Pertorika's new music video just may be the loveliest water coloured story ever told. There is something so graceful about this bands style; every guitar lick, vocal harmony and piano flourish is delicately placed in the song with care and thought. Beautiful melodies, a gentle, unique singing voice and emotive sound make for a beautiful, soothing experience. 

​http://www.pertorika.com/

Sou Max is singer/songwriter Sou, and drummer Max. The pair perform indie/folk/pop music and boy, is it mesmerising. It's always impressive when an act can create such an emotive performance with minimal instrumentation, and the combination of Sou's haunting, powerful voice alongside goosebump-inducing softer moments is perfection. 

Get the latest release here: https://itunes.apple.com/jp/album/wake-up-single/1383619677

​http://soumusic21.com/    

A possible scenario upon clicking on this video:

First thoughts: 'KAWAII!!!' 'SO CUTE!!!'

Second thoughts: Wow, they're a really tight band! 

This band contains: a whole lot of pop/rock goodness, uber amounts of girl power, straight up coolness and a bad ass guitar solo.  

Oh, and their hair looks perfect after so much head banging. I need to uncover their secret. 

http://futsutsuka.com/profile.html

The heart and soul of the music community in Tokyo - Jerry Mera is a LEGEND.    

​It's virtually impossible not to feel inspired after seeing Jerry perform on stage. Whether he's jamming out with a rock band, singing and playing an acoustic guitar or sharing the stage with many a musician from all over the world, his groove and enthusiasm is infectious!

Aimer is a pop singer and lyricist. She collaborated with a whole bunch of different producers on her last album 'Daydream' and along with her distinctive, husky voice, the result was magic. Her music really fits in many different pockets, with the opening track 'Daydream' being heavier (in a "Michelle Branch 'girl with a guitar' era" kind of way), morphing into softer, more etherial moments as well as slick, acoustic tracks like the one below. 

​www.aimer-web.jp/

HOLLY: ​Moving overseas is a huge shake up! What was the catalyst for making the move? 
NATALIA: I had always had an interest in Japanese culture from a young age, and I think I had always been preparing to move here one day.
That being said, I feel like Japan is a pretty easy place to live on your own. Everything is so convenient!

HOLLY: ​What opportunities have you had overseas that wouldn’t have been possible in your own country?
NATALIA: A lot of it has to do with the fact that I was living in a small town in the states, but living in Tokyo has made it so much easier to meet people in the same industry as I am. And being a foreigner, there is a really small community of other foreigners doing the same thing, so you meet a lot of people who can give you advice/help you out on a project/introduce you to more artists.
I’ve also been able to meet so many different types of people from all different walks of life. I don’t think my worldview would be the same if I had just stayed in Missouri forever.

HOLLY: How do you handle negativity? 
NATALIA: I’m at a point where I’m so focused on trying to stop being negative towards myself, that I don’t even notice other peoples opinions of me.
In the end I think we all have insecurities, and the things that people say don’t really have anything to do with me, it’s just about how those people feel about themselves on the inside. Knowing that people will talk regardless of what I’m doing really helps.

HOLLY: What has living abroad taught you about yourself?​​
NATALIA: Is this a real question??? like.. I could write a book about this. 
I guess I’ll just say the most cliche thing, but you can really do anything you put your mind to. 
There are ways to do ANYTHING. It’s just a matter of becoming somebody who doesn’t crumble when something doesn’t go perfectly. Like if you fail, get back up and try a different approach.

HOLLY: What is the #1 piece of advice you’d give to an aspiring artist who is thinking of moving overseas?

• NATALIA: When I first came to Japan, I was signed to a big record label, and I thought that it would bring me instant fame. I was obviously very wrong… Have a PLAN! 

What do you want to do here? How will you make it happen? How are you going to support yourself. 
I didn’t do this in my first 2 years here, and I was a mess. Around March of this year, I wrote down all of my goals and how to accomplish them, and I’ve done more in the past 8 months than in my first 2 years here. Having a plan and writing down your goals is so important.

