A Secret Shared

"I've never met my Dad"

Today I spent some time with Clare Kelly and learned something that I had never before thought to question.

Clare is a twenty-something female musician living in Glasgow. She's currently studying for her Masters Degree in Music: Innovation & Entrepreneurship, whilst drumming for Glasgow based band Suspire and working part-time. Needless to say she's a hard worker.

Now, Rachel Dawes once said "It's not who you are underneath, but what you do that defines you". We all know the story of Bruce Wayne and Batman. Ultimately, it is a tale of deception. He spent his days flaunting his 'playboy' image as Bruce Wayne and spent his evenings battling the forces of evil to protect the city of Gotham as Batman. Two entities; one man. The carefree identity of Bruce Wayne constructed to protect the fragile identity of Batman.

It is interesting to think then, that by this logic, how well do we ever really know the people we let into our lives?

I met Clare about a year ago and my first impression was that of an incredibly enthusiastic and genuine person. However, it is only recently that I have come to know Clare as a friend and as a musician. I know what she does on a daily basis and I know everything that she's working for, therefore I know what she is, if indeed it is what we do that defines us. But what we are is not who we are.

I believe that we all have a Batman to our Bruce Wayne. That we are all actors concealing what is really on the inside. No one can ever truly know what is inside of us - our thoughts; our feelings; our deepest secrets and our darkest desires. So how genuine and authentic can identity ever be?

Musicians can argue that their music is an insight into who they are, but to what extent can you believe that it's true?

Those of you who know Clare, and believe that you know her well, will understand what an amazing, contented person and incredibly dedicated musician she truly is. But how many of you know that she has never met her father?

I'll leave you to ponder that thought.

Love EllieMac x

First Thoughts

For the past year or so I have begun to realise that I love to write. I guess the realisation began to manifest in my brain when I discovered that I've developed a thing for words - I simply love the way they can form a simple sentence that can express the most intense of feelings or the ways in which we can communicate through language. Look at Shakespeare - his work is still as beautiful and as prominent as ever in the world of literature almost 400 years after his death! 

Words are universal.

Words are why I'm here.

Blogging is an entirely new experience to me; although it is something I've been meaning to get into for some time now. It's strange - being at the end of my final year of University the only solid writing I've done for years is formal assignments so writing in such a casual and personal manner is going to take some getting used to!

Anyway, over the past month or so I embarked upon a new project, inspired by my honours dissertation, which began as a collection of photographs of female musicians which were to be exhibited within an online gallery. However, upon a recent trip to London and therefore a biennial visit to the London Apollo Victoria Theatre to see the all-amazing Wicked!, I realised that this project could be portrayed on a much deeper and spiritual level. It was whilst watching the performance of my favourite track, 'For Good', that I experienced a sudden wave of inspiration:

"I've heard it said, that people come into our lives for a reason bringing something we must learn and we are led to those who help us most to grow if we let them, and we help them in return."

This beautiful track inspired me towards what this project now represents: my own personal and spiritual journey to explore myself as a female musician, building upon my personal identity by learning from my interaction with other amazing female musicians. 

This blog therefore represents a series of firsts for me: it is the first time I have ever attempted to communicate with others out-with my own circle of family and friends: it is the first time I have attempted to share something so personal with others, even within my own circle of family and friends: and it is the first time I have ever attempted to learn how to use photography in order to document this experience.

As I have already spent the past few weeks meeting with fellow female musicians and gathering and editing photographs taken throughout each session, this blog will serve as the next step of the project: a constant documentation of the day-to-day growth of the project itself.

The next post will show the beginning of the creative journey with accompanying photographs of each musician in turn.

Love EllieMac x