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Stronger on Sundays – Sunday 24 January, 1800-2000 GMT

Stronger on Sundays returns with music held right at its centre. S.O.S offers an online space in which music is used to build community around social issues. Musicians and artists offer their expressions through live performance. Together guests share their thoughts on matters ranging from injustice and equity to our shared human experiences and connections to each other. Together, we can listen. We can learn. We can reflect. What started as a bit of a whimsical idea has turned into a daily song performance every weekday for the last thirteen weeks. I never quite "got" why I would do this initially. I knew it felt right to do it - and I always follow my heart and gut. But initially, I couldn't quite see the benefit.

You can now register to join this Stronger on Sundays event taking place this Sunday 24 January, from 1800 to 2000 GMT

TO REGISTER FOR THE ZOOM LINK, PLEASE CLICK HERE: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIkd-Goqz0iGtGjuqZAto_bOjnHx5w-OsD2

This Sunday, Stronger on Sundays returns with music held right at its centre. S.O.S offers a safe space in which music is used to build a community of like-minded seekers of spiritual answers to current social dilemmas. Musicians and artists offer their expressions through live performance. Together guests share their thoughts on matters ranging from injustice and equity to our shared human experiences and connections to each other. Together, we can listen. We can learn. We can reflect. We can grow.

Joining me in the room this Sunday is:

Ben Okafor: a Nigerian born “Socio-spiritual conscious” musician whose music and early life were shaped by his childhood experiences as a victim of the civil war in Nigeria and at the age of 13, he fought as a boy soldier. The pain and destruction he witnessed during that period soon began to influence the lyrics he wrote; his songs reflecting a heart-felt plea for justice, truth and love.

Rowland Sutherland: an esteemed flautist of West Indian heritage whose accomplishments have seen him enjoy an international career in varying fields from orchestral (Philharmonia, Royal Philharmonic, London Philharmonic) to pop, jazz and world music, having worked alongside Nitin Sawhney, Courtney Pine, Marc Almond and Joss Stone.

Dr Kathy Bullock: is an educator, scholar, singer, accompanist, arranger and choral conductor who specialises in gospel music, spirituals and classical works by composers from the African diaspora. A Professor Emerita of Music from Berea College in Berea, Kentucky, she is currently teaching, performing, and conducting workshops and other programs on African American music throughout the United States, Europe, and Africa.

REGISTER TO JOIN US ON ZOOM – SUNDAY 24 JANUARY, 2021 – 1800 TO 2000 GMT

TO JOIN US PLEASE REGISTER FOR THE ZOOM LINK HERE: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIkd-Goqz0iGtGjuqZAto_bOjnHx5w-OsD2

DONATIONS: Give What You Can

As well as encouraging important reflections around spiritual and social matters, Stronger on Sundays invites us all to consider our thoughts on how we give and receive. S.O.S endeavours to foster in us all a desire to keep the giving-and-receiving wheel turning and in a balance.

The invitation is to be guided by your heart centre in deciding what monetary contribution you can offer.

As a rough guide, a contribution of £5 to £25 (or your currency equivalent) is suggested but please adjust the amount to comfortably suit your own budget. This is about heart-giving.

All monies offered will be equally shared between all participants. In choosing to participate in this event, each contributor is donating their time, gifts and energies as they believe in the importance of giving voice to the subjects being raised.

Monetary offerings can be made via the Stronger on Sundays Paypal account by clicking here: http://paypal.me/strongeronsundays

PLEASE NOTE

Stronger on Sundays is part of Melissa’s SING4SANE community Big Sing & mental health project. You can learn more about this on YouTube.

One Morning Song

"A Song a Day Keeps the Blues Away" -- Perhaps this should be the tag line. OMS has definitely been an aid to me. What started as a bit of a whimsical idea has turned into a daily song performance every weekday for the last thirteen weeks. I never quite "got" why I would do this initially. I knew it felt right to do it - and I always follow my heart and gut. But initially, I couldn't quite see the benefit.

“A Song a Day Keeps the Blues Away” — Perhaps this should be the tag line. OMS has definitely been an aid to me.

What started as a bit of a whimsical idea has turned into a daily song performance every weekday for the last thirteen weeks. I never quite “got” why I would do this initially. I knew it felt right to do it – and I always follow my heart and gut. But initially, I couldn’t quite see the benefit.

