot chocolate, and I got more energy from her in our short exchange than I did after slurping my drink down with a slab of rainbow cupcake. My world has been more vibrant and vibrational ever since. She is an enchanting force that absorbs experience, churns it with an elixir of magic and inspiration, and explodes with the kind of genius creativity that spins the world like a galvanized disco ball.

What is your career? My favourite definition of “Career,” according to the Online Etymology Dictionary is from the 1530s, which refers to “a running (usually at full speed), a course” (especially of the sun, etc., across the sky). I feel that this is an apt analogy to what I consider my career to be. Not so much a predefined entity, but rather a momentum- a trajectory in a general direction toward the unknown.

Is it the same as your passion? Yes

What is your passion? Living a life based on discovery and flowing reflection rather than one of attachment and sentiment.

What are the greatest challenges and greatest rewards of your career? Remaining consistent enough to keep “it” together; remaining diverse enough to create inspiration and opportunity. I tend to meet a lot of people, and it can become both very exciting and overwhelming. It’s a challenge, bringing my presence, truth and highest mind (sometimes they are in conflict with one another!) to respectfully meet those along the way with the attention they deserve. It is a challenge that some of them have not been getting what they have needed and they try to latch on their attachments at the first sign of reciprocity. It’s a challenge that on the other end of the spectrum, can exist a cold, disengaged sense of entitlement that will never acknowledge what you are bringing to the game of life. The reward to navigating this is discovering trends on the human condition while catching glimpses of people’s depths and exchanging momentary intimacy that sheds light on the best places that we can go as we edge into an uncertain future in these vastly changing times.

What is your advice to others embarking on similar career? Meditate. Become personally aware. Go to the core of things rather than fixating on details. Stay alert and develop an instinct for taking the proper action at the proper time rather than following a however-many-step plan. At the same time, make lists of the practical actions you must take to fulfill certain aspects of your visions and keep as organized as possible. You wil find the balances in the fluxes.

Respect that there are also going to be times when your life is a complete mess. It’s alright to hit the bottom, but always get back up the minute you feel yourself hit the floor. Your best creative work is likely to follow if you catch the wave straight away.

Take nothing personally. Take everything personally.

Stay open to the signs the universe and your unconscious are offering you. They are in constant communication through the conduit that is you.

Keep discovering greater levels of personal truth with which to bond your integrity. It’s not always easy, but you will find ever-greater levels of happiness and fulfillment as you continue to do so.

Be open to life’s experiences as they come and go, but be very picky about who you spend your time with and discerning about what you do. You absorb a bit of everything you encounter and more of what you engage.

What does it mean to be an artist? It means tapping into the ceaseless flow of rhythm within and around you and bringing forth that which resonates most deeply with and from your core. You’re not just making pretty things. You’re opening your senses wide while seeking magic so that you may give others the opening to do the same.

5 years ago, did you expect to be where you are today? Not exactly.

Why, why not? I really had no expectation for the future, and continue to remain fairly present. I just wanted the journey and me to take each other. It’s been a ride.

Where will you be in 5 years? Have you ever seen the film Lucy? I’d love to achieve ubiquity through all the dimensions. But if I must settle for a flesh and bone existence, I’d be happy with just being able to saunter through life, openly loving and experiencing genuine compassion and recognition with everyone I meet. We’re lucky to live in a time and a place where we don’t have to struggle for our survival. I can’t think of a better way to spend day to day life than feeding people, body and spirit . I would love to be in a position to manage my personal resources to help people learn to manage their own in order to sustain their living and thrive on their dreams.

What would you say to your 8-year-old self? …Be kind, for you never know how a small act will impact a whole life. In turn, follow your intuition and explore: you never know when turning left instead of right will change your destiny.

Sometimes nobody in your immediate circle will like you. It’s a very big world, so don’t squander your power and talent with doubt and insecurity.

Knowledge sheds light on the darkness of fear. And if your knowledge scares you, you have much to learn. Discover ideas in words. History in personality. People in actions. Learn what hunger and nourishment truly mean.