Name: Leah Martin-Brown
Hometown: Burleigh Heads, Queensland, Australia
Current City: Los Angeles, California, USA
What you’re doing: Performing, writing and working hard in a rock and roll band.

HOLLY: ​Moving overseas is a huge shake up! What was the catalyst for making the move? 
LEAH: I was at a point in my life that I wasn't sure what I was going to do next with my music and didn't know how I was going to move to the next level. I received an email from an A&R company in Los Angeles offering me the opportunity to move there for a while and potentially build a professional career over in the US provided things worked out. Almost four years later and I am still here!

HOLLY: ​What opportunities have you had overseas that wouldn’t have been possible in your own country? 
LEAH: I have had the ability to work with some incredible people who would not have been accessible in Australia purely because they are based in the United States. I have been able to share the stage with some insane musicians who, again, would nearly impossible to access otherwise. 

Name: Kate Beck
Hometown: Los Angeles
Current City: Tokyo
What you’re doing: Playing shows around Tokyo, finishing up my EP, and session singing (and a little bit of lyric writing and narration) for commercial projects out here in Tokyo. 

KATE: First of all, thanks so much for having me Holly! I’m a big fan of yours and I love that you’re encouraging this community of female musicians! Unfortunately the music scene/industry here in Tokyo is very male-dominated, so I’m always so grateful to connect with other female musicians and lend support any way I can.
HOLLY: Thanks Kate! :) Thanks for jumping on board and doing this interview, I'm a big fan of your work and you inspire me loads!

HOLLY: ​Moving overseas is a huge shake up! What was the catalyst for making the move? 
Yes, moving overseas is a huge step! I became really interested in traveling and learning about other parts of the world as a teen back in California, and in University I studied World Religions (and music!) and got to go abroad a couple times. I just had this endless curiosity about how other people lived, so I became sure I wanted to spend some time after graduation living and working abroad. English teaching is a great way to do that, and I’m also ethnically half-Japanese, so I settled on teaching English in Japan. I taught on the JET program at a high school in Tokyo for 2 years. In the meantime I spent nights playing at open mics and eventually shows, joining an amazing community of expat and Japanese musicians in Tokyo, and in the last year have transitioned to doing music full-time. 

HOLLY: ​What opportunities have you had overseas that wouldn’t have been possible in your own country?
KATE: Well, on a personal level, I had so much less fear to put myself out there and play a lot of shows because I had less to loose, less people I knew watching me. Because I felt free to make mistakes, I took on challenges I’d probably never have dared face back home (for instance playing live shows regularly—always had crippling stage fright haha—or even stepping into a recording booth to record vocals for a commercial for the first time). I had a lot of room to grow and push myself without the fear of failure that I’m sure we all know too well.
 
Interestingly, there’s a market in Tokyo for Western pop songs for commercials, TV shows, etc, as well as English narration for those commercials or as educational material. There’s a smaller pool of English-speaking singers/narrators, so I’ve been lucky enough to slip into the recording industry here without the kind of competition I would have had in Los Angeles.

The third thing is definitely community—being “foreigners” and expats can be an isolating experience sometimes, so I think the music community I’ve found here (made up of lots of expats and also Japanese natives!, amateur to professional to just listener) sticks together with a strong sense of solidarity because of this. There’s so much love and genuine support amongst each other, playing shows together, promoting each other on their social media sites, going to see each other play live, wearing each other’s band shirts, etc. It's a really positive energy and has made 100% of a difference in my journey as a musician. 
​
HOLLY: How do you handle negativity? 
KATE: Luckily people here are pretty positive and at least polite, so I rarely get rude comments or outright negativity about my music, but sometimes being a musician feels like an uphill battle—lots of work that you don’t always see the fruits of. There are definitely moments of self-doubt, or I’ll have a bad show, or I’m stuck in writer’s block, or I haven’t had a gig in a while. I guess the best way to fight negativity is to find inspiration. For me, going to other musicians’ shows is hugely inspiring, just watching people do what they do on stage and also watching audiences being transported and getting lost together in the moment. I always leave shows or open mics feeling hugely inspired about the transcendent power of music, and it makes me forget about any negative thoughts, and resolve to work harder and push through any tough times.  