Now on Day 3 of my thirteenth week, I get it. It has become a beautiful way to connect with the few people that are up and who choose to connect with me in this way at this time. It has also taken me on a little adventure, mapping the songs and music that has helped me journey towards the person I find myself to be today. I have loved revisiting jazz standards and other songs that I used to sing many years ago when I began singing. Thinking about all the people who might have introduced these songs to me or the artists from whom I learned as I was singing these songs. All the influences I had which have helped form me. Certainly, these past weeks have been a training ground for me – pushing myself beyond my boundaries and out of my comfort zone. I might decide to play the guitar, accompanying myself on a song that I haven’t played before, or at all. And singing first thing in the morning having not seen or said a peep to anyone – not sung or hummed a note – can be a challenge. I am gently warming-up my vocal engine in the process of delivering the song. But I think, more than anything, I am realising it is becoming a training ground for an aspect of me that has only really begun to venture out from behind the shadows since I started the OMS series. My inner storyteller. The revelation of little anecdotes and tales with maybe a drop-or-two of insight or wisdom that I have gathered from reading or listening to wise teachers, gurus and others, or through doing my own daily spiritual practice. I have discovered that I really love connecting with people in this way. And through the mode of song.

No idea how long I will continue on this One Morning Song path. I have learned pretty well by now not to overthink or overly plan anything. So we will see. But OMS has become a really lovely feature in my day. A little bit of fun and a light bit of daily challenge. While the sessions continue, you are welcome to join me anytime. I go live on Facebook at 0800 GMT each morning of the week, though I rest at weekends. And all the previous week’s recordings remain to be viewed at a time that might better suit you.

Click here to join me on my Facebook Page.

Join the Big Sing 4 Peace – 1 January 2021

On Friday 1 January 2021 from 2000 to 2145 GMT, I am planning a Big Sing for Peace. Everyone and anyone is invited to join me in this virtual space on Zoom. We will sing for joy, not judgement, setting an intention of holding peace in our hearts and sending peace into the world. This event is free and open to all, wherever you are in the world. However, I will be asking for donations to go towards 3 charities. These are Plum Village UK (PVUK) - created by spiritual leader and peace activist Thich Nhat Hanh. PVUK promotes Plum Village mindfulness in the UK. The Haven + London - a unique community where the creators, thinkers and change-makers of our world can find balance, peace and inner strength to be the best that they can be. Finally, Love is Kindness which aims to create a world that works for everyone. They support global projects for women, children, health, education and the environment. An invite is extended to you wherever you are in the world. The event, which will start at 2000 GMT, will be held on Zoom. You will need to register to join. Registration will be open soon however you can email your interest to sing4sane @ gmail.com. Details will then be sent to you when the registration page is open. This event is part of my SING4SANE project. You can learn about this by watching the SING4SANE promo video here. And you can hear the SING4SANE music video of Live Again here on YouTube.

Registration is now open to join the Big Sing 4 Peace I am holding on Friday 1 January 2021 at 2000 GMT.

I am extending a heartfelt and warm invitation to you to join me on the 1st January as we sing-in the New Year with the intention of peace resonating and emanating from our hearts.

Everyone is welcome to this special event which begins takes place between 2000 to 2145 GMT. We will meet in the virtual space on Zoom, singing for joy not judgement.

This event is free and open to all, wherever you may be in the world. For those who are able to make a donation, I kindly ask you to consider doing so. Any amount is humbly requested and gratefully received. An amount of £5 to £50 (or your currency equivalent) is suggested to be shared between 3 charities, all doing invaluable work – particularly in these times. Donations are taken via Paypal.

These charities are Plum Village UK (PVUK) which promotes mindfulness in the UK. Donations will provide worldwide support of the teachings of spiritual leader and peace activist, Thich Nhat Hanh and the work of their monastics. The Haven + London – a unique community where the creators, thinkers and change-makers of our world can find balance, peace and inner strength to be the best that they can be. Finally, Love is Kindness which aims to create a world that works for everyone. They support global projects for women, children, health, education and the environment.

Please visit the Zoom page to register and to receive the event link. Please note you will need to have a Zoom account in order to join this event.

To donate, please head to the Paypal page.

This event is part of my SING4SANE Big Sing project. You can learn about this by watching the SING4SANE promo video here. And you can hear the SING4SANE music video of Live Again here on YouTube.