What would you say to your 80-year-old self? Tell stories of the past so that the present generation inhereting the gift of the world in which to define and divine for their own may make clearer sense and sensibility of it. Unless you’ve given in and decided to become a cyborg- in which case, put your mind online and develop the ability to package your stories into metadata and learn to reduce their complexity into universally understood allegory (with charts and matrices!), you might be on your way out. But continue to be mindful of the fact that others are just coming in and need guidance. For the love of good, please don’t shut up and shut down.

Never stop uncovering fresh, inherent truth in nature and experience.

And yes, it hurts, but it’s only going to hurt more if you don’t put coconut oil on it and dance!

How lucky are you and why? I’m lucky that social and material success never came before succeding at developing a strong platform of principles and ethics, and a relationship with karma. Mind you, these things are perpetually in the working, but I think it’s extremely important to mature with them and allow them to guide and prioritize how you wish to spend your energy in this limited mortal plane before simply chasing a means to an end.

I am extremely lucky to be the person I am, imbued with the unique understandings that I have in life- as we all are! Somehow, I’ve managed to pull through some incredibly trying times without becoming a total jerk. And even at times when I act like one, I’ve been incredibly fortunate to continue evolving from a life of being surrounded by intolerant people, to ones who are alright with me periodically making really weak and ignorant mistakes, knowing that somewhere down there, growth is happening and awareness is cultivating. I’m lucky to be surrounded by others who are also making conscious attempts to grow and better the world with themselves. I’m also really fortunate to realize that my path becomes part of the path of everyone I touch. As long as I keep my heart and mind in the right place, in open communication with one another, my growth becomes somehow part of yours. Vice versa. So thank you.

I’m lucky to have made plenty of mistakes to keep learning from.

What would people be surprised to know about you? I’m actually extremely shy…

What makes you laugh? Elusive moments with butterflies, absurd coincidence, ironies that seem too good to be true and the voices inside my head. A LOT of things make me laugh, and it often comes out in really bizarre contexts and lasts way too long. Usually while I’m alone in public places…

What is fun for you? Lalligaging in nature like nothing matters. The barely sensical, synesthesia freestyle sputterring in my mind like quantuum torrets, existential banter, dorks, nerds, geeks, finding that thing that makes a super serious person crack a glimmer of a smile. Yoga in trees. Drunk parkouring. Adding random people on social media, never talking with them, then years down the line having absolutely life-altering experiences with them. Watching people evolve. I’m down for lots.

What makes you question humanity? Any time a person acts divisively- out of fear- instead of summoning the courage, strength and foresight to proceed through life with acts of love. Other acts of oppression. Watching science performed artlessly and art sciencelessly. Compartmentalized thinking, victimizing, and sabotaging attitudes displayed cyclically.

What is your favourite quote? It’s so hard to choose, because not only is humanity in constant communication with each other, but the Universe is in constant communication with each of its constituents- including us. It’s hard to pick favourites when life is but a stream.

Twist my rubber arm, here are a couple from a book called “The Art of Loving” by Erich Fromm:

“Love is not primarily a relationship to a specific person; it is an attitude, an orientation of character which determines the relatedness of a person to the world as a whole, not toward one “object” of love. If a person loves only one other person and is indifferent to the rest of his fellow men, his love is not love but a symbiotic attachment, or an enlarged egotism. Yet, most people believe that love is constituted by the object, not by the faculty.”

“If I perceive in another person mainly the surface, I perceive mainly the differences, that which separates us. If I penetrate to the core, i perceive our identity, the fact of our brotherhood. This relatedness from center to center – instead of that from periphery to periphery – is ‘central relatedness’.”

Is there anything else you’re involved in that you’d like to plug or point our attention to?Yes! www.fatedesigns.net … this entity is pretty much inseperable from me at the moment.

Please provide something originating from someone else that you find particularly inspiring. Check these books out!
“Art of Loving” – Erich Fromm “Man and His Symbols” – Carl Jung “Seven Mysteries of Life” – Guy Murchie “War of Art” – Steven Pressfield “Secret Teachings of All Ages” – Manly P. Hall

Also, have a gander at these Manly P. Hall lectures https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=isPvvtsBYUA&list=PL2BDEFDA5573BE6F7

Thank you for your time and attention.
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To Viktoria I would give all the time and attention I have to give. I find her endlessly fascinating and spiriting.