HOLLY: What has living abroad taught you about yourself?​​
KATE: I’ve learned how much I value where I come from! That sounds funny, but being so enchanted with the idea of different places probably made me take a lot of things about my home for granted. Being curious and open to new ideas and ways of life is so important, but so is knowing and appreciating where you came from, especially as an artist! 

HOLLY: What is the #1 piece of advice you’d give to an aspiring artist who is thinking of moving overseas?
KATE: Ah, so many things, but #1 is find a community where you’re going (assuming you make that leap! Which I hope you do if you want to!). Search for open mics or meetup groups, on google, ask around, however, and meet other musicians. I bet you’ll find support, encouragement, and a chance to learn the ropes from the people who’ve been doing it longer than you. Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there as much as you can—play any chance you can and also go to other people’s shows, ask a lot of questions, watch and listen! 

Hands up if you've ever heard these statements (or said them yourself).

'I want to be a musician but I've got to have a back up plan.'
'My son is working hard at music but he'll have to have a back up plan of course.'
'A career in music is unrealistic.'
'I'm a poor musician'
'I'm DESTINED to be a struggling musician'

WHOA WHOA WHOA. Stop right there! Lets regroup. 

I'll be honest, I've heard those statements many times.
I've had them said to me.
I may have even believed one or two in the past.

But they're not true, and here's why.

An entrepreneur, tech student or even law student's ambitions are generally met with approval from others where as artistic pursuits are often met with 'you better learn how to make a good cup of coffee if you want to go down that road'. (I cannot make an excellent cup of coffee). 

A lot of musicians are programmed from a young age that there has to be struggle, there has to be a job that you hate before ‘making it’ and that you're somehow more authentic if you are a ‘struggling’ musician.

In reality - anyone who is chasing their dreams in any oversaturated industry is going to need a plan and a strategy. We're all in the same boat.

YOU DON'T NEED A BACK UP PLAN...
...but you do need a plan which takes every part of your life into consideration - your happiness, health and finances to think of a few. 

YOU DON'T NEED A BACK UP PLAN...
...but if in effect what you want to do is run your own business, you need to learn a lot of non musical skills or have the resources to hire those that do. (I'm talking marketing, tax, design, etc). 

YOU DON'T NEED A BACK UP PLAN...
...because there are a lot of paths you can go down as a singer/songwriter/instrumentalist. I've had the pleasure of working as a full time musician in Japan and have friends that are doing the same in various parts of the world.

Other paths include playing in a tribute band (some of these gigs are seriously cool), working as a session musician (for other original musicians or companies), producing or engineering (freelance or at a radio station). These are all very real, very attainable jobs. 

I hope at the very least I've given you a couple of things to consider when thinking about your musical future.

​Let me know what you think below! 

Keep dreaming, working hard to reach your goals and enjoying life.
​
Holly
​xoxo

For those of you who don't know; a couple of months ago, I decided that I didn't want to play gigs anymore. I realised that recently, I always felt super nervous and stressed leading up to a gig.   

I've been writing songs since I was 12. Sad songs, songs about heartbreak and disaster. I used to NEED to pour my heart out on a piece of paper. But I don't anymore. I've changed. 

A couple of years ago, I started learning about the law of attraction and reading a lot of self help books. I started viewing the world with a more positive lens. There's truth in the fact that, we forget the people that hurt us, it's the negative feelings that can linger. I felt like every time I played a gig, I was visiting negative town. 

So about three weeks ago, I released a song and decided to make it my 'last Holly Terrens show'.

​Done and dusted.

​A week later, I got a message asking me what time I wanted a soundcheck. Hilariously, I had completely forgotten that 4 months ago back in July, I'd agreed to play a show at Papera in Shinjuku (which I played last night). 

I felt those same nerves leading up to the gig and when I arrived to the venue, no one spoke English which was really strange. There were no westerners there at all! Something felt a bit off, so I double checked the event. 