Big Sing 4 Peace

On Friday 1 January 2021 from 2000 to 2145 GMT, I am planning a Big Sing for Peace. Everyone and anyone is invited to join me in this virtual space on Zoom. We will sing for joy, not judgement, setting an intention of holding peace in our hearts and sending peace into the world. This event is free and open to all, wherever you are in the world. However, I will be asking for donations to go towards 3 charities. These are Plum Village UK (PVUK) - created by spiritual leader and peace activist Thich Nhat Hanh. PVUK promotes Plum Village mindfulness in the UK. The Haven + London - a unique community where the creators, thinkers and change-makers of our world can find balance, peace and inner strength to be the best that they can be. Finally, Love is Kindness which aims to create a world that works for everyone. They support global projects for women, children, health, education and the environment. An invite is extended to you wherever you are in the world. The event, which will start at 2000 GMT, will be held on Zoom. You will need to register to join. Registration will be open soon however you can email your interest to sing4sane @ gmail.com. Details will then be sent to you when the registration page is open. This event is part of my SING4SANE project. You can learn about this by watching the SING4SANE promo video here. And you can hear the SING4SANE music video of Live Again here on YouTube.

On Friday 1 January 2021 from 2000 to 2145 GMT, I am planning a Big Sing for Peace. Everyone and anyone is invited to join me in this virtual space on Zoom. We will sing for joy, not judgement, setting an intention of holding peace in our hearts and sending peace into the world.

This event is free and open to all, wherever you are in the world. However, I will be asking for donations to go towards 3 charities. These are Plum Village UK (PVUK) – created by spiritual leader and peace activist Thich Nhat Hanh. PVUK promotes Plum Village mindfulness in the UK. The Haven + London – a unique community where the creators, thinkers and change-makers of our world can find balance, peace and inner strength to be the best that they can be. Finally, Love is Kindness which aims to create a world that works for everyone. They support global projects for women, children, health, education and the environment.

An invite is extended to you wherever you are in the world. The event, which will start at 2000 GMT, will be held on Zoom. You will need to register to join. Registration will be open soon however you can email your interest to sing4sane @ gmail.com. Details will then be sent to you when the registration page is open.

This event is part of my SING4SANE project. You can learn about this by watching the SING4SANE promo video here. And you can hear the SING4SANE music video of Live Again here on YouTube.

And Still We Rise

As part of the London Mayor’s month-long celebratory music fest entitled #SoundsLikeLondon, I am staging and performing as part of an event to take place at the Rich Mix, East London on Sunday 17 June. The event – And Still We Rise – aims to celebrate voices of women featuring performances from female artists. Organised in collaboration with the Musician’s Union, a singing workshop will be held during the day to which all women of all singing abilities, are invited to attend. Participants of the workshop can also join me in my stage performance at the Rich Mix later in the evening. Details on the singing workshop are via this link on the Musicians' Union website and tickets to the main concert event at the Rich Mix can be found via the venue’s website.

As part of the London Mayor’s month-long celebratory music fest entitled #SoundsLikeLondon, I am staging and performing as part of an event to take place at the Rich Mix, East London on Sunday 17 June. The event – And Still We Rise – aims to celebrate voices of women featuring performances from female artists. Organised in collaboration with the Musician’s Union, a singing workshop will be held during the day to which all women of all singing abilities, are invited to attend. Participants of the workshop can also join me in my stage performance at the Rich Mix later in the evening. Details on the singing workshop are via this link on the Musicians’ Union website and tickets to the main concert event at the Rich Mix can be found via the venue’s website.

Big Voices, Young Singers at the 606 Club, Chelsea – Sunday 22 April

Pleased to be taking to the stage of this renowned London venue accompanied by some young aspiring voices. On Sunday 22 April I’ll be holding a singing workshop with a small group of young singers in the morning. We’ll work on a song or two that will later be performed, in front of a discerning crowd. This is open to children between the ages of 9 and 14 years of age. Any parents or carers of a child who might wish to join should get in touch directly. Participation in the workshop is free. Family members wishing to attend the show can do so at the reduced ticket price of £5. A Sunday brunch menu is available. Details can be found on the venue’s website. Food is served from 12.30pm with the concert performance starting at 1.45pm until approximately 3.15pm. To book a table to attend the performance please visit the 606 Club’s website at http://606club.co.uk For further information about the workshop, or to register the interest of a child wanting to participate, please contact Melissa directly on heartsongvoices@gmail.com