Please take the time to check out Viktoria’s links. The Manly P. Hall lectures indicated above explore the therapeutic value of the great art. It is worth a listen. “Art is something that the artist must do.” I feel that. I am also making it a mission to read every book on her list.:)

Please explore www.fatedesigns.net wherein you will find a visual splendour originating from Viktoria’s genius. I’m gonna get me some leggings stat and put some coconut oil on it and dance ! 🙂

May you all have a glorious day of exploration and brilliance. Enjoy the world with all the vigour you can muster. Be a creature of purpose.

Lots of love, everybuddy! 🙂

People Profile: Ross Douglas!

Meet Ross Douglas:
Singer-songwriter, actor and
male announcer voice for the trailer to your life.

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Oh Ross Douglas. Hearing him sing is like having a lion purr in your ear. He’s got a voice so rich, soothing and booming. It comforts me in the way music I grew up with does, like the powerful embrace of a hammock raising you to new heights and setting you back safely again gently; you’re still grounded but you’ve been stretched in amazing ways beyond return.

You bet I asked Ross some questions!

What is your career? Is it the same as your passion?  What is your passion?
I’m a songwriter/musician/actor /voice guy. My passion is unique expression from wherever it comes. I love music in almost all of it’s  forms and am drawn most to great songs in whatever genre. But all art from anywhere can take me away if I perceive an individual voice in it.

What are the greatest challenges and greatest rewards of your career?
What is your advice to others embarking on similar career?

The challenges are making a living, liking what you are doing and continuing to grow.

Entertainers – unless they are at a massively popular level –are generally scratching away and hustling for their next gig. It’s not an easily secure lifestyle nor for the most part a lucrative one. So you better like what you do –there better be something inside you that accepts all the vagaries, and pushes on regardless. My greatest rewards are writing songs that I’m proud of, meeting and hearing people that astound and inspire me and absorbing the richness and uniqueness of interesting places.

What does it mean to be an artist?

Being an artist means creating something that is uniquely yours- your sensibility, your poetry- and having it contribute to a greater understanding of a condition or situation.

Art can be very personal-it can sit on a wall in your house for years and then one day “Voila!  I now get that use of shadow –I was in a place today that had the very same kind and I’d never noticed it before. Now I see it everywhere.!”  Or a phrase in a song uniquely captures a feeling  and it completely rings true to you in a way you’d never experienced before. An artist opens people up to the appreciation of things.

5 years ago, did you expect to be where you are today?

No – I’ve reached the stage of life where I’m reducing the amount of physical stuff in it and the more I do the happier I am. I was a collector for many years and I’d be holding on to certain prized possessions forever. Now almost all of them can go—for the right price- I mean I’m not an idiot- I know what my Beatles collection is worth!

Career wise I had no clue where I’d be 5 years ago –I was cobbling together a varied career. Now I’m much more interested in my musical leanings than anything else and everything else is a servant to that pursuit.

Where will you be in 5 years?

I have no clue –but I want to be as musically productive as possible between now and then so hopefully in a state of artistic and personal bliss!

What would you say to your 8-year-old self?

Wait til you hear the Beatles  kid!  They’ll change your life!

What would you say to your 80-year-old self?

Mucho Gusto!

How lucky are you and why?

I have my health, I have people I love who love me. I have music. I have a roof over my head. I have a bit of money in the bank. I just worked with a musician I greatly admire. I have curiosity.  I’d say things are pretty good.

What would people be surprised to know about you?

My formality.

What makes you laugh? What is fun for you?

Lots of different things make me laugh- I’ll use favorite programs as an example. I have delighted for years in the keen intelligence, wit, and combined homage to almost all forms of comedy in the show “Frasier”; likewise the brilliant satirical  incorrectness of  South Park; the razored observations of John Stewart and now John Oliver. On a human level – lusty joyous older people, inspired goofiness, a great smart joke.

What makes you question humanity?

Ignorant cruelty in all its forms. Currently, as I reside most of the time in the US- Donald Trump

What is your favorite quote?

You can’t have everything—where would you put it?

Is there anything else you’re involved in that you’d like to plug or point our attention to? 