The event was on a Sunday night. It was Friday. I was there two days early! I have never been two days early to anything before! 

As I made my way back home, I thought 'ok, you've got two days to really get your head in the game'. I decided to ONLY think positively about the gig, my abilities and everything else. 

Last night was one of my favourite gig experiences. I met two people who told me they'd seen me play previously at a different venue and came to hear me again. Hearing that was just so incredibly humbling, thank you.

I don't know what the future holds but I am believing more that I do belong on that stage sharing my songs. 

Thank you so much to the people who have always supported my journey. Your kind words, comments on social media and encouragement will stay with me forever. ​

This is something I've thought long and hard about. I have two shows coming up this week, one in Roppongi (Tokyo) and one to release my brand new song in Matsudo City (Chiba). Never say never but....

These will be my last two 'Holly Terrens' shows. 

As some of you have noticed, this year I've started focusing more on my youtube channel - I will be continuing to do so with my cover videos and vlogs. I also realised just how much I love teaching and will be throwing more music and songwriting tips and tricks your way! Basically, expect to see more of me on the interwebs!

I'm so grateful to everyone who has supported my journey - thank you. I will still be releasing new original music online from time to time as well as collaborating with other artists. I still love creating - that will never stop! 

STRATEGY #1: HEALTH - MENTAL AND PHYSICAL

When I'm feeling run down, I always end up spending more time mindlessly scrolling through social media or watching Netflix than I do actively chasing my dreams. It's great to wind down after a busy day (or week!), but feeling exhausted is a big dream killer! 

FOOD:
When it comes to eating healthy, I like to weigh up my time vs money. When I'm working a lot or just feeling a little run down, I'll make the convenient + super healthy (and therefore a little more expensive) food purchases. When I'm less busy, I'll spend more time in the kitchen thoughtfully preparing healthy meals. 

EXERCISE:
Listen to your body. You don't ALWAYS have to go for a 40 minute run or do an intense fitness class. When I'm feeling a little rundown, I aim to do just 10 mins of stretches in the morning and living in Tokyo means I do a lot of incidental walking throughout the day. It's about habit.

FINAL NOTE:
People become strangely opinionated about little life choices when they don't see what is going on under the surface, just don't worry about it. Feeling under the weather and have to keep working? If you can afford it, $12 on a cold pressed juice is not silly. Need to clear your head because you're trying to focus on study and got personal stuff going on? Taking some time out to have coffee with a friend might be just what you need. 

STRATEGY #2: TREAT YOURSELF LIKE THE QUEEN/KING YOU ARE
How many people do you know that are all work and no reward? There's always a reason why they can't eat healthy or take an hour out to relax. It's too expensive, theres not enough time. I used to feel like that too, until I realised I didn't need a lot of money and I could in fact make the time. 

Here are my fave things to do on a tight time and money budget:

TREATS FOR AROUND $5:

• Buy some fresh flowers for your room (the supermarket often has good reduced flowers if you're on a budget)
• Froyo
• New socks (a clear path to happiness, especially if theres a cute face and/or ears)
• Yoga class at Lululemon (THIS IS FREE I BELIEVE)

TREATS FOR AROUND $10:

• A hot bath w a magazine and/or bath bomb
• A fresh juice or smoothie 
• A new inspiring book 
• Raw slice

FINAL NOTE:
Pick a few favourite quotes and mantras and make sure you look at them, or even say them aloud each day! I love reading Louise Hay, Miranda Kerr's book and watching my fave YouTubers too!

STRATEGY #3 - PLAY THE LONG GAME
Now that you're feeling energetic, happy and healthy; it's time to get to work!

​Never underestimate the power of working at something, just a little bit, every day. Keep it balanced and stay focused. Are you spending all your time practicing and not enough time getting out there meeting people? Is your energy so concentrated on the 'hustle' that you're not sharpening your skills every day and becoming the best you could be? 

