It is said that one must get 10,000 practice hours under one's belt for greatness. And practice means practice. Jimi Hendrix took his guitar to the toilet; such was his obsession with practicing! Whether you are an inventor, a builder, a sportsman, an artist, an actor or musician; the law of practice remains applicable to all.
Let's rewind back to when I was five and was introduced to a lovely instrument - the piano.
It was love at first sight (or sound!). Growing up I was exposed to array of cultures and genres, as a result my love for musical styles spawned broadly from soul to classical music. As I write this, I am practicing furiously whilst playing shows across the UK and recording my debut EP, Shaky Ground.
So my first love was music.
I discovered I could sing and write songs. I developed into a singer through vocal coaching, training my voice with practice and development. In turn my voice would be featured with choirs on television and in plays. I held a desire to better my current state of being, as both a musician and a vocalist.
Now fast forward to today, where I have just returned from my first UK tour as a solo act, supporting my label-mate, King Charles and have just released my first record as a solo artist, Giovanna. I have learnt an immense amount whilst on tour and, I can honestly say that this is just the start. As an artist, I firmly believe personal and professional development never ends; it is a constant journey that we all go on, whether our craft is creative, business or personal.
Our ambition to be the best at what we do should never be diminished. When the facade and gloss of studio production and gimmicks wither away, all that is left is the raw talent: the embryonic purity of the soul. It is not about fame or the manipulation of the media, it is about the first time you were moved by the undeniable force of music. Do you remember the time you looked in the mirror and dreamed of turning yourself from an air guitarist to a star guitarist? Well I do. Allow me to share with you a glimmer of this moment.
Last week, Radio 1 DJ Zane Lowe declared my record Out In Bold his Single of The Week. It was a moment of humbling ecstasy as the fruits of countless labour were celebrated and honoured on national radio. For me (and my team) this was, and still is, just the beginning of my professional career. I feel as though my journey has just begun, yet practice and love lies at the heart of all I do.
Whether it's the practice of my meticulous classical pieces or the vocal training I endure each week, I know that my professional aspirations as a recording artist require lots of practice.
Music is my world, what is yours? What do you aspire to be? What do you see when you look in the mirror?
Whatever it is, practice, love and craft.
Giovanna - Out In Bold from Giovanna on Vimeo.