There is a cat named Limberbutt McCubbins running for President of the United States He has a Facebook page. Google him if you want to have a bit of fun.

The cover of the album “Most Meant to Be” is a painting of my mother’s –one of several that I found under her sofa after she passed away. She never thought she was any good so she never showed what she did to anyone. I love this painting.  

I now add “hidden artistic skill” to the list of things I so admire about her.

ross

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Well, I gotta say, Frazier is one of my all-time favourite shows so I know I’m in good company here. Plus– inspired goofiness is pretty much one of the highest values I hold!

I have had the pleasure of listening to the sweet sounds of Most Meant To Be. I highly recommend it. It is jaunty yet weighted with meaning. This is the perfect road trip album, eaten up by people of all ages who could listen to it over and over again. And THAT VOICE! For reals! Please do check it out! But whatever you do, please do not illegally share this album. It helps feed cats and they will find you and get nasty. Merwow.

For more Ross, head to his website www.RossDouglasSongs.com!

Happy day, everybuddy!
🙂 Love Kat

People Profile: Harrison Fine!

Meet Harrison Fine: Music Creator and Producer!

Harrison Fine is a singer-songwriter, performer, producer, tech guy, community builder and inspirer. Fine Productions is “producing the music you listen to.” It’s certainly producing the music I listen and dance to! Fine’s project Opus Eyes is some of the best music I’ve ever heard. I love the sounds, I love the feels. A high-recommend by me! NOW Readers Choice Winner 2014 for Best Producer, Fine has many production packages to choose from for all music-making desires. He also hosts Get Your Mic On, a casual and fun podcast that I had the pleasure of joining in on. Wanna hear us banter with Karl Machat? You can on The Kat Leonard Episode!  But enough about me! Let’s get to more from Harrison!

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What is your career? 

I am a Music Producer. I work with indie artists, songwriters and bands on a regular basis.

Is it the same as your passion?  

I would say so.

What is your passion? 

As far back as I can remember, I’ve always been attracted to music. I used to belt out into opera in grade one. I wasn’t very popular, lol.

What are the greatest challenges and greatest rewards of your career? 

Waiting. Trust. Faith. I’ve been doing something or other with music for ten years now. The digital era put a lot of talented individuals out of jobs — both artists and industry professionals. As rewarding as my job is, it’s the hardest one I’ve ever had.

What is your advice to others embarking on similar career?

Believe in yourself in the face of adversity. Never give up and aim higher than you think is possible of yourself.

What does it mean to be an artist?

We are all artists in a way. To create is to be an artist. You don’t need a brush or an instrument. By adding creativity to your day, you are an artist.

5 years ago, did you expect to be where you are today? Why, why not?

No. I have grown a lot in the last five years personally. It’s through this transformation that I have started believing in myself and what I am capable of achieving.

Where will you be in 5 years? 

That’s for the universe to know and for me to find out. I would love to be healthily working full time in music, shaping the world and still dreaming big.

What would you say to your 8-year-old self? 

Always believe in you. No matter who people say you should be, always be you. Never give up and trust the power you have within yourself.

What would you say to your 80-year-old self?

I hope I listened to my heart and took the road truest to me. I hope my choices lead to wonderful memories and everlasting growth.

How lucky are you and why?

Life is what you make it. I am lucky in many ways but in other ways I have faced many obstacles. To deviate slightly, I want to add that comparing obstacles with each other is futile. I have worked hard to get where I am and I’m a firm believer that hard work pays off.

What would people be surprised to know about you?

I was diagnosed with arthritis when I was 18.

What makes you laugh? 

I love satire, stand up comedy and jokes which make you think. To deviate again, I feel people need to lighten up more and realize comedy isn’t going to hurt anybody. We are so damn serious these days.

What is fun for you?

Spending time with my friends. I like to eat out even though it’s more expensive. My latest thing is for Ethiopian. Veggie platters FTW.

What makes you question humanity?

The fact that we are all seeking happiness yet we trample on others just to get more for ourselves. As a result, none of us are happy and misery encircles our generation.

What is your favourite quote?

An eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind – Mahatma Ghandi

Is there anything else you’re involved in that you’d like to plug or point our attention to? 