PUT PEN ON PAPER:
What is your definition of success?
What do you want to achieve this month? Within the next 6 months? Within the next 2 years? 

Be as clear and detailed as possible so you can celebrate both the big and small wins along your journey. 

A goal without a plan is just a wish - Antoine de Saint-Exupéry 

​Enjoy! x

Please leave a comment and tell me what you think of these ideas! Any further tips of your own? Please share!

Thank you so much for checking out my blog today. I also make music and vlogs in Japan which you can check out here

I'm more commonly known as a singer/songwriter/pianist these days, but I used to study classical flute. Like, proper study. Anyone reading this from school (especially primary school) will probably remember me as the kid in band. So when I was taking the exam for my Associate Diploma, I felt an appropriate amount of nerves, but I was also so damn prepared that in many ways, it was a breeze. 

I was prepared because of the large amount of exercises I practiced on a daily basis. Because my teacher told me to practice difficult passages in a variety of different rhythms - forwards and backwards. Because she had me visualize a Baroque court when I was playing Bach like Debussy (mmm classical French music). Because I left no stone unturned.

When I started seriously getting into the popular music side of things - writing songs, recording, playing shows; I got so caught up in the 'freedom' and 'creativity' aspect that I lost sight of how important focused and consistent practice is. 

If I'm to compare studying a classical instrument to being a singer/songwriter, I believe they each have completely different sets of challenges. Their common denominator though, is practice. 

Firstly, I think everyone is different and I'm sharing this blog as a token of my own thoughts from my own experiences. 

I've found it necessary to practice more than just the obvious: singing. writing songs. playing piano. 

I've found it necessary to also practice things like combat negative feelings. This requires a strategy. 
If you ever experience self doubt, nerves, fear or any other unpleasant emotion that can creep up before a performance, song/album release or just out of the blue (N.B. you're far from alone); then pre-empt these and have a strategy in place to fight them. 

This is where it's important to step it up a notch. Pre-empt those unpleasant feelings and fight fight fight! 

Firstly, on the performance side of things, this is where I like to bring in the 'one man show'. Play your set to one lucky person. This is much scarier than playing to a bunch of people. (Unless it's Ric's Bar on a Tuesday night and you're playing to seven friends whose eye colours you can make out from the stage).

This should do two things:
1. Boost your confidence.
2. Make you very quickly aware of the things you want to sharpen.

Make sure you've timed your set so you can relax when it's time for the gig!

I feel like this can be the harder battle, and the one people tend to talk about less. 

I still experience negative feelings before I release music or play an important show. I'd like to say that I've found a way to get rid of them but that wouldn't be true. What I can truthfully say, is that I've found a way to not let those feelings overrun me. 

The picture above was taken right before one of my favourite gigs. I'm here with my lovely, talented friend and  make up artist and we're wearing Athan Jon. 

​I was SO nervous before this show because I wasn't sure what people would think of this type of outrageous fashion at a local rock show in Brisbane. But then the next time I did something similar, I was less nervous. I still get nervous whenever I do something new. But then the new becomes familiar. What a great pattern to repeat.

Sounds easy in theory, but I know it's harder in practice. Remember, it's a muscle that can be trained. 

Here are some things I recommend to fight negativity. Call upon these when you need them:
1. Hang out with a friend who you have fun with and uplifts you. You know the difference between procrastinating and spending some quality time with someone to take a break and gain perspective. Don't feel guilty about doing this.
2. Keep a notebook with quotes from people you admire.
3. Keep a notebook and write down the times where you've felt at your best - it may be after a good performance, it may be a comment someone left you on social media. When someone leaves me a comment saying they can relate to a song I wrote or that I've brightened their day, I remember that for me, being a singer/songwriter is about sharing with others. This activity can shift my mindset in a heartbeat. 
4. Setting a daily mantra in the morning and repeating it whenever negative thoughts arise. 

Negative thoughts are tricky and there's no quick fix. These are some of the things I do to nip them in the bud when they arise - hope they'll help you!

​What do you all do? Share your tips below! 