Pleased to be taking to the stage of this renowned London venue accompanied by some young aspiring voices. On Sunday 22 April I’ll be holding a singing workshop with a small group of young singers in the morning. We’ll work on a song or two that will later be performed, in front of a discerning crowd. This is open to children between the ages of 9 and 14 years of age. Any parents or carers of a child who might wish to join should get in touch directly. Participation in the workshop is free. Family members wishing to attend the show can do so at the reduced ticket price of £5. A Sunday brunch menu is available. Details can be found on the venue’s website. Food is served from 12.30pm with the concert performance starting at 1.45pm until approximately 3.15pm. To book a table to attend the performance please visit the 606 Club’s website at http://606club.co.uk

For further information about the workshop, or to register the interest of a child wanting to participate, please contact Melissa directly on heartsongvoices@gmail.com

We Sang #LiveAgain in Parliament

Indeed we did. Seems a lifetime ago though now. It did only happen on the 30th October. And I have been recovering from the night ever since. The Parliamentary Big Sing was supported by Helen Whately MP (Chair, All-Party Parliamentary Group on Mental Health) and Luciana Berger MP (former Shadow Mental Health Minister). The event was also joined by James Morris MP (former Chair, APPG on Mental Health) who participated in a panel discussion alongside CEO of SANE, Marjorie Wallace and Professor Stephen Clift of the Sidney de Haan Centre for Arts and Health. Artist and Featured Artists Coalition member Eugenie Arrowsmith shared her story of working in the music industry while contending with her own mental ill health. And I shared the story of my journey and the SING4SANE project via a speech which can be read here via the SANE website. A fabulous event in a packed room filled with Parliamentarians and non-Parliamentarians alike. And a very good start to the newly emerging Live Again Singing Project which picks-up the work of SING4SANE.

The #LiveAgain Singing Project & The Parliamentary Big Sing

It is a busy time. If anyone had told me early last year that I would be creating a singing project for mental health & wellbeing and organising a Big Sing in Parliament, I would simply have laughed. SING4SANE emerged and since doing so its ball has not stopped rolling. So I am rolling with it. SING4SANE is evolving into the Live Again Singing Project and this Sunday 1 October will see the first workshop take place at Evolution Arts in Brighton. Anyone is welcome to join and you can get details via the Evolution Arts website. And the big news is of course the Parliamentary Big Sing. This will see me talk about #LiveAgain and SING4SANE and invite Parliamentarians to join me in singing. Sadly, it is not a public event but I will be sure to keep you well posted with updates on plans and photographs leading up to and after the event has happened.

The Grenfell House Concert

Sunday 6 August saw the creation of something very special in my back garden. Joined by Mo Pleasure, Rowland Sutherland, Kevin Leo, Joe Cang, Tom Gamble and Ross Lorraine together, from the desire to show some level of support for those victims of the Grenfell disaster, we created joyous music…and love. This love was shared among those who performed and those who listened. And the result from this is that so far £645 has been raised via the JustGiving page. I am beyond words of thanks and appreciation. And to think, it happened in my home back yard. Keep donating if you wish. And thank you for supporting and watching/listening if you did.

Gigging4Grenfell

Me and my ideas.. This Sunday 6 August I am hosting a special concert in my back living room to which close family and friends are invited. But you can join too since I am aiming to screen the concert online via the live streaming platform, Concert Window. Pay any amount you wish to join the performance which will consist of Mo Pleasure (Earth, Wind & Fire, Janet Jackson, Michael Jackson and others), soul singer Kevin Leo, singer/songwriter Joe Cang and guitarist Tom Gamble. And me. Anything you pay, less Concert Window’s fee, will be donated by me to Avondale Extra. This is a foundation setup by Avondale Primary School which lost pupils and staff members to the Grenfell Tower fire. It would be great to have you. However, the concert can only be watched live and if you are able to join us, you can still contribute a donation by visiting the JustGiving page. Looking forward to it.

Me and my ideas.. This Sunday 6 August I am hosting a special concert in my back living room to which close family and friends are invited. But you can join too since I am aiming to screen the concert online via the live streaming platform, Concert Window. Pay any amount you wish to join the performance which will consist of Mo Pleasure (Earth, Wind & Fire, Janet Jackson, Michael Jackson and others), soul singer Kevin Leo, singer/songwriter Joe Cang and guitarist Tom Gamble. And me. Anything you pay, less Concert Window’s fee, will be donated by me to Avondale Extra. This is a foundation setup by Avondale Primary School which lost pupils and staff members to the Grenfell Tower fire. It would be great to have you. However, the concert can only be watched live and if you are able to join us, you can still contribute a donation by visiting the JustGiving page. Looking forward to it.