If you want to find out more about what I do, visit FINEProductions.ca. Also, as a songwriter I’m always releasing new music. My latest project is called Opus Eyes. It’s cinematic alternative pop with an electronic fusion. Check it out at opuseyes.com.

Please provide a link to something you find particularly inspiring.
Instructions For Life by The Dalai Lama
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I will let you know that I am fortunate enough to have heard the full master of Opus Eyes’s Lightswitch and it is a FINE production!!! Get it? Seriously though– it is a full-on dance party for one when I play it. The music of Opus Eyes moves me in ways that last longer than the time the music plays. I can’t wait for its full release and the upcoming music video(s) and more. The world better brace itself. 🙂  And now, a picture of Harrison and I with our biggest fan! Get it? 🙂

harrison fan

Wishing you all a happy and creative day filled with what you wanna fill it with!

Love Kat 🙂 xo

People Profile: Signe Miranda

Meet Signe Miranda: singer, songwriter, coach, author!

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Signe Miranda is many things, and just one of them is being a pretty swell lady to know; sweet and kind and also a creative supportive force on the music scene! She is lead singer of Signe Miranda’s Veranda, an alternative roots-rock band, and she also teaches The Song Creation Formula process and literally wrote the book on it! Here I am reading it! Those are smudges of milk chocolate on my brow. That’s how I Rolo.

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I posed the People Profile questions to Signe and this is what she said:

What is your career? Is it the same as your passion? What is your passion?

My career is songwriter, musician/performer, live sound tech, author and songwriting coach. My passion is having fun sharing the joy of music with people and inspiring people to embrace their creativity, passion and purpose. Often when people ask that question, they mean “what do you do for a living.” I see a career as something that I’m continually working at to expand my experience of mastering it. I do other things for fun and to support my career – working in an office, concert production work and other fun stuff that comes up.

What are the greatest challenges and greatest rewards of your career?

One of my greatest challenges with my career is creating the time and space to focus on being in a creative place, when there are a lot of administrative entrepreneurial activities that go along with being my own record label, my own booking agent, manager, web designer and marketing manager, while having a part time day job and multiple facets to my career.

The rewards are boundless – being in creative flow is one of the most amazing feelings – writing songs & sharing them with an audience, rehearsing, recording and playing shows with my band (Signe Miranda’s Veranda), creating and leading programs that assist people in writing their first song when they never thought they could write a song.

What is your advice to others embarking on similar career?

Follow your intuition. It will always guide you to the place where you belong. You’ll always be where you’re meant to be in a greater sense – although the journey flows if you’re in line with your intuition, while if you continually resist what is, the journey becomes a chore; and it’s all about the journey. Most artists create and share their art because they find joy in it and sometimes we think we need to do certain things because that’s what’s necessary to accomplish certain things. The path is different for each of us, so be your own guide and don’t get too frustrated allowing the “paperwork” to take over the creative work. Remember why you love it and keep that love alive.

What does it mean to be an artist?

To be an artist is to be free to create and experience the flow of life, transforming it into something through which the feeling or emotion can be shared with others to create an experience that transcends the one who created it.

5 years ago, did you expect to be where you are today? Why, why not?

Five years ago I certainly didn’t expect to be where I am today. The thought never entered my mind at that time, that I would write a book and become a best-selling author and interview some of my favourite songwriters, do seven solo tours, driving across the country alone and having the most amazing time, traveling all over the place volunteering at personal development events, taking courses, working with a coach to expand my career and my awareness, creating and leading songwriting workshops, while still in the same day-job which allows me the freedom to travel, and playing in a band with such amazing musicians.

Where will you be in 5 years?

That’s a fantastic surprise and gift. I could guess; I could plan and everything gets turned upside down and shaken up. I will be wherever I lead myself to, one moment at a time. That’s not the answer I would have given six months ago. It would be really fun to be touring with my band, playing shows (band and solo) across Canada and the US, in Europe (especially Norway), Australia, New Zealand, anywhere the music leads me. I would love to travel to so many places – hiking mountains, visiting archaeological sites (particularly Egyptian, Roman and Mayan), playing sports and enjoying this amazing thing we call life.