I love my life in Tokyo but the more days I spend on a train surrounded by concrete high rises, the more I crave nature. 

"Enter Mt Takao"

What I loved most about this place, is that there is something for everyone - a cable car for those just wanting to take in the sights, beautiful temples and shrines for those wanting a cultural experience, a beautiful looking waterfall and the Inariyama trail - a good ol' hiking path.

We opted for the waterfall trail and then took the Inariyama trail by accident. (note: the signs are in English...don't ask how we got this confused) so it wasn't the relaxing walk we intended to do...

 However! Here are my personal pro's and con's to this trail:

Pros:
* It was much quieter and when we did pass people, we always exchanged a 'konnichiwa'
* I now know this was a sign of mutual respect for entering the climb of pain
* Birds were singing which was just lovely
* It eventually links up with trail 6, the waterfall trail.
* I felt bad ass walking up a river crossing.
* There's a lookout that is quite nice 
​
Cons:
* Not a relaxing stroll.
* Begins up a hill of many stairs. Hill continues. 
​* A lot of the other people had walking poles. We could have benefited from this also. 
* If you are catching the train home in peak hour, standing is not fun afterwards
​* Not scenic compared to some of the other trails

The way down was a completely different experience. This mountain has got some serious temples and shrines. Seeing these beautiful buildings and monuments has got to be one of my highlights in Japan so far.

Unlike the Inariyama trail, these paved paths were filled with tourists, families and couples there to enjoy a relaxing afternoon. 

If you've never taken a cable car. Come here just to do that. It's seriously cool and fun. (I recommend listening to 'how to save a life' by the Fray in anticipation) 

​​I also made a vlog of our mountain journey which you can check out here.

 THIS ALL SOUNDS GREAT BUT HOW DO I GET HERE?
Take the Keio Line to Takaosanguchi station. It takes under an hour from Shinjuku station.
 
​Any more questions? Have you been here before? Comment me below! 

I thought about naming this blog post 'the blood, sweat and tears that went on behind the scenes of creating Not The Same' because it certainly wasn't a straight road from A to B. 

I had a very clear vision of what I wanted - many people thought I was channelling Lady Gaga but I was actually drawing inspiration from Japanese shironuri fashion - in particular, the artist and fashion icon Minori. I wanted to wear a dream like, etherial costume that would kind of blend into the forest.

I also wanted to find an absolutely stunning dress for the shots inside...ala J'Aton Couture. 

I spent days of dedicated, focused music video dress shopping and kept coming back empty handed feeling like I'd simply wasted a whole lot of time. 

So I went to Spotlight, (THE material/arts and crafts store for all you peeps not from Australia), bought a bunch of material and hassled the staff for sewing tips. I had never sewed in my life but I was completely prepared to do it! 

Just as my sewing career was about to kick off (sarcasm with a hint of 'we'll never know'), my friend told me about a really cool vintage store that I should check out so the next day I headed to Tum Vintage and found SO many amazing things! More material plus an absolutely beautiful silver floor length dress that I decided would be perfect.

I met the owner aka amazing fashion designer and dress maker Jonathan Pampling and told him what I was doing, showed him my inspiration pics and told him that I'd bought a bunch of material. 

To cut a long story short, the material ended up in the incredibly capable hands of Athan and became the amazing piece in the pic above. 

The silver floor length gown? Ta da! Athan upcycled it, making this amazing purple dress. I'm still in awe of the fact of the length of the train - no material was added! Just very strategic cutting. 

I'm so glad I decided not to settle for something store bought. When I was preparing to sew, I actually cut up one of my vintage dresses at home that I quite liked - if quick unpicking a beloved dress to try your hand at sewing for art is not an act of faith, I don't know what is! 

I truly believe in the law of attraction. It might sound strange, but I believe that shifting my mindset and taking greater action is what led me further in the right direction. Not only did my vision become clearer but I met someone who 'got' what I was doing right away (very different story at Spotlight), who's work I absolutely admire and who continues to inspire me. 

Keep working, dreaming, planning and being brave x

You can check out the vid here