I love recording albums, touring, creating and leading workshops and always learning – so I see that continuing to be a huge part of my life.

What would you say to your 8-year-old self?

Remember to play. It doesn’t matter what your age is, adults get to play too. Always remember that.

What would you say to your 80-year-old self?

Remember to play. Life is to be enjoyed. “Life is for laughing, loving and living.” (Ed Foreman)

How lucky are you and why?

I am so lucky, if you define lucky as amazement of how spectacular life can be, where things unfold in a surprisingly interwoven way, like we’re living a story that we wrote and forgot what the plot was going to be. Sometimes I forget how movies end and can enjoy them with fresh perspective. Life is kind of like that. Nothing is random.

What would people be surprised to know about you?

If I give away all my secrets, then nobody will be surprised anymore. 😉 I teach tennis and one summer it was one of my tour-funding vehicles. I’m a certified NLP practitioner.

What makes you laugh? What is fun for you?

Really funny movies make me laugh – they have to be really really funny, ridiculous conversations – usually brought on by lack of sleep, and sincere joyful abandon (being in the moment and allowing the joy of the moment to overwhelm the senses – usually involving outdoor activities and/or silliness.

What I find to be the most fun is playing music, road trips, personal development courses, watching movies, hiking mountains and taking pictures of scenery, experiencing new places – particularly involving mountains and water – driving through the Rockies, overcoming fears – i.e. bungee jumping, starting conversations with people who I’m nervous to talk to, going to amazing concerts, doing live sound for concerts, dancing to joyful music, playing sports (especially badminton, tennis, table tennis, basketball and whirly ball – look it up – it’s the awesome-est sport that no-one’s heard of).

What makes you question humanity?

Philosophy encourages me to ponder purpose. It puzzles me that sometimes people get so caught up in being right that they lose perspective on their purpose.

What is your favourite quote?

I don’t have one favourite quote. It’s always changing. The one I mentioned earlier seems appropriate at the moment, “Life is for laughing, loving and living.” (Ed Foreman)

Is there anything else you’re involved in that you’d like to plug or point our attention to?

I’ve recently launched a crowdfunding campaign for the new album I’m recording with my band, Signe Miranda’s Veranda. It’s called “Heart Wave” and I’m really excited to be recording with these awesome musicians that I started working with over the last year and a half (Shamakah Ali & Rob Brown), as well as Brian Allossery, who has an awesome sense of how to arrange my songs in a way that really inspires me. I’m excited to have guest musicians on the album too – Peter Nunn and Bob Egan. We just started recording the first four songs at Rouge Valley Studio with Jeremy Trites and we’re releasing one single at a time every couple of months, starting next month. My purpose is to share the joy of music with as many people as I can and people can get involved by donating and/or sharing our crowdfunding page – http://smarturl.it/fundheartwave

I’m about to head out on my fifth west coast tour in September, playing shows and leading songwriting workshops (The Song Creation Workshop/Experience) from Vancouver to Edmonton – to share my book “The Song Creation Formula” and to launch the first single from “Heart Wave.” – http://www.signemiranda.com/

I attended the Coalition Music/Canada’s Music Incubator Artist Entrepreneur Program last year and it was an absolutely amazing experience – helping me grow as an artist, focus and expand – http://www.canadasmusicincubator.com/

Brian Allossery (singer, songwriter, musician, producer) has this awesome social networking site for artists to connect with eachother and share their art – musicians, poets, painters, writers… from all around the world – http://lazypoets.com/

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See? Look how helpful and inspiring she is!
For more on Signe and all her projects, check out her links!
New courses for the fall are available with the Song Creation Workshop! Check it!
Have a glorious day!
🙂
Love Kat

Heather Babcock: On Writing!

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Heather Babcock is “writing to exhale,” and her new chapbook Of Being Underground and Moving Backwards has been published by DevilHousePress. You should really check it out!

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I asked Heather some questions on writing and she answered. Watch her lips move and her eyes sparkle here! Heather Babcock: On Writing!

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For more on Heather Babcock please visit her website www.HeatherRoseBabcock.tumblr.com!

Carry on, everybuddy! Have a glorious day!
Love Kat! 🙂

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